DPW ANNUAL RESURFACING PROGRAM ROAD TO 70 PCI

The County of San Diego Department of Public Works (DPW) is committed to ensuring safe and efficient roadways.  To achieve this, DPW has implemented a robust resurfacing program focused on improving the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), a measure of pavement quality.  The program aims to identify, design and construct resurfacing projects for the County's approximately 2,000 centerline (4,000 lane) miles of roads.  

In 2017, DPW initiated an action plan to achieve a steady increase in the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) by completing multiple resurfacing projects. DPW’s current PCI is 68. Since this program began, DPW has resurfaced almost 950 centerline miles of road.

DPW has updated our GIS Viewer, an interactive map tool that allows residents to visualize resurfacing efforts.  The viewer enables users to easily identify roads which are under construction, in planning or design, or have been completed, as well as the ability to sort by geographic area (County-wide, by district or community area).  Additional information regarding treatment type and completion dates have been provided.  Completion dates for roads are the actual dates the road was resurfaced.  The completion date provided for Construction Ready or Planned/In Design roads is the date by which construction is anticipated to be completed.  The anticipated construction dates may change due to a number of factors outside the department's control.  Users can also export a table of the roads if necessary.  DPW is committed to continually developing future resurfacing projects and will provide updates on this website, when available. 

Additional resources have been provided below for the resurfacing program, current status, a summary of how roads are selected, and the lifecycle of a resurfacing project.

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  • THE PROGRAM

    The Department of Public Works (DPW) goal is to identify the most effective means to properly maintain County roads and keep them safe and passable for residents and roadway users. Surface treatments can range from a simple slurry seal to a more significant removal and replacement of the entire asphalt surface.

    DPW values community input and encourages residents to participate in shaping the future of our roads. By sharing your concerns, suggestions, and priorities, you can help DPW identify immediate and long-range road resurfacing needs. DPW’s annual roadway resurfacing and construction program includes pavement management software, public input, operational needs, and available funding to implement projects throughout the unincorporated County. DPW ensures that service delivery and program design are equitable, focusing on consideration for underserved communities when planning for road resurfacing projects.  DPW’s pavement management program allows staff to focus maintenance resources on the best preventative maintenance measures and helps us to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective surface treatment, or resurfacing, to extend the service life of the pavement on 1,947.44 center line miles (3,996.7 lane miles) of the County’s publicly maintained roads.

    Centerline miles measures the length of a roadway, regardless of the number of lanes. Lane miles measures the total mileage of one lane. For example, a one lane road which is one mile long is one center line mile and one lane mile. However, a four-lane road which is one mile long is one centerline mile and four lanes miles. Our resurfacing program reports total centerline miles completed.

    Every year DPW receives funding from the state for resurfacing projects.  On May 2, 2017, the County Board of Supervisors (Board) directed staff to use the funding to pursue additional resurfacing projects and achieve a Pavement Condition Index (PCI), a commonly used pavement rating system, of 70 out of 100. At the start of our Program, our PCI was 60.  

    PCI is a measure of the pavement’s surface condition measuring distress type, quantity, and severity.  PCI is a numerical value or index between 0 and 100, newly paved roads will have a PCI of 100 (“Very Good”) whereas failed roads will have a PCI of 20 or lower (“Very Poor”).  The PCI is a commonly used rating system used by 51 Cities and Counties Statewide and has been adopted by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM D6433-20) as the standard practice for rating roadway pavement.

  • CURRENT STATUS

    Each fiscal year, the resurfacing program develops a list of roads to be considered for treatment.  To-date, this program has programmed the resurfacing of approximately 950 centerline miles (49% of roads).  Table 1 below shows the total centerline mileage programmed for each year of our program (July 1 - June 30).  

