City Streets: Investing in a Neglected Asset

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CITY OF CORVALLIS In fiscal year 2005-06, street services were reduced by $350,000 per year. The City Council authorized a Transportation Maintenance Fee (TMF) that took effect in fiscal year 2006-07. The fee generates $400,000 per year ($1.36 per month per residence) and the revenue is dedicated to specific pavement maintenance projects. The fee will sunset in 2011. The need for highway capacity expansion impacts local transportation funding. Local area state highway projects require a local contribution to proceed. Corvallis' contribution reduces the amount of resources the city has available for maintaining the local system. Corvallis has three highway expansion projects that will require millions of local dollars. Applying a 27 percent inflation factor, the city needs $3.5 million dollars to maintain its streets at previous 1997-98 service levels. The projected revenue for fiscal year 2006-07 is $2.9 million. The difference in these two numbers could equal six cents per gallon tax. Corvallis' Critical Street Project List: 1. Walnut Boulevard (4,700 ft.) -Highland Dr. to 25`h St.: Condition -Failed concrete panels in need of reconstruction. Estimated Cost: $2,488,000. 2 9`h Street (3,140 ft.) - Circle to Conifer: Condition - Section of a heavy traffic route in need of an overlay in order to preserve the pavement. Estimated Cost: $200,000, 3. 9`h Street (750 ft.) - Jefferson to Monroe: Condition -Failed base on a ssctian of a heavy traffic route in need of reconstruction. Estimated Cost: $250,000. 4. Residential Streets (30 blocks): Condition -Past the preventive. niainton€~anca sC~ags, and now in need of complete reconstruction. Estimated Cost: ,~3,OOQ,09~1. 5. Grant Avenue (2,600 ft.) - 2T~ to 36`~ Streets: Condition • In n~a~+~l ~1f ~~r~ ovorl7y In order to preserve the pavement. Estimated Cost: $150,000. City Streets: Case Studies -Page 20 CITY OF EUGENE Eugene has lacked adequate funding to preserve its transportation system for more than a decade. The result is a pavement repair backlog estimated at more than $100 million. EUGENE QUICK FACTS • 2006 Population: 148,595 (a increase of 18 percent in 10 years) • Funding Need: An additional $2 to 3 million annually is needed to maintain Eugene's 1,181 lane miles of improved streets. A total cost of more than $100 million is needed to bring all streets up to "good" condition. • Highways 99 and126 are surface streets in Eugene. • Local Economy: Higher Education -University of Oregon. Diversified Economy -More than 10,000 businesses located in Eugene -including health care providers, forest- product companies, high-tech industries and RV manufacturers. Eugene's pavement repair backlog is increasing yearly due to insufficient funds for pavement preservation. The backlog is currently estimated at more than $100 million: This has become a growing concern for the City Council and the public. Eugene's street infrastructure consists of approximately 1,181 lane miles of improved streets (asphalt and concrete) and 107 lane miles of unimproved streets. Current maintenance funding for streets, sidewalks, traffic signals, signs and medians does not meet the needs to adequately repair and maintain road- funded infiastructure. Reducing expenditures by $850,000 in fiscal year 2003-04 eliminated necessary road fund personnel, equipment and materials. The reduction eliminated the street maintenance overlay program (a program that addressed streets which were close to the end of their useful life cycle). Because the program was eliminated, more streets have fallen into a condition where extensive and costly .City Streets: Case Studies -Page 21