Residents have long known that the road conditions in Turlock are poor. On Tuesday, the Turlock City Council will hear a report on how the city's road conditions have actually worsen over the past two years.
In November 2013, Nichols Consulting Engineers outlined the condition of the roadway network in Turlock using a web-based pavement management system. At that time, the city's average Pavement Condition Index — which ranges between 0 (very poor) and 100 (excellent) — was rated at 67.
The city's average PCI at the end of 2015 was 64, representing a three-point drop.
Along with the status of the city's roads, the City Council will also hear a report on the lack of funding available to fix the roadway network.
Currently, the majority of road repair funding comes from the federal Regional Surface Transportation Program, which is typically around $750,000 a year.
In order for the road conditions to improve to a PCI score of 80 (good), the City would need to spend $51 million, according to a City staff report. As time goes on and the roads further deteriorate, the costs increase.
This road report comes as the Stanislaus Council of Governments looks to garner support for a countywide road tax for the November ballot.
In December Mayor Gary Soiseth, who is Turlock's representative on StanCOG, said he is supporting the countywide road tax as under the proposed spending formula, "Turlock residents will see immediate improvements to our local roads, additional bike lanes, more efficient bus services for our seniors and disabled, and safer routes to schools for our kids."
The spending formula proposed by StanCOG for the 2016 ballot includes 50 percent of funds dedicated to local streets and road repair of existing roads and 27 percent for regional projects, to be determined by local jurisdictions.
On Tuesday, the City Council is also expected to:
Presenting a proclamation in honor of the retirement of Kenneth Wooster, Senior Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator;Recognizing the Mayor's Public Policy Award recipient, Josephine Hazelton, who will give a presentation of her project, Catching the Bus: Improving Public Transportation in Turlock;Consider authorizing the closure of various street sections within the City of Turlock on April 10 for the 2nd Annual Turlock Criterium Bicycle Race. This year, race promoter Mitch Boehs is requesting to hold the event at an earlier time, 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.;Consider approving a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and Merced College to provide the college-credit based Customer Service Academy program at City Hall. In order to be a host site sponsor, the City would be required to provide 20 staff persons per course. Each City department which sends employees to the Academy would pay the respective fees of the course out of their respective budgets. Each of the 10 eight-hour courses cost $23 per person, with a total cost to the City at $4,600. The Academy features 10 courses in everyday business skills such as communication, customer service, time management, conflict resolution and managing organizational change.The Turlock City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Yosemite Room at City Hall, 156 S. Broadway.