Pavement Management Program (PMP)

• Program updates

• What is the PMP?
• How are streets selected for the program?
• Why is curb and gutter needed on construction?
• How much of my front yard will be affected with reconstruction?
• How is this work funded?
• What about access to streets during construction?
• What is the project schedule?
• What streets are included?

Other information:

• Pavement Management Program brochure (268KB, 6-page PDF)
• PMP Residential Street Policies (47KB, 4-page PDF)
• Pavement Management Program Power Point Presentation (628KB, 45-page PDF)
• 2009 Rain garden demonstration project on Thomas Avenue S.
• 2010 Rainwater Garden Power Point Presentation (938KB, 22-page PDF)

What is the PMP?

The City of Bloomington has the fiduciary and physical authority as well as the responsibility for upkeep of approximately 360 center lane miles of city streets within its boundaries. This includes seasonal maintenance activities such as snow removal, crack sealing, street patching, sweeping, as well as structural maintenance of the street system. The City of Bloomington has made a commitment to its residents to provide a systematic program of street rehabilitation and repair in order to assure that the City streets are serviceable, safe, functional, and provided at a reasonable cost to meet the needs of our residents and the traveling public. The City of Bloomington Pavement Management Program (PMP) strives to expend taxpayer funds in a cost effective manner in order to ensure the most value for residents.

Three construction techniques are used as part of the PMP program: Sealcoat, Mill and Overlay and Reconstruction. Sealcoat involves spraying a bituminous adhesive on the existing surface and topping it with small graded aggregate rock. The excess aggregate is swept off and recycled. City Maintenance Division crews perform this work, which helps protect the pavement from oxidation and the effects of moisture. Mill and Overlay involves grinding off the top layer of surface and installing a new top layer of pavement. This is a structural improvement and extends the life cycle of the original pavement. Reconstruction removes and replaces the existing asphalt pavement and aggregate base and installs curb and gutter if not already present. The City hires an outside contractor to perform both the overlay and reconstruction projects.

How are streets selected involvement in the Pavement Management Program?

Every mile of Bloomington streets are entered into a computerized program designed to maximize the life of City Streets and to minimize costs by applying the most cost effective maintenance technique to the various roadways. The computer program lists the streets that are in need of maintenance. City staff analyzes the recommended streets and proceeds with the streets in a manner that "makes sense" and is within the funding provided. The goal of the program is to "do the right maintenance at the right time."

City staff brings the recommended seal coat and overlay program to the City Council for their information, approval and ordering of the improvements. Streets eligible for reconstruction are handled differently.

City staff provides a number of streets eligible for reconstruction to the City Council. Staff selects streets for reconstruction based on a variety of factors starting with the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) of the pavement. City staff conducts a field survey of a third of the streets in the City every year. The PCI is a numeric reflection of the structural integrity of the pavement including potholes, cracking, rutting, etc.

Several other factors which will be considered in order to determine the best candidates for street reconstruction are, but not limited to, the following:

• Condition/effectiveness of existing surface drainage system.
• Condition of underground water and sewer system.
• Whether a street meets recommended standards for curb and gutter and street width.
• Opportunities to improve water quality of lakes downstream of street.
• Available State and City funding.
• Elimination of hazardous situations and to provide safety improvements.
• County construction projects on adjacent roadways.
• Reconstruction of adjacent City streets.
• Major redevelopment projects within City.
• Neighborhood petitions.

How is this work funded?

What about access to these streets during construction?

Signs will be posted allowing local traffic only on the streets under construction. Residents who live on these streets will have access to the street throughout construction.

What is the project schedule?

The overlay project will start April 2010 with the reconstruction project following shortly thereafter in May 2010. The project is anticipated to be substantially complete and open to all traffic by fall of 2010.

Why is curb and gutter needed on construction?

The City Council has approved a number of policies in conjunction with the Pavement Management Policy. One policy is: All new street construction and street reconstruction in Bloomington will include concrete curb and gutter. This is for a number of reasons:

• Provide a stable maintenance edge for plowing and sweeping operations.
• Reduce plow damage to yards and mailboxes.
• Protect the edge of the bituminous surface from deteriorating.
• Channel storm water runoff away from street.
• Reduce erosion from boulevards/lawns.
• Define roadway limits.

Council also has approved street width with the standard residential street width being 32' face of curb to face of curb. The policy allows deviation from the standard considering factors such as traffic volumes, emergency vehicle access, drainage and special situations. Other policies include that streets without curb and gutter are not eligible for overlay. The City Council and Staff schedule neighborhood meetings with the impacted properties to begin discussion about construction issues, identify additional concerns and propose possible solutions.

After the Public Hearing and discussion, the City Council approves streets for reconstruction and orders the improvement.

How much of my front yard will be affected with reconstruction?

The area in front of your home which is occupied by street, public utilities (sanitary sewer, water and storm sewer), private utilities (electric power, telecommunication and gas) and other necessary items such as street signing, snow storage and lights is public right-of-way.

A typical right-of-way width in residential areas in Bloomington is 60 feet. (Not all the right-of-way widths are the same and yours may vary from this width. The project engineer can confirm the width for you.) Since a typical residential street width in Bloomington from 32 feet to 36 feet and is centered in the right-of-way approximately 12 feet to 14 feet of public right-of-way exists on either side of the existing streets.

The actual disturbed area will vary, but a good assumption would be that the 12 feet to 14 feet of public right-of-way will be disturbed. For actual limits please contact the project engineer.

* Streets will be bid as possible alternates to the project and will proceed based on available funding and the status of the MnDOT I-494/Highway 169 project.

2010 Sealcoat candidates

Call the Public Works Maintenance Division at 952-563-8760 for information on sealcoat streets.

Thank you for your patience while we move forward with a better Bloomington.

For more information contact:

Shelly Pederson, City Engineer
1700 W. 98th Street
PH:952-563-4870, FAX: 952-563-4868
E-mail: engineering@ci.bloomington.mn.us

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