Agenda - Council - 02/24/2020 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CC Regular Session 7. 3. Meeting Date: 02/24/2020 By: Bruce Westby, Engineering/Public Works Information Title: Adopt Resolution #20-038 Indefinitely Suspending Annual Sealcoat Program and Reallocating Budgeted 2020 Sealcoat Funds Purpose/Background: Purpose: The purpose of this case is to adopt Resolution #20-038 indefinitely suspending the City of Ramsey's annual sealcoat program and reallocating budgeted 2020 sealcoat funds. Background: Since 2015, the City of Ramsey has budgeted $500,000 annually for cracksealing and sealcoating between 13 and 23 miles of City streets. Prior to 2015, cracksealing and sealcoating was completed less frequently based on availability of funding. The purpose of sealcoating was to protect existing bituminous pavement from damage due to stormwater runoff, ultraviolet rays from the sun, and petroleum deposits left by vehicles using the streets. In addition, a small amount of oil in the sealcoat emulsion is absorbed by the underlying pavement, helping to rejuvenate up to the top quarter -inch of pavement. In the spring of 2019, Staff began observing significant damage to the underlying pavement on several streets sealcoated since 2015. Staff has since been monitoring streets sealcoated since 2015 and documenting the scope and severity of observed pavement stripping issues in hopes of better understanding the root cause(s) of pavement stripping observed in Ramsey. Pictures of damage caused by pavement stripping under sealcoats on several streets in Ramsey are attached. Numerous cities across the Twin Cities metro area have experienced pavement stripping under sealcoats over the last decade or more, including several cities in the northwest metro. Since last spring, Staff has discussed the pavement stripping issues experienced by various metro area cities, including those that have been experiencing this issue the longest. Staff's goal is to better understand the cause(s) of pavement stripping, how to cost-effectively repair damaged pavements, and if reasonable alternatives to sealcoating exist. Attached to this case is a summary of Staff's research into pavement stripping, which includes findings and practices of other metro area cities, general comments and/or observations received from other cities and from sealcoat practitioners and experts, as well as conclusions and recommendations reached by pavement stripping research reports completed by the Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB). The LRRB was established in 1959 through state legislation with the goal of improving the quality of Minnesota's transportation systems through grassroots research efforts. Copies of LRRB Technical Reports #2013-08 and #2017-35 are attached for reference. In summary, Staff is concerned that continuing the sealcoat program will continue to cause unnecessary damage to our public streets. Staff therefore recommends indefinitely suspending the City's sealcoating program, which will allow Staff to further study the causes of pavement stripping in Ramsey and in other northern tier cities, to determine if reasonable alternatives to sealcoating exist, and to verify how to most cost-effectively repair pavement sections damaged by pavement stripping.