HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 02 Street System Communication Plan Update AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 5/13/2013
Meeting Type: Work Session
Staff Contact/Dept.: Brian Conlon,
DPWRachael Chilton,
DPW
Staff Phone No: 541-726-3617
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
S P R I N G F I E L D
C I T Y C O U N C I L
Council Goals: Maintain and Improve
Infrastructure and
Facilities
ITEM TITLE: STREET SYSTEM COMMUNICATION PLAN UPDATE
ACTION
REQUESTED:
Staff will provide a Street System Communication Plan update and recommends
that the Council evaluate the funding alternatives and direct staff to schedule an
October Work Session.
ISSUE
STATEMENT:
For several years City staff and the Council have struggled with the problem that
the City’s Street Operating Fund is not generating sufficient revenue to support
desired levels of street system operations and maintenance. Recognizing that there
is no easy fix to the revenue dilemma, the Council recommended that staff develop
a Street System Communication Plan with the objective of educating citizens to the
important role that the street system plays in their daily lives. Over the last several
months staff has been presenting the issue to Springfield civic organizations and
business clubs on the theme of “keeping the good streets good” and will now
provide an update.
ATTACHMENTS: 1. Council Briefing Memorandum
2. Springfield Street System Video (provided on DVD)
3. Springfield Street System Handout
4. Springfield Street System Questions
DISCUSSION/
FINANCIAL
IMPACT:
Although the focus of street program information, dating back to the 2003 local gas
tax implementation, consistently pointed to the cost benefit of preserving streets
verses the higher cost of rehabilitation, it was apparent from City surveys conducted
in 2009 and 2011 that the concept of proactive preservation was not well
understood by the public. Taking this into account the City Council and staff saw
the need to reshape our message of telling the citizens about the rapid pace of street
system decline and current $3M annual preservation funding gap, to develop a
Street System Communication Plan using a phased approach. The plan outlines a
strategy to present consistent and simple messaging and encourage open dialogue,
demonstrate that it is much cheaper to preserve streets than to rehabilitate,
showcase that the street system is growing in size and complexity, accurately
forecast the current funding needs to operate multifaceted street environments, and
begin discussing options for funding a street preservation program.
A street system video and handout were created and shared during the outreach
presentations to help people visualize the many working parts of a street system.
The aim of this is that citizens will connect as being frequent street system users
and thereby see themselves as stakeholders that have a vested interest to maintain it.
Both were successful in exhibiting the many working parts of a street system,
inviting great questions and energized discussion. Overall we found people to be
very supportive of street preservation and problem solving the Street Fund issue.
Facing the rapid decline of the street system, it is timely that the Council explore
the funding alternatives and provide staff direction on next steps.
M E M O R A N D U M City of Springfield
Date: May 13, 2013
COUNCIL
BRIEFING
MEMORANDUM
To: Gino Grimaldi, City Manager
From: Brian Conlon, Operations Division Manager
Rachael Chilton, Communications Coordinator
Subject: Street System Communication Plan
ISSUE:
For several years City staff and the Council have struggled with the problem that the City’s
Street Operating Fund is not generating sufficient revenue to support desired levels of street
system operations and maintenance. Recognizing that there is no easy fix to the revenue
dilemma, the Council recommended that staff develop a Street System Communication Plan
with the objective of educating citizens to the important role that the street system plays in their
daily lives. Over the last several months staff has been presenting the issue to Springfield civic
organizations and business clubs on the theme of “keeping the good streets good” and will now
provide an update
COUNCIL GOALS/
MANDATE:
Maintain and Improve Infrastructure and Facilities
BACKGROUND:
Although the focus of street program information, dating back to the 2003 local gas tax
implementation, consistently pointed to the cost benefit of preserving streets versus the higher
cost of rehabilitation, it was apparent from City surveys conducted in 2009 and 2011 that the
concept of proactive street preservation was not well understood by the public. The surveys
indicated that there was little understanding of the difference between the perceived state of the
City’s street system and the structural deficiencies that were cropping up and adding to the
preservation burden.
DISCUSSION:
Realizing that the information we were providing the public was not connecting with some
Springfield citizens, the City Council and staff saw the need to reshape our messages. Staff
developed a Street System Communication Plan to deliver a three tiered message: the street
system is a valuable asset for the entire community, actively preserving the system is more cost
effective than rehabilitating at a later date, and revenues are no longer keeping pace with
preservation needs. The plan outlines a strategy to present consistent and simple messaging and
encourage an open dialogue with community members.
In an effort to present information in an engaging manner, staff worked with a local
videographer to develop a short, informative video. The video focuses on the importance of a
well-maintained street system and the types of preservation and maintenance activities. The
video serves as a stand-alone informational item, available on the City’s website, as well as the
starting point for engaging citizens in a conversation by presenting the video to civic and
Attachment 1-1
business groups. Staff also created a handout to use during presentations that highlights the
many parts of a working street system. The expense of producing the video and handouts was
relatively small, and absorbed into existing budgets.
Over the last year, a team of Development and Public Works staff has presented the video to
several Springfield civic and business groups including the HAWKS, Springfield City Club,
Springfield Rotary, Twin Rivers Rotary, the McKenzie Business Association, the Kiwanis of
Springfield and the Economic Development Committee of Springfield. The presentations have
effectively stimulated conversations with citizens on how important it is to preserve the City’s
street system in fair or better condition.
