Not a pretty streets picture

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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More and more Cedar Rapids' streets, mostly in residential areas, are in need of serious repair. No one, including city officials, questions the scale of need. “I take some of those streets to work, too,” Mayor Ron Corbett said at Thursday's Gazette/KCRG-TV9 forum on the May 3 referendum asking voters to extend the current five-year local-option sales tax for

20 years.

The LOST extension is billed to fund the city's flood protection plan, which we support. Half of the revenue would go toward that $375 million project. State and federal government support also are needed.

Also important for supporters of the LOST extension is the

40 percent that would go toward repair of existing streets - 118 residential streets have been targeted. Corbett said he heard the complaints as he campaigned for election in 2009 and decided fixing those streets should be a priority as well as flood recovery. The City Council agreed. So do we.

But some residents are angry about the pace of street repairs and question where the city's money is going. Well, the numbers paint a sobering picture.

Dave Elgin, city engineer/public works director, says the average age of our 620 miles of streets is 40 years. In 2005, one-fifth of the system was in fair to poor condition; in 2010, one-third - a 65 percent increase.

Why? Damage from the flood of 2008 is one factor. But federal disaster aide should cover it.

However, funding for routine maintenance (operations) as well as major pavement rehabilitation just isn't keeping up with overall costs. The operations budget was increased from $636,000 in fiscal year 2007 to $1.017 million the past two years - a 60 percent hike. But the cost of materials - asphalt, road oil, concrete, seal coat - has jumped more than twice that much. With oil prices high, don't expect relief anytime soon.

The city's annual capital improvement program budget for major pavement work has averaged $20 million the last five years. The state road use fund (from the fuel tax) provides $11 million a year. The rest comes from local property taxes.

The state's share likely won't increase much. The fuel tax hasn't changed since 1989, and revenue declines as pump prices rise and more people switch to higher-mileage vehicles. No one wants to raise property taxes or utility fees. Federal and state grants must be used on the main thoroughfares. So, the CIP budget for residential roads keeps falling farther behind.

Elgin estimates the city needs $10 million more a year just to catch up residential streets. Without robbing other parts of a city services budget that is still squeezed with post-flood demands, where does that kind of money come from?

The LOST extension would cover much of it. Visitors who shop here and use services also would help pay for the roads they travel - costs shared among all users. That's fairer.

Good roads are basic to driving our economy and quality of life. Our streets system needs much help. LOST is the best funding option on the table.

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