In general, work is categorized as Street Maintenance or Capital Projects. Tacoma Streets Initiative revenue will fund street repair and maintenance, safety improvements on residential and arterial streets, freight access roads, pothole repair, bike and pedestrian projects, and school zone safety enhancements.
Street Maintenance- Funds allocated to Street Maintenance go towards activities that are intended to extend the life of a street or rehabilitate the street. With the proper maintenance the City can extend the useful life of a street for the lowest cost. Typical treatments include:
- Surface Treatment- A layer of hot liquid asphalt is laid down followed with a layer of gravel that is then rolled into the asphalt. This treatment is used on streets that are showing signs of wear and is used to seal and even out cracks to provide a smoother surface.
- Preventative Maintenance - Cracks in the street are cleaned and filled with an elastic rubber-based material to prevent moisture penetration. This category could also include concrete panel replacement or asphalt repair on some streets.
- Overlay - The existing street surface is ground down and a two to three-inch layer of asphalt is laid down. Overlays are performed on streets that have outlived their usable life and when they typically require continuous pothole repairs.
Capital Projects - Funds allocated towards Capital go towards projects that are adding facilities to the transportation network or reconstructing transportation facilities. Capital Projects are generally more labor intensive and more expensive than maintenance. When money is spent on Capital Projects the City is able to compete for Federal, State and Local grants that help leverage local funds. Capital Projects could include things like:
- Major improvements to arterial streets, bridges and freight access roads.
- Construction of sidewalks, ADA ramps, pedestrian and bike paths.
- Installation of new traffic signals and pedestrian crossing infrastructure.