2011-03-CEC-ATM-rpt - Laserfiche WebLink

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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE REPORT TO 2011 ATM cost-effective program going forward. We also appreciated that the new study made use of the data from the previously-funded pavement-condition-index software. The comprehensive study developed an extensive roadway database describing actual pavement conditions and roadway characteristics in order to better understand future roadway-funding requirements. FST engineers surveyed all of our roadways and recorded roadway physical characteristics (e.g., cracking, potholes, distortion, etc.). Then, using the Cartegraph Systems, Inc., computer program PAVEMENTview® Plus, FST computed a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for each inventoried, surfaced, public roadway in Lexington. A PCI of 100 would apply to a newly constructed roadway without any problems and a PCI of zero would apply to a roadway that was unusable. The 100-point scale is broken down into 5 bands: "Do Nothing" band (PCIs of 88-100), "Routine Maintenance" band (PCIs of 68-87), "Preventive Maintenance"band(PCIs of 47-67), "Structural Improvement"band (PCIs of 21- 46), and"Base Rehabilitation"band(PCIs of 0-20). FST identified 563 pavement-management segments and determined that the Town's average roadway PCI, in the fall of 2010, was 68. This rating puts the typical road condition at the very bottom of the "Routine Maintenance" band. An average road condition in the bottom of the Routine Maintenance treatment band means that considerable resources will be needed to sustain network wide conditions. The funding required to bring all roadways up to a PCI average of 88 (bottom of"Do Nothing"band) is called the Backlog. For Lexington to immediately erase its backlog, the Town would have to appropriate approximately $18.3 million, less any Chapter 90 funds, in FY2012. Since this is unrealistic, FST developed 5 possible scenarios for funding over each of the next 10 years. (In each case, the dollar amounts are total; not net of any contribution of Chapter 90 funding.) If the Town spends no money for road repairs for 10 years, the average PCI will drop to 28.4 (i.e., bottom of the"Structural Improvement"band) and the backlog will approach$159 million. If the Town continues to spend about$1.25 million per year on the worst roads, the PCI level will drop to 40.7 and the backlog will increase to $103.5 million. However, by prioritizing "good" roads and doing nothing to the current "worst' roads, the continued expenditure of $1.25 million per year would keep the average PCI above 64, but the backlog would increase only to $65 million. In the scenario which keeps the backlog at less than $21 million, it would be necessary to spend $31 million over the next ten years rather than continuing the current rate which would total $12.5 million. There is also an aggressive funding scenario where the Town would increase funding to $3.25 million per year for four years and then reduce funding to $1.5 million for the next 6 years. This scenario increases the PCI Level to 85.4 an improvement to just short of the "Do Nothing" band. It would also keep the backlog below $21 million. The FST study clearly indicates that unless there is far greater funding for street improvements in our budget, the roadways in Lexington will deteriorate to an undesirable and unsafe condition. If there is not an immediate, and continuing, increase in funding, the cost to address the backlog (i.e., the funding necessary to bring all roadway conditions up to being in the "Do Nothing" [excellent condition] band), in 2021, could grow to as high as $104 million. With regard to the Chapter 90 funding, there is a glimmer of hope for some additional assistance from that source. Although at the time of this report the State's legislature (the General Court of Massachusetts) has not weighed in with its decision, the FY2012 budget proposed by the Governor includes a 29% increase in the Chapter 90 funding. (It adds $45 million to bring it to an all-time high of $200 million.) If that increase should prevail which won't be known until after Town Meeting must decide upon our budget and the existing formulas for distribution to each municipality,which have been tweaked each year, don't change materially, Lexington's share would be about $930,000. Such a $230,000 increase from the estimate being used in our budget would offer the Town the opportunity to provide some relief to the tax-levy contribution to the routine street-improvements effort under this sub- Article; however, as noted above, even such a substantial increase in the State's contribution, pales in 22