Bedford EDC: New pavement assessment shows 'very good' average PCI, five-year CIP proposed

City staff presented results of a new pavement and sidewalk assessment and proposed a flexible five-year capital improvement plan for streets and sidewalks.

Mara, who led the presentation, said the citywide Pavement Condition Index average "currently stands at 74, which falls in the very good range, and that is a very good place to be." She explained the assessment combined IMS data, city field reviews and resident complaints, and that recent overlays and reconstruction completed after the IMS data collection likely raise the current score above 74. Mara said the assessment is intended to make maintenance decisions more data-driven and transparent.

Staff showed a GIS web map that links individual street and sidewalk segments to PCI scores, defect types and photographs so decision-makers can see why a segment scored poorly. Mara also emphasized the city will reassess the network every three to five years and will present yearly project lists to allow additions and reprioritization as conditions change.

Lane, the public-works presenter, described the city's mix of contractual and in-house operations for mill-and-overlay, sidewalk panel replacement and pothole work, and said expanding in-house panel replacement could reduce costs. He said the city completed multiple milling/overlay projects this year and is increasing in-house asphalt work to stretch the budget.

Taken together, the assessment and the proposed CIP are intended to keep Bedford's pavement rating stable or improve it toward staff's goal of roughly 80, depending on funding availability and coordination between engineering and public works.