STREETS

Sweeping

As a result of the slowing economy, the Department of Public Works reduced its operating budget and General fund staffing 50% in order to do its part to help the City address its budget needs. Many programs have had to be greatly reduced, some canceled entirely, so that staff can attend to the most critical Public Works services. Street sweeping is one of the programs that has been greatly reduced. When staff is available and assigned to sweeping, they work on a priority system: downtown streets first, major arterials second and residential streets third.

To make a request for public street sweeping, please fill out an Action Request Form.

Construction cleanup in streets, such as dirt and debris, is the responsibility of the contractor performing the work. To report debris in the street caused by construction, contact the Community Development Department, Engineering Division at 237-3860.

Resurfacing

Most resurface projects in town are prioritized by maintenance needs of a particular road and are repaired by one of three optional asphalt rehabilitation methods: Slurry Seal, overlay or re-pavement. Slurry Seal uses slurry, an asphalt product with no rocks that looks like thick oil when poured or sprayed out of a truck or tank. Slurry sealing helps keep the top asphalt layer from opening, thereby preventing damage caused by water intrusion. When a street’s surface is beyond surface repair an overlay becomes necessary. Overlay involves grinding the existing asphalt surface down sometimes as much as 2" and replacing it with 2" of new asphalt material. In addition, fiber matting is installed over the ground surface to further strengthen the overlay. In the most extreme cases, a road may be deteriorated past the point of an overlay, requiring complete road reconstruction. Repavement, the most extensive and costly, entails removing existing asphalt material and the base material beneath it.

Asphalt can be installed in a wide outdoor temperature range; it is not uncommon to install new AC (asphalt concrete) anywhere from 35 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. More important than the outside temperature is the AC temperature. It starts out at more than 325 degrees and in order for it to lie correctly and seal properly it can be no cooler than 300 degrees (except pothole patching—see next paragraph). City inspectors monitor this on all new asphalt projects.

Potholes

A two-man pothole repair crew can cover a whole 50 miles in one day. That’s about the distance from Paso Robles to Nipomo.

Pothole repair is done on an ongoing basis using a list generated by calls from the public and monthly “pothole hunts” done by Street Maintenance Division crews. For routine repairs, the work is consolidated into a days work for the crew, however, emergencies get prompt, immediate attention. To report a pothole, fill out an Action Request Form.

Markings

You may notice spray painting on your street or sidewalk. This is often done by Underground Service Alert (USA) or other utility companies outside City control. These companies indicate the locations of their underground utilities in preparation for new construction or repair work. Below are the colors and abbreviations used when marking:

Common Marking Identifiers
E=Electric SD=Storm Drain SL=Street Lighting TS=Traffic Signal W=Water/Reclaimed Water		G=Gas S=Sewer TEL=Telephone TV=Television USA=Underground Service Alert

All work done within the City streets pavement requires an Encroachment Permit whether it’s a utility project or other project requiring an asphalt disturbance.

Street Striping

The City’s Street Maintenance Division stripes smaller street markings, within tracts, stop bars and crosswalks. Most City striping projects are performed by contract via the Public Works Capital Projects Division. Check out the Out to Bid page to find out if it’s out to bid—usually around August each year. The striping needs are rated yearly and scheduled for work as needed. The Streets Division can respond to calls regarding “freshening up” stop bars and crosswalks. Use an Action Request Form to request.