ForConstructionPros.com

When you have 250 centerline miles of paved streets to maintain, finding the most economical way to keep those roads in good condition is paramount when making prudent decisions in managing the dollars allocated for street maintenance. That's the reality for Tom Conti, a project engineer for the City of Santa Barbara's Department of Public Works' Engineering Division.

"From year to year we look at what's (maintenance/preservation products/processes) out there, what has been proven to work, and if it looks like it might be the best cost-effective approach for what we want to accomplish, we'll give it a try," Conti says.

Santa Barbara has taken a proactive approach to pavement preservation for the past 15 years, according to Conti, who has been leading the charge for the past four years.

"Back in the mid-80s our PCI (Pavement Condition Index) was in the 50s' range, meaning that approximately 50% of our roads were in poor condition," Conti notes. "So, we began to inject a substantial amount money into improving our road network and bringing it up into the 70-80 range (good condition).

City streets are currently managed and maintained on a rotating zone bases - five residential and two arterial (main commuter routes and heavily traveled business areas). Residential streets receive a preservation treatment every seven to eight years, while arterial roads receive a preservation treatment every five to six years.