    Table 1 - CENTERLINE MILES PROGRAMMED (July 1 - June 30)

    FY 17/18 FY18/19 FY 19/20 FY 20/21 FY 21/22 FY 22/23 FY 23/24 FY 24/25 Total
    154 131 143 95 104 103 120 100 950

    Table 2 provides a status summary of the centerline mileage of programmed roads delivered by calendar year (January 1 to December 31).  Completed projects are for roads where the construction has been completed and work has been accepted by the County.   Construction Ready are roads that have gone through the competative bid process and have contracts awarded.  Projects listed as in  Planning  or in Design  are road segments which are in various stages of planning or design.  The resurfacing date for these roads remains tentative and may change until a contract is actively in construction.   

    Table 2 - CENTERLINE MILES STATUS (January 1 to December 31)

    Year

    2018

    2019

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    2026

    Total

    Completed

    63

    139

    144

    103

    116

    60

    61

     

    tbd

    686

    Construction Ready

               

    62

     

    tbd

    62

    Planned/In Design

                 

    190

    tbd

    190

    Total

    63

    139

    144

    103

    116

    60

    123

    190

    -

    938

    Discrepancies between total mileage shown on Table 1 and Table 2 are expected as projects are developed to accommodate changes in the market, project conflicts, or unforeseen circumstances. 

    Click here for the list of roads which have been awarded for construction and an estimated construction schedule.  Click here for the list of completed road resurfacing list.

  • HOW ROADS ARE SELECTED

    DPW uses pavement management software, as well as input from road crews and the community, while ensuring that underserved communities are equitably represented, when developing our list of roads for resurfacing.  DPW must respond to unforeseen occurrences such as natural disasters, public safety emergencies, and other changes that could affect future project funding availability.  Unexpected changes in DPW’s program may be necessary to accommodate changing needs throughout the County.

    Pavement management software is used to track the estimated life expectancy of each road segment.  Road segments will degrade at different rates depending on environment, treatment history and vehicle usage.  Our software helps prioritize road segments to maximize resources and extend the service life of the road to the extent possible.  DPW road crews are responsible for the day-to-day operation and routine maintenance of our roads.  Crews help identify hot spots or road segments which may need additional attention due to a number of variables, including repeated service history and customer concerns.

    A significant component of our program is community outreach. To better understand community priorities, DPW solicits input from community planning and sponsor groups to assist in identifying road resurfacing needs specific to each community. The input received from the communities is used by staff to assist in the development of subsequent years of the program.  Additionally, DPW works to provide opportunities for all people and communities to grow, connect, and enjoy the highest quality of life.  The program considers strategies for underserved communities that provide equity throughout the unincorporated County.  In addition, DPW considers needs in areas that are outside a community/sponsor group and recommends resurfacing projects in those areas to meet the needs of the communities.

    Throughout the planning and construction process, DPW proactively coordinates with utility companies and adjacent cities to limit conflicts, minimize disruption to the public, maximize construction efficiency where feasible and to include roads from adjacent jurisdictions.  This effort will reduce premature damage to public roads through avoidable utility pavement cuts, will improve the service life and rideability of the pavement, and minimize impacts to road users.

  • PROJECT LIFECYCLE

    The typical lifecycle for the program is 18 to 24 months to complete and includes three phases: Planning, Design and Construction.  During the Planning Phase, DPW staff incorporates input from pavement software, road crews and the community to develop our initial planned list.  The planned list is routed to the design team, where a preliminary scope of work and treatment approach for each road is reviewed.  This may also include repairs to curb and gutter and upgrades to culverts and federally mandated pedestrian ramps.  Once approved, CIP begins the Design Phase where the project scope is further refined.  Once approved, the Construction Phase begins.  Contracts out for competative bid are awarded based on funding and contractor availability.  Where possible, projects are grouped based on geographic region to minimize impacts to the community and residents.  

 

Thank you for always watching out for DPW crews and equipment working to keep you safe on our roadways.  We appreciate your concerns within your community and your input is important to us as we work to continually improve the County’s roadways.  The County’s Tell Us Now!  App is a convenient tool for submitting service requests and is available online for smartphone users. 

 

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