Agenda - Public Works Committee - 06/21/2022

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Timeframe: Staff anticipates up to 60 minutes will be needed to present and discuss this case. Observations/Alternatives: Observations: "Light" Street Reconstruction Proiects An option the Committee may wish to consider would be to temporarily complete more PMP projects as "light" street reconstruction projects. This would involve reconstructing streets by reclaiming the existing bituminous pavement plus an inch or two of underlying aggregate base, leaving all or most of the reclaim pavement on site as a thicker aggregate base section, then paving a single 2-inch lift of bituminous pavement over the compacted reclaim material. This would generally provide a pavement section similar or slightly better than the pavement sections constructed up to the early 2000's, which generally met a 5-ton pavement design strength, compared to today's pavement sections constructed with 4-inches of aggregate base and 3/2-inches of bituminous pavement that generally meet a 7-ton design strength. Light street reconstruction projects are estimated to cost about 75-percent of a standard street reconstruction project utilizing pavement reclamation, which involves reclaiming the existing pavement plus an inch or two of underlying aggregate base, hauling about half the reclaim material off site, then paving two lifts of bituminous pavement totaling 3'/z-inches on top of the remaining compacted reclaim material. This design generally meets a 7-ton pavement design strength. Utilizing light street reconstruction projects would allow the City to reconstruct about 25-percent more streets at the same cost as a standard street reconstruction project. However, the anticipated design life of these streets would be between 25 and 40 years instead of 60 years with a standard pavement reclamation project. In addition, pavement design strength would be reduced which may cause issues during spring load restrictions requiring increased enforcement actions by Ramsey PD and other Staff. Staff would support this option if the Committee feels the benefit of completing 25-percent more street reconstruction projects annually will outweigh the costs and other potential local impacts due to achieving a design life that is two-thirds or less than that of a standard street reconstruction project, and due to a lesser pavement design strength. Advancing Street Reconstructions to Overlay Improvements Staff also explored whether streets identified as street reconstruction projects in the later years of the 10-year CIP, which may have PASER ratings of 5, 6 or higher, may be suitable for pavement overlay improvements in earlier years to extend the life of the pavement enough to allow it to be reconstructed after the "street reconstruction bubble" passes to smooth out the next street reconstruction bubble. Attached are four figures showing streets with PASER ratings between 5 and 8, all of which could potentially be identified within the 10-year CIP as street reconstruction projects closer to the end of the 10-year period based on projected pavement decay curves. Staff reviewed the 2022 — 2031 CIP to identify streets with PASER ratings between 5 and 8 that might meet this qualification. Staff only found one street segment that might meet these criteria and provide enough benefit to outweigh the additional cost due to overlaying a pavement section that is past the point of achieving 15 or more years of pavement life following the overlay improvements. Staff therefore does not believe there is enough value associated with this option to pursue it further. Alternatives: Alternative #1 — Motion recommending City Council approval to temporarily increase Pavement Management Program funding to address immediate street reconstruction bubble needs in an annual amount of $ Alternative #2 — Motion of other.