05/05/11 - City Council Newsletter

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Updated Pavement Management Report Now Available Online An updated report on the condition of Eugene’s streets shows progress has been made, but more work is needed to further reduce the backlog of needed repairs on the 1,324 lane-miles of streets in the city. The 2011 Pavement Management Report was compiled by the Public Works Maintenance Division’s Surface Technical Team to provide updated information on the condition of asphalt paving in Eugene using 2010 rating and inventory data. The report includes an inventory of streets by improvement status and functional classification, details how a pavement management system is used to inspect and rate pavement surfaces, explains Eugene’s pavement preservation program, and includes updated information about treatment types and costs. Among the key findings in the report:  Overall, Eugene has made progress in keeping streets in good repair (as measured by increases in the percentage of streets that do not need treatment). The progress is most notable on arterial and collector streets, where the pavement management program has focused its resources for the past several years (pages 11-14 of report).  The infusions of bond funding and local gas tax revenue have been key factors in the positive trend on street repairs(pages 1 and 17).  Despite these positive trends, the City still faces an estimated backlog of $139 million in needed pavement repairs, and that backlog could grow to approximately $250 million over the next 10 years if the bond measure expires and no new sources of revenue are found (pages 1 - 2).  Increasing the street repair funding level to $18 million a year, as recommended by the Council Subcommittee on Transportation Funding Solutions in May 2007, and endorsed by the council, continues the positive trends by reducing the backlog and increasing the number of streets not needing immediate repairs. Investing even more ($21.5 million a year) would have a greater positive impact, eliminating the backlog within 10 years (page 2).  More than 50 unimproved streets have received some level of repair since 2008. That leaves an estimated backlog of $12 million in repairs that still need to be done, or $60 million to bring all the unimproved streets in Eugene up to urban standards. (Both figures are over and above the $139 million backlog for repairs on improved asphalt streets.) Currently, Public Works Maintenance plans on spending $200,000 annually over the next six years to address a portion of these remaining repairs on unimproved streets (page 15).  There are approximately 41 miles of shared-use paths identified in the Pavement Management System. These paths are scheduled to be rated during the 2011 season using a new rating methodology that will help determine the condition and funding needs of this portion of the transportation infrastructure. Paths designed, constructed or reconstructed to current standards are expected to have a 50-year life (page 18). To download an electronic copy of the 2011 Pavement Management Report, go to www.eugene-or.gov/pw. For more information, contact Maintenance Director Jeff Lankston at 541-682-4800. Recreation Takes to the Water Recreation Service’s Outdoor Program is offering three opportunities to get folks on the water as part of the Wings & Wine Festival at Fern Ridge Reservoir on May 14. Adults can join morning events to view yellow-headed blackbirds, black terns and other water birds while paddling a traditional 29-foot voyaging canoe, or get close to wetland raptors and other water-loving birds while paddling a stable recreation touring kayak. These activities both begin at 8:15 a.m. A sailfor families with children age eight and older is planned for the evening, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The water activities mark the beginning of Recreation’s very busy boating season that includes sailing lessons, kayaking adventures, family raft trips, and canoeing excursions to area lakes. For more about these activities or to register, go to www.eugene-or.gov/recguide and click on “Outdoor Recreation” on the table of contents page. For more information, contact Roger Bailey at 541-682-5329. Steam Conversion Continues The “Steam Conversion” projects currently underway at the Overpark, Atruim and Parcade will provide another source of heating to replace Eugene Water & Electric Board’s (EWEB) steam service, which will be discontinued in 2012. The Hult Center was retrofitted last year with an energy-efficient condensing boiler heating system, when the EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 May 5, 2011