At halfway point, Paving for Progress upgrades nearly 44 linear miles

CEDAR RAPIDS — Another year marks another nearly 10 miles worth of Cedar Rapids roadway upgrades thanks to the city's now 5-year-old Paving for Progress program.

Officials say the program — nearly halfway through the 1-cent local-option sales tax program approved by voters five years ago — is more than just a way to fix potholes. It's successfully enhancing the quality of roads across the city, they say.

Through the sales tax, Paving for Progress has funneled nearly $80 million into Cedar Rapids roads since it began in 2014 — roughly $18 to $19 million a year. In the decade before the program, the city spent just shy of $60 million on roads, an average of roughly $6 million annually.

'So a big difference over the last 10 years. Already in the first five we've got about $20 million more already invested in our streets,' said Paving for Progress Director Doug Wilson. 'We're making progress like we expected and we're still looking at ways to stretch that dollar as far as we can.'

While this year's rainfall slowed progress on a few projects, the program still completed several dozen roadway reconstructions, rehabilitations and asphalt overlays.

Next year, Paving for Progress will take on 35 new projects, including an intersection reconstruction at Center Point Road and 32nd Street NE, pavement overlay and sidewalk work on Eighth Avenue SW and pavement reconstruction on 12th Avenue SE.

CEMENTING CITY'S IMAGE

In 2013, nearly 62 percent of Cedar Rapids voters approved a 10-year local-option sales tax for the purpose of maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of streets. The tax collection began July 1, 2014.

City officials estimated the tax to generate about $180 million over its 10-year-span. Every dollar was to be allocated to road projects.

Interactive Map

Interactive: Has your street been repaired?

The Paving for Progress project has reached its halfway point.

Continue Reading

In its first five years, Paving for Progress has funded 134 separate projects covering about 43.7 linear miles of roadway. Of the projects completed, about 66 percent have been on local or residential roads, while the remaining 33 percent have been on arterial streets.

'The past five years have shown us that Paving for Progress is more than just fixing roads; it's about our image as a city and the quality of life we are providing for our citizens. Investing in our roads is an investment in stronger neighborhoods, in economic development, and in future opportunities,' Cedar Rapids City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said in an email.

The program has focused on a variety of projects, with about 20 percent of funds going to road maintenance, 40 percent to rehabilitation efforts and another 40 percent to major reconstruction projects.

'We have to find that mix,' Wilson said, adding that $1 spent on a rehabilitation is worth about $5 to $10 spent on a complete reconstruction.

Wilson said the approach is to address the community's overall quality of roads.

'If we just did the worst first, the very poorest roadways ... at the end of the 10 years we projected that the overall street condition would actually be worse than when we started, so we need to balance that reconstruction, rehabilitation and even some maintenance,' he said.

Next year and beyond

All told, Paving for Progress is slated to invest another roughly $80 million into city roadways over the next five years before the penny tax sunsets.

Wilson said the program aims to address as many needs as possible, but said it's important to note that not every pothole will be filled.

'Obviously we won't be able to do work on every single street, but we estimate about 30 percent of traffic in Cedar Rapids will be driving on roads that were funded through (Paving for Progress),' Wilson said.

Emily Breen, Cedar Rapids development services communications coordinator, said it took more than a decade for the city's roads to deteriorate, so it will take more than that to fix everything.

'Getting to the state we were in when the program started took years and years and this program is allowing us to make the repairs in a much more accelerated fashion,' Breen said.

When it nears its sunset, the local-option sales tax could be renewed if voters approve it.

But whether it's an extended tax or some other source of funding, Wilson said continued investment would be necessary to continue to meet the community's infrastructure needs.

'I can tell you that, to keep up the progress we're making, we will need to continue to invest at this level in our streets over a long term,' Wilson said. 'We're going to lose the quality of paving that we have gained with the program if we don't continue funding at basically the same level that we're at now.'

l Comments: (319) 398-8309; mitchell.schmidt@thegazette.com