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ATTACHMENT B City Council Worksession, September 26, 2005 Road Fund Status and Stabilization Strategies Attachment B - Additional Detail on Service Implication of the Example Program Reductions Street Trees Program ($808,000, 9 FTE) Description of Service Reduction – This reduction essentially represents the complete elimination of the Street Trees program, which encompasses such activities as street tree removal permits, Urban Forestry development review, emergency response for tree issues, infill street tree planting; and, hazard tree inspections and removals. Service Reduction Implications – Eliminating the remainder of the street tree program would have far reaching effects, ranging from reduced safety and increased liability, to the City being unable to meet code and contractual requirements related to tree preservation and removals. Overall, the quality and safety of the City’s urban forest would be significantly impacted through the elimination of hazard limb and tree pruning and removals, to a system-wide decline due to likely impacts from development and construction. While some systems may have the flexibility of being temporarily shut off and restored at a later date, the urban forest will continue to decline and build a backlog of work that will require significant resources to restore to a healthy state. The City will be required to respond to tree emergencies that are blocking travel lanes or threatening life and/or properties. Residential Street Lighting ($357,000, .5 FTE) – Description of Service Reduction This reduction would include turning off street lights along residential streets, as well as reductions in the ongoing maintenance of street lights, including such activities as maintaining the poles, fixtures, conduits, changing bulbs, and repairing crash damage. Service Reduction Implications - By turning off the street lights along residential street system, the streets would obviously be darker and the opportunity for crime would increase. Streets will be less safe for pedestrians and cyclists as they will only be illuminated by vehicle headlights. A small cost for removing hazards within the infrastructure would still exist as the poles and electrical system would deteriorate over time. Underground facilities will still need to be located when construction activity occurs in the vicinity. Arterial and Collector Street Lighting ($331,000, .5 FTE) Description of Service Reduction - This service reduction would include turning off street lights along arterial and collector systems, as well as reductions in the ongoing maintenance of street lights, including such activities as maintaining the fixtures, underground conduits, changing bulbs and repairing crash damage. Service Reduction Implications – By turning off the street lights along arterial and collector system, the streets would obviously be darker and the opportunity for crime would increase. Streets will be less safe for pedestrians and cyclists on these higher speed routes as they will only be illuminated by vehicle headlights. A small cost for removing hazards within the infrastructure would still exist as the poles and electrical system would deteriorate over time. Underground facilities will still need to be located when construction activity occurs in the vicinity. Street Median Maintenance, Major Arterials ($215,000, 2.5 FTE) Description of Service Reduction - This reduction would eliminate median maintenance along major arterials. Service Reduction Implications – This reduction would result in the abandonment of the landscape infrastructure along several of the City’s major traffic ways and important entranceways into the City. The th affected areas would include the median plantings along River and Coburg Roads, Highway 99 and West 11 Avenue and the major landscaped areas along the Ferry Street Bridge corridor and the Chambers Connector. A total of 17.4 acres of plantings would be abandoned under this option. Removing the existing shrub plantings, abandoning the irrigation systems and discontinuing regular maintenance in the subject landscaped 1