Number
081339
Version
SUBSTITUTE 1
Reference
080956
Sponsor
ALD. BOHL
Title
Substitute resolution directing the Commissioner of Public Works to revise and update the City’s pavement restoration policy for utility cuts and trenches in the public street right-of-way.
Analysis
This resolution directs the Commissioner of Public Works to revise and update the City’s pavement restoration policy, currently delineated in the Department of Public Works’ “Specifications for the Repair and Construction of Utility Cuts In the Public Street Right of Way” dated September 4, 2002. An “Audit of the Department of Public Works Residential Street Paving Program”, released by the Office of the Comptroller in December 2008, concluded that substandard utility cut patching was in many cases the primary cause of pavement deterioration on city streets. The audit recommended that Department of Public Works standards for utility cuts should result in a high quality patch, including requirements for compaction of the replacement material, and further recommended that public works inspectors periodically receive refresher training so that all aspects of utility cut patching are adhered to in the field.
Body
Whereas, Chapter 115 of the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances regulates street construction and work on public ways in the City of Milwaukee; and
Whereas, Section 115-2 authorizes and empowers the Commissioner of Public Works to make and prescribe additional specifications, rules and regulations to implement the intent of Chapter 115; and
Whereas, Section 115-8-6 states that the restoration of all types of pavements in any public way or public place shall be done in accordance with the current rules, regulations or specifications on file in the office of the Commissioner of Public Works; and
Whereas, The office of the Commissioner of Public Works has in place a pavement restoration policy for utility cuts and trenches, dated September 4, 2002, entitled “Specifications for the Repair and Construction of Utility Cuts In the Public Street Right of Way”; and
Whereas, The Office of the Comptroller released an Audit of the Department of Public Works Residential Street Paving Program in December 2008 which concluded that the condition of Milwaukee’s residential streets are on average in fair condition but getting worse and that the pace of pavement deterioration will likely accelerate should past levels of street maintenance and replacement continue; and
Whereas, Audit observations disclosed that utility cut patching in the City of Milwaukee is not compatible with the surrounding pavement and in many cases is the primary cause of pavement distress, whether such distress takes place within the utility cut itself or in the surrounding pavement; and
Whereas, The audit recommended that Department of Public Works standards for utility cuts should result in a high quality patch and that these standards should include requirements for compaction of the replacement material, and further recommended that public works inspectors periodically receive refresher training so that all aspects of utility cut patching are adhered to in the field; and
Whereas, These audit conclusions and recommendations suggest that current specifications for the repair and construction of utility cuts in the public street right of way not only fall short of sufficiently protecting Milwaukee’s investment in its residential streets, but also are a major cause of pavement degradation; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Common Council of the City of Milwaukee, that the Common Council directs the Commissioner of Public Works to revise and update the City’s pavement restoration policy for utility cuts and trenches in the public street right-of-way so that this policy adequately addresses all concerns and recommendations made in the December 2008 Audit of the Department of Public Works Residential Street paving Program; and, be it
Further Resolved, That this revised and updated policy be submitted to the Common Council for review within 3 months fo the adoption of this resolution.
Requestor
Drafter
LRB09017-2
MST
01/28/09