City Streets: Investing in a Neglected Asset

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~_ CITY OF SHADY COVE insurance costs for street equipment. Street fund revenues are also used for maintenance of light poles and electricity for the Shady Cove bridge. This leaves little revenue for routine street maintenance. When sufficient funds are available, major improvements are paid by grants and systems development charges. In previous years, Shady Cove received the $25,000 Small City Allotment Grant issued by the Oregon Department of Transportation. These funds cover the cost to design a project, but cannot meet the cost needed to complete it. In order to bring all of Shady Cove's streets up to a good condition (including paving the gravel roads), the city needs an estimated $6 million. Due to a low permanent property tax rate, Shady Cove relies on state highway funds as its only source of annual street fund revenue. The city's $127,000 share of gas tax revenues does not meet the need. Shady Cove's Critical Street Project List: 1. Rogue River Drive (6,900 linear ft.) - Connector to Highways 62 and 234: Condition - Due to heavy traffic (including freight), shoulders are breaking down and in need of repair. Is in need of several safety improvements, including walkway/bikepaths, widening, etc. Estimated Cost: $1,932,000. 2. Erickson Avenue (1,000 linear ft.) -Hudspeth Ln. to Cleveland St. (near the elementary school): Condition - Rocklgravel street that needs to be constructed to collector street standards. Estimated Cost: $280,000. 3. Hudspeth Lane (1,650 linear ft.) - Sarma Dr. to Kathleen Terrace: Condition - Rocklgravel street that needs to be constructed to local street standards. Estimated Cost: $353,000. 4. Park Drive (1,340 linear ft.) - Edgewood Pk. Dr. to Cedar St.: Condition - Rocklgravel street that needs to be constructed to local street standards. Estimated Cost: $288,000. 5. Schoolhouse Lane (1,650 linear ft.): Condition - 400 feet has severe pavement cracking and potential potholes. The remainder of the street is single lane width. The whole are needs full construction to collector street standards. Estimated Cost: $462,000. CITY OF SISTERS Locally-raised revenues make up more than two-thirds of Sisters' transportation fund, but the city's revenues are still inadequate to provide proper street maintenance. Because of its location, Sisters spends a significant part of its street system maintenance budget on snow removal and vehicle maintenance. Only $10,532 (less than 5 percent) was available for- pavement maintenance. ,SISTERS QUICK FACTS • 2006 Population: 1,745 (An increase of 125 percent in 10 years) • Funding Need: An additional $100,000 is needed to maintain Sisters' 33 lane miles. $300,000 is needed to bring all streets up to "good" condition. • Highway 20 is the main artery through Sisters. • Local Economy: Tourism and Small Businesses. Over time, the quality of city streets in Sisters has deteriorated. The city's main street, Cascade Avenue (Highway 20), is in serious need of attention due to rutting and impacts of snow and ice. Had it not been for a sewer project which allowed for some of the streets to be resurfaced, more of Sisters' streets would be in worse condition. Sisters has grown 17 percent in the last two years. Growth has produced many new roads constructed by private development. Sisters Street Fund Revenue. FY 05-06 ':~ Locally-Raised Revenue State Highway Fund Revenue Most of the city's street fund revenue come from a $100,000 transfer from the city's general fund. Other local revenues include utility franchises and leases. The second major source of revenue is the. city's share of the State Highway Fund. Sisters spent $145,340 on various street system maintenance activities including: labor; snow removal; street lighting; street sweeping; and vehicle maintenance. Only $10,532 was spent on pavement maintenance, and included mostly pothole patching. In fiscal year 2006-07, Sisters spent approximately $75,000 to chip seal three-quarters of the city's commercial downtown area. This was the first major expenditure for street maintenance since the City Streets: Case Studies -Page 52 City Streets; Case Studies -Page 53