Consider Recommending City Council Approval of Plans and Specifications and Award of Contract for Improvement Project #23-09, 2023 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements

Purpose:
The purpose of this case is to consider recommending City Council approval of plans and specifications and award of a contract for Improvement Project #23-09, 2023 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements.
 
Background:
Rejuvenator Use History:
In 2019, the City Council indefinitely suspended seal coat improvements due to observed issues of pavement stripping under seal coat, which causes approximately the top inch of pavement to strip away from underlying pavement. These areas of stripping originally show as small spots in the surface of the pavement, but quickly migrate across the pavement into large sections.
 
In alignment with many other metro cities confronted with these same pavement issues, Staff feels pavement rejuvenators will provide the greatest overall benefit at the lowest cost. The City is proposing to use Reclamite, a maltene-based petroleum product with the ability to penetrate into asphalt pavement and restore reactive components (maltenes) that have been lost due to the natural process of oxidation.
 
Reclamite has been used nationally for more than 50 years and is proven to add 5 to 7 years of service life to pavements. The application is intended to be performed on pavements 5 years old or less, though several cities are completing pilot project applications on pavement sections older than 5 years. Staff will continue to monitor such applications and adjust future projects within the City of Ramsey based on observed results.
 
Future Considerations:
Regional contractors have taken note of metro Cities moving away from seal coating and toward pavement rejuvenators. In 2020 a new product was released by Flint Hills Resources called Replentify. Replentify was tested by other metro cities in 2021 and 2022. Staff is aware comparison testing is being performed by other metro cities which shows promising results that both products improve pavement performance, though more data is needed to confirm the added benefits of Reclamite over Replentify. At this time, Staff recommends continuing to observe how the new Replentify product performs in other cities before using the product in Ramsey.  
 
2021 & 2022 Reclamite Rejuvenator Review
In 2021 and 2022, the City treated 2.56 miles and 9.00 miles of pavement respectively with Reclamite. This spring, Staff visually inspected several of the treated streets, and found they had held up well. In general, Staff observed the treated streets to have less additional cracks in the pavement than untreated pavement. When viewed up close, the pavement appears to show less exposed aggregate than untreated segments.
 
2023 Proposed Rejuvenator Improvements
A map and street segment summary of the proposed 2023 Pavement Rejuvenator Improvements is attached to this case. The project proposes to cover 4.04 miles (87,850 square yards) of bituminous pavement across 5 MSA street segments within the City. Because of a larger crack seal improvement program in 2023, Staff focused on MSA street segments, which will use MSA maintenance funding. The streets selected are 6 years old or less and include both reconstructed and overlay street segments.
 
Staff has been in contact with Corrective Asphalt Materials (CAM) who is the sole source provider in Minnesota for Reclamite. A proposal for the work is attached to this case. Though not anticipated, based upon the bid results of the 2023 Crack Seal Improvements, bid opening scheduled for April 3, 2023, Staff may adjust the street segments included in the project to match available funding.

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

Observations:
Staff will present a comparison of Brookfield 6^th Addition, treated versus untreated segments.
 
Alternatives:
Alternative #1 – Motion to recommend City Council approval of plans and specifications and award of contract for Improvement Project #23-09, 2023 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements.
 
Alternative #2 – Motion of other.

Per the attached proposal from CAM the proposed construction costs of this project is $93,710.60. With 5% indirect costs, the proposed project costs are $98,396.16. Funds are proposed to come from Municipal State Aid maintenance funds. If favorable Crack Seal bids make funds from the $200,000 budgeted for crack seal improvements available, those could be spent on additional pavement rejuvenation of non-MSA streets within the City.

Staff recommends alternative #1.

Motion to recommend City Council approval of plans and specifications and award of contract for Improvement Project #23-09, 2023 Pavement Rejuvenation Improvements.