Subcommitee reviews Measure D street repair list for FY 2018-19

MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez City Council’s Franchise/Public Infrastructure Subcommittee got a preview Thursday of the proposed Measure D street and road repair and maintenance list that would be included in the 2018-19 annual pavement program, subject to approval of the full Council.

City Engineer Tim Tucker also submitted a draft of his staff report that would accompany his presentation at a future Council meeting.

Measure D is the half-cent sales tax measure 72 percent of voters approved in 2016, and its revenues can only be used for repairs and maintenance of Martinez local roads and streets. The tax ends in 15 years.

The proposed list was produced after a public workshop at which residents described which streets concerned them the most. Also used in developing the list is an analysis of Martinez’s streets, which had been described as nearly the worst in Contra Costa County, with Orinda the only city with a lower rating.

Because of Measure D money, instead of being one of the cities with so many roads in deteriorating conditions, Tucker said, “we’ll be a shining star.”

The subcommittee, made up of Vice Mayor Lara DeLaney and Councilmember Mark Ross, approved a list of neighborhoods with roads that were considered in the greatest need, and the Council concurred.

From there, city employees examined the anticipated costs and compared them to the revenue that has been coming in from the tax. “There is adequate funding to complete all of the neighborhoods in the priority areas previously approved by the Subcommittee,” Tucker told the panel Thursday.

In fact, the news is even better, he said. The combined projects, along with management and other contingencies, are expected to cost $2.786 million. Measure D’s tax has brought in $2.827 million by April 23, Tucker reported. By the end of the current fiscal year, revenues are expected to reach $3.3 million.

That exceeds the anticipated annual revenues, which was about $2.1 million. The tax was needed, the Council decided, because existing recurring funding sources for local roads was just $920,000, and that was proving insufficient just to keep Martinez’s local roads in their present condition, let alone improve them.

City Manager Brad Kilger said revenues are better than expected so far because the half-cent tax is on both sales and transactions.

Ross said the boost in road repair revenues means the city can accomplish in one year what in the past would have taken five years to afford.

That, DeLaney said, is a “dramatic story” that needs to be shared with the public. She also asked whether the city might bank any leftover Measure D money in case revenues slacken in the future. Ross said he wasn’t counting on the first year’s totals as a benchmark for subsequent expectations.

Kilger said the situation could be monitored as Tucker develops the city’s annual capital improvement projects list, and Tucker himself recommended spending the money rather than saving it.

“It’s best to fix the streets sooner,” he said, explaining that damaged roads deteriorate faster.

Should Senate Bill 1, the state fuel tax increase, remain in effect, Martinez’s share of that money must be reported separately, so it isn’t likely Martinez could combine that revenue with the local tax monies. Besides, Tucker said, the SB1 money is for major streets in the city, such as Alhambra Avenue and Pacheco Boulevard, as well as frontage roads paralleling highways.

“SB1 is so important, if it doesn’t get repealed,” Tucker said.

Tucker said some base failure repairs also will be done, using a blend of Measure D money, some from the current paving program budget and $400,000 from the 2018-19 paving program funds.

The 2018-19 Measure D paving and repairs list runs two pages, in double columns. The subcommittee recommended Tucker expand the listing, because in many cases, only portions of the streets will be repaired. Panel members suggested Tucker explain which portions of those streets would be included.

Pending Council concurrence, the list said in the Canyon Way, Castro and E streets area, portions of Alhambra Lane, Canyon Way, Castro Street, E. Street, F Street and Teresa Street would be repaired.

In the Brookside area, parts of Brookside Drive, Estudillo Street, Park Glen, Shady Glen, Terrace Way and Vista Way would receive work. The expanded Brookside Area would see crews working on Graffanti Court, Pine Court, Pinon Court, Pinon Drive and Wyoming Street.

In Muir Estates, the city would repair portions of Alhambra Way, Barber Lane, Donaleen Court, Grothmand Lane, Laurel Court, Sonora Court, W. Hayward Court, Church Street, Gilbert Lane, Mackie Drive, Phylis Terrace, Truitt Avenue and Valley Avenue.

Parts of Alpine Court, Amber Lane and Bernice Lane in Virginia Hills also made the list.

In the Morello-Chipancingo area, the streets that would get repairs are Bernard Way, Debbi Court, Isabel Drive, Lake Crest Court, Lakehurst Drive, Lake Ridge Drive, New Lake Place, Oak Glen Circle, Oak Glen Court, Quiet Lake Place, Willow Lake Court and Willow Lake Drive.

The Hidden Lakes Drive Area streets that would get attention are Eagle Lake Court, Glacier Drive, Hidden Lakes Court, Hidden Lakes Drive, Lake Brook Court, Lake Court, Lake Dale Court, Lake Meadow Circle, Lake Meadow Court, Lake Oaks Court, Lake Reed Court, Lake Villa Court, Oak Court, Silverlake Way, Spring Lake Court, Spring Lake Drive, Swan Lake Court and Yellowstone Drive.

In the Olympic Drive area, the streets that made the list are Arcadia Court, Arcadia Place, Banner Court, Begonia Court, Bryce Drive, Fushia Court, Gardenia Court, Joshua Drive, Lassen Drive, Blue Ridge Court, Condor Court, Condor Drive, Deer Path Court, Eagle Nest Court, Eagle Nest Drive, Francis Court, Francis Drive, Frumenti Court, Jenay Court, Kathy Lane, Knoll Crest Court, Sage Drive, Shenandoah Drive, Sherree Court, Skyline Drive, Sterling Drive and Webster Drive.

The Vine Hill Way area streets on the list are Ashwood Drive, Beechwood Drive, Cherrywood Drive, Elderwood Court, Elderwood Drive, Linton Place, Linton Terrace, Vine Hill Way, Woodview Court, Lyle Court, Minaret Drive, Mono Drive, Olympic Court, Olympic Drive, Pinacle Drive, Platt Drive, Ranier Court, Rubicon Court, Sequoia Court, Sequoia Drive, Shasta Drive, Trinity Court and Trinity Place.

In the Fig Tree area, the streets to receive repairs are Eastwoodbury Lane, Fig Tree Lane, Fraga Court, Gilda Avenue, Hatchwood Court, Holiday Court, Holiday Hills Drive, Midhill Road, Midway Court, Midway Place, Rangel Road, Ridgewood Court, Ridgewood drive, Sunhill Court, Sunhill Lane and Windwood Court.

Also on the list are downtown area streets that could receive crack seal and microseal treatments. Those are Castro, Escobar, Estudillo, Ferry, Las Juntas and Ward streets.

But Tucker said since both Brown and Green streets will undergo extensive repairs, and depending on how the bidding process goes, the downtown street work may be delayed to prevent excessive disruption of traffic to the part of the city that is both a shopping destination as well as home to much of Contra Costa County’s governmental and court activities.

While the subcommittee liked what it heard, DeLaney suggested Tucker make the maps that illustrate his presentation easier to read. The portions of the streets that would be repaired were highlighted in dark blue, and street names were in tiny type.

Tucker explained the city has no computer program to generate the maps on its own, and his illustrations were the best he could develop. He was forced to use the dark blue colors because lighter colors, such as the yellow he would have preferred, would not reproduce on printed copies.

Despite that, DeLaney said, “This is very exciting,” and that she wanted the repairs to start – “the sooner the better.”

The road repair projects will show residents the city keeps its promises, she said.

“We delivered on our parks,” she said, and the city will deliver on its road repairs as well.

“We can deliver on our promises, and we need to deal with public safety issues next,” DeLaney said.