Beaumont Citywide Street Rehabilitation and Maintenance Program

 

Location

Throughout the City

City or County Responsible for Project

City of Beaumont

Category

Bridge: Efficient and Sustainable Bridge Maintenance, Construction and Reconstruction Projects

Description

Program Scope:
The Citywide Street Rehabilitation and Maintenance Program in the City of Beaumont is a program to improve and maintain city streets through an annual street paving project. Various street improvement methods are used, including slurry seal, asphalt-rubber aggregate membrane (ARAM), asphalt grind and overlay, and full pavement section preplacement. A five-year pavement management plan is performed that prioritizes streets based on factors such as street type, age, condition, and traffic volume. Annual street paving projects are prepared based on the recommendations in the pavement management plan. Projects are funded using SB1 and Measure A funds.

Unique Design / Planning:
The City has created a very unique process for preparing the annual paving plans that uses in-house resources and innovative GIS software solutions. The steps are outlined as follows:
1. 5-year Pavement Management Plan – The pavement management plan organizes and prioritizes which streets should be improved each year using the pavement condition index (PCI) and other factors such as street type, age, and traffic volume. This study is updated every five years.
2. GIS street mapping – Every year the City creates a GIS shape file using ArcGIS software that highlights the streets that will be improved. The streets are color coded based on the type of improvement recommended (slurry seal, grind and overlay, full section replacement, etc.).
3. Collection of Field Data – The City uses satellite location devises to collect data in the field, such as manholes, valve covers, and traffic loops. Square footage measurements of proposed curb ramp upgrades are also collected in the field. This data is then input seamlessly into GIS.
4. Compilation of Plans and Specs – Plans are prepared using the selected street maps and GIS field data to create full plan sets that include proposed street improvements, traffic loops, and curb ramp improvements. Plans are created in ArcGIS. Specs are created using Greenbook and County standards.
5. Update Street Moratorium Map – After the project is constructed, the city uses the GIS files created during design to update the City’s GIS street moratorium map located on the City’s website. Here is a link to the City’s Street Moratorium Map.

The annual process can be done without the need for complicated AutoCAD design. The GIS street files become an efficient record of what streets the City improved each year, and transform into effective GIS street moratorium maps for the City’s website.

Cost Effectiveness:
The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, passed by the State of California, provides the City with a funding source through the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account (RMRA). The City uses RMRA funds to fully fund the annual Street Rehabilitation and Maintenance Projects. No city general funds are needed.

The City uses City staff to map the streets in GIS, collect the field data, and prepare the plans and specs. The City also uses City staff to upload and maintain the street moratorium maps on the City’s website. As a result, the City has been able to focus most of the funding on construction costs, saving money on expensive design and consulting fees. This has allowed the City to improve more streets each year.

Positive Community Impact:
The City has streamlined this program to such an extent that the City can improve between five to twenty miles of streets each year. In the past 5 years the City has improved approximately 80 miles of streets within the City. This has had a positive effect on not just the aesthetic and visual appeal of the City streets, but also on the overall appeal of the City’s communities and neighborhoods. Residents are happier, and communities are healthier and more vibrant. Enhanced transportation routes communicate a commitment to long term investment in the City. As a result, developers are more likely to view these areas as viable and desirable locations for expansion, contributing to economic vitality and urban revitalization.

Public Safety:
The improved street corridors provide enhanced safety throughout the City. Roads with potholes and poor pavement conditions are hazardous to drivers, cause damage to vehicles, and can result in traffic collisions. With each annual street improvement, the City removes these hazardous conditions and replaces them with safe driving corridors. The City’s street are now much safer, not only for residents, but for police, fire, and emergency response vehicles that rely on safe and efficient streets.

In summary, The City of Beaumont’s Citywide Street Rehabilitation and Maintenance Program deserves the Project of the Year Award because of its innovative, cost-effective, and highly impactful approach to infrastructure management. The program uses a unique in-house GIS-based process, which saves money on design and consulting fees, allowing most funding to be spent directly on construction. This efficiency has resulted in approximately 80 miles of streets improved over the past five years, enhancing community appearance, fostering economic vitality, and significantly improving public safety for both residents and emergency services .