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Upland staff present $62 million CIP proposal and warn of a $241 million backlog
Summary
City staff told the Upland City Council at a June 1 workshop that proposed FY 2026–27 capital investments total about $62 million but the city faces roughly $241 million in unfunded street, alley and sidewalk needs and a falling pavement condition index.
Assistant City Manager Damien Arula told the Upland City Council on June 1 that staff will present a proposed two-year capital improvement program (CIP) for FY 2026–27 and FY 2027–28 and that the city faces a growing infrastructure backlog.
"We are behind every other agency in the region with our pavement condition," Arula said, adding the city's pavement condition index (PCI) has fallen from 57 to 53; staff said a target PCI is roughly 76–80. Arula said the annual funding shortfall to maintain the current PCI is about $16.4 million and that reaching a PCI of 70 in five years would require about $28.1 million a year.
The staff presentation laid out a proposed FY 2026–27 CIP of roughly $62,000,000 and $19,600,000 for FY 2027–28, and identified approximately $241,000,000 in unfunded street, alley and sidewalk projects — about $210,000,000 of which staff said is for streets and roads and roughly $31,000,000 for sidewalks.
Jessica Gordon, deputy director of public works for operations, told the council the city is understaffed for CIP delivery. "The City of Upland right now is currently 47% below the national average when it comes to CIP staffing," she said, and that licensed engineers are performing administrative work instead of design and project management because of the shortfall.
Staff outlined a "sandwich" initiative to align pavement management, water mainline and sewer replacement projects so crews can perform underground work and paving together and reduce repeated street tear-ups. Arula described the approach as a way to "maximize taxpayer dollars" by coordinating timing for multiple utilities and paving work.
Highlighted projects included the Foothill Boulevard rehabilitation — a $13.2 million improvement from Benson to Euclid already in construction — and a $5.9 million 19th Street reconstruction (Mountain to Euclid). Staff said some projects will proceed into design and that community meetings are planned for affected neighborhoods.
Arula recommended the council receive and file the proposed CIP and provide direction to staff. The council received the presentation and the workshop record shows staff recommended receiving and filing the proposed FY 2026–28 CIP.
What happens next: staff said the presentation and the master plans (water, sewer, parks/open space) will inform grant-seeking, rate studies and prioritization; the council did not adopt financing changes at the workshop and instead requested further information on staffing, prioritization and grant expectations.
