A communication transmitted from Louis A. DePasquale, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 19-94, regarding paving prioritization

City of Cambridge Department of Public Works Owen O'Riordan, Commissioner 147 Hampshire Street Cambridge, MA 02139 theworks@cambridgema.gov Voice: [phone removed] TDD: [phone removed] September 19, 2019 To: Louis DePasquale City Manager From: Katherine F Watkins City Engineer Re: Awaiting Reports 19-94, dated June 30, 2019 regarding Paving Prioritization In response to the above referenced awaiting report, please see the information below. UTILITY WORK – COORDINATION WITH CITY’S 5 YEAR STREET AND SIDEWALK PLAN Priorities for street and sidewalk reconstruction are established in the City’s 5 Year Street and Sidewalk Plan. A number of considerations are used as part of the prioritization process including; pavement conditions, sidewalk conditions, need to upgrade utilities, and priorities identified by the Commission for Persons with Disabilities. Locations located within High Priority Areas (including streets on the Bicycle Network Vision) are given additional weight in the prioritization process. The City works closely with utility companies during the prioritization process and to coordinate specific projects. The best outcome for residents and the overall condition of infrastructure is when priorities overlap and can be coordinated. Over the last number of years, we have been able to increase the coordination of projects and increase the amount of utility work (particularly Eversource Gas and Cambridge Water) that is completed in coordination with street and sidewalk construction projects. This coordination facilitates improvements to infrastructure and allows the street and sidewalk reconstruction projects to last longer. More than half of the gas main replacements being done this year by Eversource Gas are associated with street reconstruction projects; for example, Belmont Street, Eliot Street, Green Street, and Inman Square. Other utility projects are prioritized separate from our street and sidewalk projects due to a history of leaks, age of pipe, etc. In these cases, DPW coordinates with utility companies regarding the street restoration. The utility companies typically repair the street to the existing conditions, but, in some cases DPW adds streets to the 5 Year Street and Sidewalk Plan based on the need for utility work and the condition of the street and sidewalks. Recent examples of this include Berkeley Street (Eversource Gas), Fairmont Avenue (Eversource Gas) and Montgomery Street (water main).

MISCELLANEOUS PAVING CONTRACT In addition to reconstruction prioritized through the City’s 5 Year Street and Sidewalk Plan, the City has a smaller paving contract that facilitates paving of segments of streets that are not due for full reconstruction. This is a maintenance contract and is an effective way of restoring pavement life, without full reconstruction. Pavement patching was recently completed on Bigelow Street adjacent to City Hall, Kirkland Street between Oxford St and Quincy St, Elm St between Hampshire St and Cambridge St, and Tremont St between Hampshire St and Cambridge St, Bellis Circle and Huron Ave between Grove St and Cushing St. PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING CYCLE 5 The Participatory Budgeting identified a one-time $250,000 to supplement the 5 Year Street and Sidewalk Plan to facilitate repaving of bike lanes. The funding will provide for grinding, overlaying, installation of additional catch basins, and replacing the pavement markings and flex-posts, as needed. City staff have been inspecting on-street bicycle facilities and have prioritized sections of the separated bicycle lanes on Cambridge Street (Quincy to Fayette) and Mass. Ave. (Sidney to Memorial Drive) for repaving. The paving on Cambridge Street is scheduled to be completed this fall and Mass. Ave is scheduled to be completed next spring. We anticipate these two streets will take approximately half of the available funds. Staff have inventoried other existing on-street bicycle facilities in the City and are in the process of identifying additional bike facilities for repaving in the spring of 2020.