Placer County details road improvement projects
Dependent on Current Revenue Projects
AUBURN, Calif. – More than 130 miles of county-maintained roads are planned for resurfacing by next summer, if current revenue projections hold, Placer County Roads Manager Kevin Taber told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday during a presentation on road conditions.
These projects would be funded by the county’s expected $7.3 million share of Senate Bill 1 revenue for the current fiscal year. The presentation also detailed how the road improvement projects were integral to the overall condition of Placer County’s roads, with funding for improvements generally remaining flat for decades while costs have increased. The county road maintenance budget this fiscal year is approximately $16.8 million in addition to the $7.3 million detailed.
Placer County used its first, $2.6 million share of SB1 funding last fiscal year to resurface roads in North Lake Tahoe, Granite Bay and Penryn, in addition to projects paid for through the county road fund. This year, funds will target approximately 132 miles of resurfacing work throughout the county; including 10 to 20 miles of overlay, 30 to 50 miles of slurry seal, and 40 to 80 miles using chip seal.
“When compared to neighboring counties, Placer County’s road conditions ranked on the lower end,” Taber said. “These new projects will significantly improve road conditions for Placer County residents and visitors, while ensuring the safety of our drivers.”
In July 2017, Nichols Consulting Engineers completed a physical assessment report of Placer County roads, which classified them in “fair” condition. The classification rating is based on the pavement condition index used as an industry standard across the state and nation to categorize road conditions. These new projects will help to improve the county’s road health and overall condition rating from “fair” to “good” on the PCI scale.
With current funding levels, staff reported, all Placer County roads could be resurfaced on a 10-year schedule. Without the current funding levels, the county would be able to complete these projects in approximately 50-100 years.
