Minutes - Public Works Committee - 05/21/2002

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Councilmember Hendriksen noted that the City does clean the paved streets, as well as purchase bituminous material to fill potholes, none of which is required on a dirt road. He inquired as to what the cost was to overlay a ½ mile of street. City Engineer Jankowski replied that the cost to overlay ½ mile would be $23,232. Councilmember Hendriksen inquired as to what it would cost to build V2 mile of street. City Engineer Jankowski replied approximately $60,000 to $70,000. Councilmember Hendriksen stated that essentially what they would be doing in year one under the proposed dirt road maintenance plan, is building a gravel road. For purposes of comparison to an overlay the cost to construct the gravel road was less. Principal City Engineer Olson noted that four inches of gravel is not as strong as a bituminous road. Councilmember Hendriksen replied that he understood that they were not the same type of road, but they both are streets and both residential streets. He stated that if the City is going to do an overlay it would be $23,000, of which they would assess back to the homeowners around $11,000 every seven years. He did not think it was unreasonable that the reconstruction of the dirt road be assessed to the property owners as well. If the City needs to do dust control then they could factor that into the overall cost. If the City decides that a road needs 14,800 tons of Class V it is a one-year event and never reoccurs, which is unlike an overlay. In the first year in building the dirt road there would be $5,050 that would be assessed to the benefited parties and the City would pay $5,050 as opposed to around $12,000. At year 5 there would be $5,000 in expense with $2,500 being assessed to benefited parties and City would pay $2,500. He inquired as to what the cost was to sealcoat a V2 mile of road. Principal City Engineer Olson replied approximately $6,000. Councilmember Hendriksen explained that in one scenario they have an overlay cost of $24,000 of which the City pays $12,000. In year 7 there would be a cost of $6,000 of which the City pays $3,000, in year 14 there would be an additional $6,000 with the City paying $3,000 for a total City cost on paved roads of $18,000. On a dirt road the first year would cost $11,000 with the City share being $5,550. In year 5 it would be $2,500 for the City, and another $2,500 five years later. He stated that very clearly there is a cost of $10,500 for dirt streets and $18,000 in paved street maintenance costs. City Engineer Jankowski reviewed the City's current paved street maintenance program noting that the total cost to the City over 30 years is $20,592. Principal City Engineer Olson noted that if the City were to do the suggested maintenance on the unpaved streets the City would not be eliminating the cost of grading the roads. Public Works Committee/May 21, 2002 Page 4 of 12