Pavement Management Program

Pavement Life Cycle

Pavement has a life cycle that can be extended with proper maintenance. If a road is constructed and receives no maintenance it will last on average around 20 years depending on environmental factors. However, with the appropriate maintenance we can get it to last 60-75 years. 

The comparison we like to make is with your automobile. If you had a brand new car and did no maintenance, it wouldn’t last very long. With proper maintenance like oil changes, coolant flushes and brake work you can get that same vehicle to last much longer.

Same with roads, if we invest in taking care of our roadway infrastructure we can get it to last longer and cost taxpayers less in the long run.

Roads are compared by using a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) which is a scale of 0-100 with 100 being a brand new road and 0 being a fully deteriorated back to gravel road.  

PMP Data Gathering

Information, such as the number of cracks, road thickness and maintenance history, are entered into a database. The database outputs a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) number which is used for budgeting and as a guideline for suggested maintenance. Before any work is performed, the street is carefully inspected and assigned maintenance as appropriate.

Annual Inspection Areas

To obtain this PCI data, Maintenance staff walk/Segway one-third of the City streets every year to inspect the pavement.

Field confirmations and data collection

Public Works Engineering and Maintenance staff drive around in the Spring to finalize details for the next year, while also driving to examine potential street project areas 2-4 years out.

Construction techniques used in Bloomington include...

Sealcoat

Sealcoat is a wear-resistant coating that protects pavements from oxidation and the effects of moisture. A bituminous adhesive is sprayed on the existing surface and small graded aggregate rock is applied.

Funded through Franchise Fees

Mill and overlay

Bituminous surface is ground off and a new top layer of pavement is constructed. Milling creates an even surface to ensure a smooth riding surface for the new overlay. An overlay is a structural improvement that renews the street surface and extends the life cycle of the original pavements.

Funded through Franchise Fees and Municipal State Aid Funds (the local portion of the gas tax)

Reconstruction

The entire existing asphalt pavement and aggregate base are removed and rebuilt to current standards. Reconstruction may also involve subgrade soil corrections. For streets that are below current design standards for width, drainage, and curb and gutter, an upgrade may be incorporated.

Funded through Assessments, PIR/General Obligation Bonds, Municipal State Aid Funds (the local portion of the gas tax)

Trails

There are several maintenance techniques used on trails, ranging from crack seal or fog seal, to removal and replacement of the pavement to current standards.

5-Year Projection Plan

Street inspections, PCI ratings, condition, and age allow Engineers to determine potential PMP areas for future planning.

The map displays possible future PMP projects being considered for overlays, reconstructs, and trails.

Current annual PMP Program mileage target

• Reconstruct: 4.5 miles
• Overlay: 9-10 miles until 2026 when it drops to 8 miles
• Sealcoat: 30 miles

Goals

• Overall City PCI of 70 or above
• Keep problem streets (PCI less than 35) to less than 10% of mileage

2019 Citywide PCI = 78

2020 Citywide PCI = 75

2021 Citywide PCI = 76

2022 Citywide PCI = 78

2023 Citywide PCI = 78

PMP Street Restoration

Street restoration areas include all sealcoat, overlays, and reconstruction projects on the City's roadways.

The map illustrates street restoration that have been done in the last 5 years (red), the current year (green), and the next 3 projected years (blue).