Download the 2009 Street Improvement Program Brochure (PDF, 2597Kb), mailed to residents and local businesses in April, 2009.
Thanks to voter approval of Measure A, the El Cerrito Pothole Repair, Local Street Improvement and Maintenance Measure, the City of El Cerrito now has funds available to improve local streets. Measure A (passed in February 2008) is a half-percent sales tax increase dedicated to funding a comprehensive street pavement repair and maintenance program in El Cerrito.
To address the current backlog of street maintenance and repairs, the City developed a four-year, intensive pothole and street repair program to respond to the most significant street pavement problems throughout the city. The City's goal is to rapidly improve El Cerrito's street system and to complete the repairs in the most efficient and efficient and quickest way possible.
The City of El Cerrito street system consists of approximately 68 miles of streets, the majority of which were constructed to the standards and conditions of the early to mid-20th century. The City uses the standard Pavement Condition Index (PCI) to rate streets on a 100-point scale, with failed streets rated at 0 and excellent streets at 100. The City uses this rating to help determine what type of work is needed for each street, as well as to help prioritize the order in which streets are repaired.
The initial years of the program will include a significantly accelerated work plan focused on repairing residential streets. We estimate that by the year 2012, at least 70% of El Cerrito streets will receive some form of repairs or Resurfacing and that the City's average PCI rating will be raised up to or near 70 by 2012.
2008 Roadwork Completed
In 2008, over 300 curb ramps were installed and over 663,000 square-feet of patch paving and pothole repair work was completed on over 35 miles of City streets.
Many streets that are scheduled to be resurfaced in 2009 received a 'patch pave' last year. Patchwork involves making structural repairs by cutting out the failed pavement areas, then filling the excavated areas (about 3' deep) new asphalt concrete. This work makes the roadway structurally sound. Streets being resurfaced this year will receive either a cape seal treatment or an asphalt overlay on the entire width of the street (curb to curb) resulting in a durable, smooth, black roadway surface.
The City also received Federal and State funding last year and was able to resurface a number of streets ahead of the original schedule!
In 2008, 1.1 miles of full-width street resurfacing was completed.
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