Future of Ringgold County Sealcoat Road System Open Forum Meetings 2011 Credit for assistance in this presentation to Brad Skinner, Page County Engineer, and Larry Mattusch, Field Engineer, APAI

The Perfect Storm Mother Nature - Summer floods of 2008 and 2010

The Perfect Storm Mother Nature – Harsh winters in 2008 and 2010

The Perfect Storm Industry - Larger and Heavier Vehicles

The Perfect Storm Industry - Larger and Heavier Vehicles

The Perfect Storm Industry - Larger and Heavier Vehicles

The Perfect Storm Decades of inadequate funding

The Perfect Storm Decades of inadequate funding – 2.5% avg. ann. growth last 12 years

The Perfect Storm Decades of inadequate funding – 2.2% avg. ann. growth last 12 years

The Perfect Storm Skyrocketing Expenses – Sealcoat oil 22.3% annual increase

The Perfect Storm Skyrocketing Expenses – Sealcoat chips 8.4% annual increase

Band-aid repairs – Shortsighted & Unsustainable Example of throwing good money after bad… This work will be erased with a plow during the first snowstorm

If funding has not kept pace with construction costs, what has been sacrificed? Hiring freeze – In the last three years, the department is down five employees, or 21%. Positions of future retirements are expected to remain vacant. Bridges – Eight bridges have been closed since March Only one has been replaced. More cracks and potholes on pavements, gravel patches appearing on sealcoats, gravel roads shorted on rock, and washouts on dirt roads have not been fixed.

Converting pavement to gravel$11,700 per mile Construction Costs – 2011 What do different surfaces cost up front? Seal Coat (double seal)$55,000 per mile HMA (3”)$200,000 per mile PCC (8”)$500,000 per mile

Dirt$800 per mile per year Maintenance Costs – 2011 What are different road surfaces’ life cycle cost? Gravel$3,700 per mile per year Sealcoat$8,700 per mile per year Pavement$23,400 per mile per year

Ringgold County Bridges Closed Since March 2010

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once 310 th Street east of Redding

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once P32 south of Delphos

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once P64 north of J55

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once P68 south of Kellerton

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once Sun Valley Entrance (310 th Ave)

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once P64 south of Ellston

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once 220 th Ave between Mt Ayr & Loch Ayr

Ringgold County Sealcoat Roads All 75 miles beginning to unravel at once J23 east of Diagonal

Key Questions for the Public What county road system does the public want? What county road system does the public want to pay for? What county road system does the public need? If funding from the state does not meet the needs of the county road system, what does the public want to do?

Ringgold County Primary Road System

Ringgold County Secondary Road System - Paved

Ringgold County Secondary Road System - Sealcoat

Segments of 1-3 miles were evaluated. Items considered in this evaluation include: 1.Traffic Count 2.Road Classification (FA, FM, local) 3.System Continuity (connectivity of major routes) 4.Proximity to a Town 5.Number of Residences 6.Number of Businesses/Churches 7.Terrain and Maintenance Issues Sealcoat Road Point System

After considering the above criteria and vehicle types on each existing sealcoat road, a new long- term surface type was selected: HMA Pavement25.0 Miles Sealcoat25.8 Miles Gravel24.6 Miles IMPORTANT Without an increase in funding from gas taxes or local funding, it is anticipated that the level of service will have to be adjusted to GRAVEL on ALL sealcoat roads. Sealcoat Road Point System

Improvements if $9 million bond passes

If bond fails, all 75 miles of sealcoats return to gravel

If $9 million bond fails Nothing. No additional taxes As the sealcoat roads continue to deteriorate, they will be converted back to gravel when public safety becomes an issue. How much more will I have to pay? If $9 million bond passes Residential property examples $73 per year for $50,000 assessed value $145 per year for every $100,000 in assessed value Agricultural property example – 40 acre, CSR of 42 $41 per year for 40 acre tract Commercial property – $290 per year for $100,000 assessed value For all classes, cost will be similar to line item “General Supplemental” on your property tax statement.

$9 million bond What are the bond details? 2.75% interest rate 15 year term $740, annual debt service Results in additional property taxes approximately equal to the amount paid under the item “General Supplemental” $2,104, of total interest paid at end of 15 years

110 miles of seal coat roads in 2009 – The Page County Engineer reported at the time about half of them look like mine fields. Held public meetings to educate the public that revenues are not keeping pace with costs, and maintaining all miles of sealcoat roads was no longer sustainable. Page County Engineer reported in August 2011 that about 30 miles of sealcoat roads have been converted back to gravel so far, with more to follow. Example of similar situation to the west… Page County Downsized Sealcoat Road System in 2009

Union County – In the past couple of years, issued two sets of bonds totaling approximately $7 million for secondary roads projects. Three new bridges Paved some sealcoat roads (Iris Avenue) Resurfaced some pavements $500,000 of rock for gravel roads Taylor County – This year, has proposed a $6 million bond for paved road resurfacing projects totaling 35 miles. What are other counties doing?

The Board of Supervisors has directed a special election be held November 8 th for the public to decide the fate of the sealcoat road system. November 8, 2011 polling places Benton Diagonal Ellston Kellerton Mt Ayr Redding Tingley What happens next?

What is the sealcoat road system worth to you?