Recommend City Council Approval of Plans and Authorization to Advertise Bids for 2023 Crackseal Improvements

PURPOSE:
The purpose of this case is to receive an update from Staff on the proposed 2023 Craskseal Improvements and consider providing a recommendation to City Council to approve the proposed plans and authorize advertising bids for City Improvement Project #23-08, 2023 Crackseal Improvements.

BACKGROUND:
As part of the City of Ramsey’s proactive Pavement Management Program, the City annually hires contractors to seal cracks in bituminous pavement on about 15 to 25 miles of public streets, depending on the scope and severity of cracks and available funding. Cracksealing protects existing pavement by preventing stormwater runoff from seeping through cracks in the pavement and joints between the pavement and concrete curb and gutter and utility castings, minimizing future damage due to wet subgrade soils, especially during freeze-thaw cycles.
 
Typically, the city will crackseal bituminous pavement 3 years after a street is constructed, after it receives an overlay, or after it is reconstructed, then generally every 7 years after until it receives another overlay or is reconstructed. However, cracksealing is generally performed on pavement sections with Pavement and Surface Evaluation Rating (PASER) values between 7 and 10, which City staff assign on an annual basis.  Therefore, the actual time between crackseal improvements on a given street segment depends upon the physical condition of the pavement as it ages. 
 
This year, Staff is proposing to seal cracks in the bituminous pavement on about 18.8 miles of public streets as highlighted in red on the attached plan.  These street segments generally have PASER ratings between 7 and 10, though some have ratings of 5 and 6.  Street segments with PASER values of 5 total 4,124 feet or 0.8 miles, and streets with PASER values of 6 total 9,137 feet or 1.7 miles.  These street segments are proposed to receive crackseal improvements because they are either contained within an area of streets that have PASER values of 7 or higher and we are attempting to maintain all street segments in the area on the same maintenance schedule moving forward, or because they are not identified within the CIP as receiving improvements within the next 10 years so we need to limp them along as cost-effectively as possible until they can be added to the CIP in the future. 

Attached is a street segment summary for streets proposed to receive crackseal improvements in 2023.  

Staff anticipates 10 minutes will be needed to present this case and respond to questions. 

OBSERVATIONS:
As in the past, staff will not be mailing notices for this project since the work is generally unimpactful and fast moving so mailing notices would generally not be beneficial or cost-effective. 

ALTERNATIVES:
Alternative 1: Motion to recommend City Council approval of plans and authorization to advertise bids for City Improvement Project #23-08, 2023 Crackseal Improvements.
Alternative 2: Motion of other.

The project cost estimate is $218,730.

Each year the City budgets $200,000 for crackseal and pavement rejuvenator improvements, and as always staff strives to spend all $200,000 in an attempt to maintain our paved streets as cost-effectively as possible. City staff is proposing to apply all 2023 pavement rejuvenator improvements to State Aid streets and to pay for these improvements using State Aid Funds, leaving the entire budgeted amount of $200,00 for crackseal improvements. Staff is therefore targeting a project cost slightly in excess of $200,000 with the hope that the lowest bid received is less than the engineer's estimate and we are able to complete all of the proposed crackseal improvements. However, if the low bid exceeds $200,000, staff can remove as many segments from the 2023 crackseal improvement project as needed to reduce the project cost to $200,000.