Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/19/2010, C 9 - CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROJECT FOR LOCAL STREETS AND ROADS Dm council Wee, January 19,2009 j acjcnc)a Report CITY OF SAN L U IS O B I S P 0 FROM: Jay D. Walter, Public Works DirectoqL� SUBJECT_ : CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROJECT FOR LOCAL STREETS AND ROADS RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution in support of statewide efforts to assess the needs of local street and road maintenance and to advocate for increased funding for streets and roads to bring them up to Best Management Practices condition. DISCUSSION Background There is no dispute that the transportation system has a significant role in the state's economy, as the road network is a critical contributor to maintaining California's status in the top 10 largest economies in the world. The transportation system contributes to trade (import/exports), freight movement, retail, agriculture, tourism, mining, construction and manufacturing. In terms of jobs and trade, transportation and utilities comprised the largest sector in California in.2006 and were second in terms of output. Therefore, the maintenance of the transportation system should be a major concern for all Californian cities and counties. California's local street and road system is reaching a point of crisis. City streets and county roads are where every trip begins and ends. Whether traveling by bike, bus, rail, truck or family automobile, Californians need the local system. As the first comprehensive statewide study of California's local street and road system, the California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment study provides critical analysis and information on the local transportation network's condition and funding needs. The study's objective was to fully assess the condition of the local system and calculate the overall transportation-funding need for California's transportation network. The report answers the following questions: What are the pavement conditions of local streets and roads? What will it cost to bring pavements to a Best Management Practices (BMP) or most cost-effective condition? How much will it cost to maintain them once we achieve the BMP or optimal pavement condition? What are the needs for the essential components to a functioning system? Is there a funding shortfall? If,so, how much is it? This study collected existing road condition information to determine the future funding needs necessary to maintain the system in good condition. As owners and operators of 81 percent of the state's roads, city and county officials will find that this study is of critical importance for several reasons. While federal and state governments' regularly assess their system needs, very little data existed for the local component of the state's c9-/ Support for California Statewide Needs Assessment Project Page 2 transportation network. Historically, statewide transportation funding investment decisions have rarely been based on local pavement condition data, or adequate recognition for the local system. Further, recent actions to remove city and county discretion over federal and state funding have diminished resources available to the local system. The goal is to use the findings of this study to educate policymakers at all levels of government about the infrastructure investments needed to provide California with a seamless transportation system. The findings of this study will provide credible and defensible analysis to support the creation of a dedicated, stable funding source for maintaining the local system at an optimum level. It will also provide for the most effective and efficient investment of public funds. As the Council is already aware, the City budgets approximately $3,000,000 per year for paving and sealing projects in concert with recommendations from the Pavement Management Plan. It has remained a high priority with the citizens in surveys and when Major Goals are discussed. Earlier this year, the Council received a report from consultant Margot Yapp of Nichols Consulting on the City's current approach to pavement management. Ms. Yapp was the lead consultant on the statewide study. Results of the Study and Identification of Statewide Needs? The study surveyed all of California's 58 counties and 478 cities in 2007-08. The response was outstanding, as information collected resulted in capturing data on more than 93% of the state's local streets and roads. Furthermore, since the majority of the data submitted came from recognized pavement management systems, the accuracy of the data is very high. Where no data existed, models were developed, tested, and used to estimate the pavement condition and funding needs. The results show that California's local streets and roads are on the edge of a cliff. On a scale of zero (failed) to 100 (excellent), the statewide average pavement condition index (PCI) is 68 ("at risk category"). If current funding levels remain the same, the statewide condition is projected to deteriorate to a PCI of 58 in 10 years, and further to 48 ("poor" category) by 2033. Even more critical, the unfunded backlog will more than double from $37 billion to $79 billion by 2033. The current PCI for the City of San Luis Obispo is 72, which would be in danger of falling if funding levels are not maintained. Based on the results of the study, approximately $51.7 billion of additional funding is needed to bring just the pavement condition of the state's local streets and roads to a level where the taxpayer's money can be spent cost effectively. To spend the taxpayer's money cost-effectively, it makes more sense to preserve and maintain our roads in good condition than to let them deteriorate, which will only make repairs more costly in the future. Consistent with that approach, the costs developed in this study are based on achieving a roadway pavement condition of what the industry calls Best Management Practices (BMPs). This condition represents improving the roadway condition to a level where roads need only preventative maintenance treatments (i.e., slurry seals, chip seals, thin overlays). These treatments have the least impact on the public's mobility and commerce. Further, these treatment types are more environmentally friendly than the next level of construction that would be required (i.e. rehabilitation and reconstruction). a 9✓ �k, Support for California Statewide Needs Assessment Project Page 3 The importance of this approach is significant. As roadway pavement conditions deteriorate, the cost to repair them increases exponentially. For example, it costs twelve times less to maintain a pavement to BMP standard compared to a pavement that is at the end of its service life. Even a modest resurfacing is four times costlier than a pavement at the BMP standard. With counties and cities on fixed budgets, employing maintenance practices consistent with BMP results in treating four to twelve times more road area. By bringing the roads to BMP standards, cities and counties will be able to