On the whole, the audiences were very engaged and generally supportive of an active
preservation program rather than delayed preservation resulting in more costly rehabilitation at
a later date. While the video and the accompanying staff presentation did not focus on potential
funding mechanisms, most audiences directed the conversation into the problem solving mode,
offering ideas and suggestions as how to raise the additional revenue needed to re-establish a
proactive preservation program. The majority of the suggestions revolved around three main
ideas; a bond, a fee, and an increase to fuel tax; either local or state. Another idea mentioned
more than once, is to charge large vehicles, such as the LTD bus system and trucking industry, a
fee and dedicate the revenue to maintain the arterial and collector system. The idea that all
users are responsible for paying their fair share for the system was a common sentiment from
the audiences.
Next Steps
The City’s Street Operating Fund is the financial vehicle for funding all operations and
maintenance of the City’s transportation infrastructure. It is also the principal source of revenue
for the City’s Street Capital Fund, which funds preservation of the transportation infrastructure.
It has now been six years since the City has funded a proactive street preservation program.
Because preservation treatments such as slurry seals and thin-lift overlays have not been done
system wide, the Surface Condition Index (SCI) has fallen significantly. The street system as a
whole has declined from 2008 SCI rating of 77% to a 2012 SCI of 50%. What does this mean?
Over this six year period the condition of the City’s street system, once rated at fair-good, has
fallen to a rating of fair-poor. The street system condition decline will steepen considerably year
to year without funding being dedicated to preserve it.
The Streets System Communication Plan has been successful in increasing awareness among
citizens about the street system; its operations, maintenance, and preservation requirements.
Moreover, the presentations have been effective in engaging citizens in the problem. Now that
some members of the Springfield community are actively engaged in a conversation about the
community’s street system it is important to maintain that link, providing periodic updates as
staff and the Council continue to explore the reinstatement of a proactive street preservation
program.
It is also timely to consider an exploration of the ideas that the citizens have suggested to
address the funding problem, as well as other opportunities that either Council or staff might
consider reasonable solutions. Staff is prepared to begin that exploration and report back to
Council at some appropriate time following the summer recess. Unless Council provides other
direction, staff will explore each of the ideas raised by the community, and attempt to develop
others.
Attachment 1-2
RECOMMENDED
ACTION:
Staff recommends that the Council evaluate the funding alternatives and
direct staff to schedule a work session in October to discuss next steps.
Attachment 1-3
All residents use the street system...
Walking, driving, biking, carpooling, public transit
To work, to school, to the grocery store, receiving deliveries, relying
on emergency services...all needs a working street system
“Keep the Good Streets Good”
An active maintenance and preservation program stretches funds. Maintaining and preserving a
street, over its useful life, is far more cost-eective than waiting for the condition to fall into poor
repair and requiring a full reconstruction. Street maintenance and preservation is similar to that
of a house. Maintaining the portions that keep out the elements (roof, siding, etc.) protects the rest
of the structure.
“Keep the Good Streets Good”
Landscaping: 15 acres
of ornamental planter
beds, 15,000 street treesSidewalks: 260 miles
of sidewalks
Streets: 425 lane miles
of streets
Trac control:
66 trac signals
Trac control:
9,000 signs
Trac control: 115
linear miles of striping &
2,000 symbols
Bicycle Facilities: nearly
24 miles of bike lanes
The working parts of a street system
The City of Springeld Development and Public Works Department
541.726.3753 www.springeld-or.gov
Street lighting: 5000
street lights
Attachment 3-1
Questions from Street
System Presenations
When feasible, sta recorded questions that were asked after the presenting the street systems video.
Springeld City Club- June 21, 2012, Brian Conlon presenting
1. How much damage (percentage wise) do studded tires do to street surfaces?
2. How many roundabouts are in town? How do you grade roundabouts? Do they make an impact on maintenance
(cost/eort)?
3. How many miles of gravel streets in Springeld? Are they more expensive to maintain?
4. How is Eugene “getting more bang for their buck?” Individual said he thought Eugene was sending this message
with their communication about current street projects.
5. How much work does the City do versus contracting jobs out?
6. What is the timeline for the streets system PR campaign?
7. Is Springeld going to put a streets levy on the November, 2012 ballot?
8. Could Springeld license bicycles and use the revenue to help maintain the bicycle facilities portion of the street
system?
9. California uses resin to repair roads, does that method hold up?
10. Are there new eective technologies? What can we do with new technologies to increase eectiveness and/or
decrease cost?
11. Are there studies that demonstrate the cost of maintaining personal vehicles that are routinely driven over
streets in poor condition?
12. What is the current gas tax? How does that compare to Eugene’s gas tax?
McKenzie Business Association- November 13, 2012 Brian Conlon and Rachael Chilton presenting
1. Who’s responsible for maintaining sidewalks?
2. If the City isn’t maintaining an active preservation program, what is the revenue from the gas tax being used for?
3. Has some sort of at fee been considered? Like other utility fees?
4. How do studded tires impact the wear and tear on roads?
5. How do electric vehicles t in?
Twin Rivers Rotary- March 8, 2013, Brian Conlon presenting
1. How does Glenwood t into Springeld? Do those streets drain funds?
2. How much of the budget comes from gas tax?
3. What about an extra assessment for electric vehicles?
4. What about Mohawk starting to get in bad condition? Is that the City’s responsibility? Any plans?
5. How much impact do studded tires have? Is the fee for studded tire use proportional to the amount of damage
they cause?
6. Is there any discussion about increasing vehicle registration fees?
Springeld Rotary- April 3, 2013, Rachael Chilton presenting
1. What is the City’s current backlog in street repairs?
2. The City Council just approved the annexation of Glenwood into Springeld- how does that impact the current
backlog?
3. How many miles of gravel streets does the City maintain? What is the cost to maintain them vs. an improved
street?
4. What funding mechanisms do you think the City Council will consider?
5. Relying on a gas tax doesn’t really work anymore, right? Cars are becoming more ecient so it is a steady (maybe
even declining) revenue source while cost of repairs goes up.
Attachment 4-1