TITLE
Recommendation to request City Attorney to draft a resolution urging the Governor and Legislature to identify a sufficient and stable funding source for local street and state highway maintenance and rehabilitation to ensure the safe and efficient mobility of the traveling public and the state's economic vitality.
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach has made a significant investment in the last few years to improve the condition of our streets and roadways. However, the need to maintain our streets continues to far outweigh the resources available.
According to a recent presentation to the City Council by the Director of Public Works, the current average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for the City's network of streets is 60, which ranks between Fair and Good. The major roadways are in good condition with a PCI score of 63, while the minor roadways are in fair condition with a PCI score of 56.
However, more troubling in the Public Works Director's report is that there is a current backlog, or streets in need of repairs, of 20 percent. A backlog of 10 to 15 percent is considered manageable from a funding point of view. Backlogs approaching 20 percent and above tend to become unmanageable, unless aggressively checked through larger rehabilitation programs.
Recent efforts in the State Legislature have stalled to provide a stable funding source for local street and state highway maintenance and rehabilitation. A broad coalition of cities, counties, labor, business and transportation advocates has formed, called Fix Our Roads, to meet the Governor's call to address California's chronic transportation infrastructure funding shortfall. If additional funding isn't secured now, it will cost taxpayers twice as much to fix the local system in the future.
A resolution from the City of Long Beach to the Governor and Legislature will add our city's voice to the urgent call for the state to make a significant investment in transportation infrastructure. A draft resolution is attached.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact with the resolution, but a positive action by the Governor and Legislature could have a significant positive fiscal impact for the City.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
COUNCILMAN AL AUSTIN
EIGHTH DISTRICT
COUNCILWOMAN LENA GONZALEZ
COUNCILMEMBER ROBERTO URANGA
SEVENTH DISTRICT