maintain streets and roads at the most cost effective level: It is a goal that is not only optimal, but also necessary. The transportation network also includes essential safety and traffic components such as curb ramps, sidewalks, stone drains, streetlights and signals. These components require$32.1 billion over the next 10 years. The table below shows the pavement and essential component statewide shortfall of$71.4 billion over the next 10 years. Summary of 10 Year Statewide Needs and Shortfall 2008 $Billions Transportation Asset Needs Funding Shortfall Pavements $ 67.6 $ 15.9 $51.7 Essential Components $ 32.1 $ 12.4 $ 19.7 Totals $ 99.7 $ 28.3 $ 71.4 What are the Solutions? To bring the state's local street and road system to a best management practice level where the taxpayer's money can be spent cost effectively, approximately$71 billion of additional funding is needed for a functioning system over the next 10 years. The sooner this work is accomplished, the less funding will be required in the future. The conclusions from this study are inescapable. Given existing funding levels available to cities and counties for maintaining the local system, California's local streets and roads will deteriorate rapidly within the next 25 years to a poor condition. Unless this condition is addressed, costs to maintain the local system will only continue to grow, while the quality of California's local transportation network deteriorates. To bring the local system back into a cost-effective condition, thereby preserving the public's$271 billion pavement investment and stopping further costly deterioration, at least $7 billion annually in new money is needed to stop the further decline and deterioration of local streets and roads. This is equivalent to about a 38-cent gas tax increase. Or to put it another way, the average driver will pay an additional 50 cents a day for gas. It is imperative that cities and counties receive astable and dedicated revenue stream for cost effective maintenance of the local system to avoid this crisis. The time is now to utilize the information that has been gathered to gain support for additional funding in the future. Council's Role Cities around the State are being asked to adopt a resolution in support of the findings of the study. By adopting this resolution, the City will be joining a large group of cities and counties in G9-3 Support for California Statewide Needs Assessment Project Page 4 the effort to inform and educate elected officials who could be influential in securing additional funding for pavement repairs. CONCURRENCES The California Statewide Needs Assessment Project is a collaborative effort of the League of California Cities, California State Association of Counties, County Engineers Association of California, California Regional Transportation Planning Agencies, California Rural Counties Task Force, and the County of Los Angeles. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to adopting the resolution in support of the project. The current legislative platform adopted by the Council has as a high priority support for continued funding for infrastructure needs. It is also consistent with the Major Council Goal of Infrastructure Maintenance. ATTACHMENT Resolution Available in the Council Reading File and on the City Public Works website Final Report—California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment T:\Council Agenda ReponsTublic Works CAR\20 I O\Local Streets and Roads Assessment\CAR-Local Streets and.Roads.doc C9-� - ATTACHMENT RESOLUTION NO. (2010 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO SUPPORTING THE FINDINGS OF THE CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE LOCAL STREETS AND ROADS NEEDS ASSESSMENT WHEREAS, cities and counties own and operate over 81% of the roads in California, where every trip begins and ends, and the local system is critical for safety and mobility of the traveling public, farm to market needs, multimodal needs, and commerce; and WHEREAS, the local street and road system provides two-fold opportunity for economic recovery during the worst fiscal crisis in California in decades. The maintenance and preservation of the local transportation network provides both public and private sector jobs and thus supports economic recovery in every comer of the state. Furthermore, well maintained infrastructure is critical for economic development by attracting businesses and providing for the safe and efficient movement of both people and goods. WHEREAS, while federal and state governments regularly assess their transportation system needs, no such data existed for most of the local component of the State's transportation network; and WHEREAS, the California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment provides critical analysis and information on the local transportation network's condition and funding needs; and WHEREAS, the study surveyed all of California's 58 counties and 478 cities in 2007-08, resulting in data that represents 93% of local street and road miles in the state; and WHEREAS, the results show that California's local streets and roads are on a path of significant decline. On a scale of zero (failed) to 100 (excellent), the statewide average pavement condition index (PCI) is 68, placing it in the"at risk category"; and WHEREAS, if current funding remains the same, the statewide condition is projected to deteriorate to a PCI of 58 in 10 years, and further to 48 ("poor" category)by 2033; and WHEREAS, the pavement in the City of San Luis Obispo currently has a PCI of 72, but is in danger of declining if future revenues are not dedicated to pavement maintenance projects, and WHEREAS, ongoing road maintenance is a significant public safety concern. Fatality rates on county roads already exceed those of the State's freeway system. Maintaining the paved road network (potholes filling, sealing, overlays, etc.), traffic signals, signs, and street lights has a direct correlation to improving public safety thus reducing traffic accidents, injuries and deaths; and WHEREAS, to spend the taxpayer's money cost-effectively, preserving and maintaining the local system in good condition, or at a level of best management practices, is less costly in the long term; and Ca_ R 7 i \l 1 Resolution No. (2010 Series) ATTACHMENT Page 2 WHEREAS, in order to bring the local system back into a cost-effective condition, thereby preserving the public's $271 billion pavement investment and stopping further costly deterioration, at least $7 billion annually in new money going directly to,cities and counties over a period of ten years is needed to stop the further decline and deterioration of our streets and roads; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo supports the findings and recommendations of the California Statewide Local Streets and Roads Needs Assessment. Upon motion of , seconded by and on the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 2010. Mayor David F. Romero ATTEST: Elaina Cano City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM- A L,.IJ 'stine Dietrick City Attorney C9- �