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Home My WebLink AboutCSD-08-039 - 2008 Winter Maintenance & Pot Hole Expenditures~ITCHEI'~E Community Services REPORT Report To: Finance and Corporate Services Committee Date of Meeting: May 12, 2008 Submitted By: Jim Witmer Director of Operations Prepared By: Scott Berry Manager of Maintenance Operations Wards}Involved: All Date of Report: May 6, 2008 Report No.: CSD-08-039 Subject: 2008 WINTER MAINTENANCE & POT HOLE EXPENDITURES RECOMMENDATION: Provided for Information purposes only. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The winter of 2007/2008 was quite severe compared to winters we have experienced in this part of the province in recent years. The number of storm events, and the snow accumulation of individual storm events were significant, with at least one weather record being broken this season. As such, resources of the Operations Division were taxed beyond normal limits for winter maintenance activities, and substantial expenditure beyond those normally budgeted for was incurred. A spin-off effect of the harsh winter with several freeze/thaw cycles was the abundance of pot holes throughout the road system. This report is intended to give Council an update on expenditures related to winter maintenance and road repair activities to-date, and to discuss forecasted end of year expenditure levels. BACKGROUND: The budget for winter maintenance allows for expenditures on roadways, sidewalks, walkways, Community Centres, City Hall and The Market, relating to plowing, salting/sanding, loading/hauling/melting, patrolling and supervision. The budget for road maintenance in terms of pot holes is broken into two areas: hot mix and cold mix patching. These two areas relate to all road repair activities from patching small holes to larger road sections encompassing resurfacing of entire lanes. Report No: CSD-08-039 REPORT: 2 ~A) Winter Maintenance The annual winter maintenance budget allocates resources for the calendar year, with winter activities generally being performed in January, February, March and then again in September, November, December each year. Full plows are initiated by the Operations Division when snow accumulation approaches or exceeds 8cm on Class 4 and 5 roadways. A full plow generally involves utilizing all resources available to plow every road section city-wide, and involves substantial overtime expenditures to meet Minimum Maintenance Standards. Over the last 5 years the number of "full plows" averaged 4.5 per year. During the first 3 months of 2008 alone, 7 full plows were incurred with an average expenditure in 2008 per storm of approximately $220,000. The significant snow accumulation of these events, some back to back, contributed to 49 days of snow loading, hauling, and melting activities where required from January 1, 2008 to present. Snow loading from road sections addresses potentially hazardous conditions related to restricted road widths and ensures roads are wide enough to allow emergency vehicle response, the ability of two-way traffic to pass safely on narrow streets, and appropriate sight lines at intersections. Contractors were required to address the snow loading workload, cul-de-sac plowing, and rutted streets at various times this winter, with total contractor expenditures amounting to approximately $130,000 in 2008. ~B) Road Repair The annual road repair maintenance budget allocates resources for both hot mix patching and cold mix patching activities. While hot mix is a preferred material, it is not usually available throughout the winter months, and as such, cold mix patching material is used on a temporary basis throughout the winter months. The 2007/2008 winter had several freeze/thaw cycles which contributed to the formation of pot holes throughout the road system. While most typical winters would have allowed the Operations Division to apply substantial resources to address pot holes throughout the winter months, the severity of the 2007/2008 winter did not allow these resources to be pulled away from winter maintenance activities substantially to make the positive impact on pot holes that would be the norm. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: ~A) Winter Maintenance The winter maintenance budget for 2008 is approximately $3,728,000. Expenditures to date total $3, 770, 000. Historical trends indicate approximately 67% of annual winter maintenance expenditures are incurred in the January thru March timeframe, and approximately 33% of annual winter maintenance expenditures occur in the September thru December timeframe. Over the last 5 years (2003 thru 2007), an average expenditure of approximately $1,041,000 has been incurred in the September thru December timeframe for winter maintenance activities. The combination of the average expenditure (adjusted to 2008 dollars) and the costs incurred to date for winter maintenance activities amounts to approximately $4,907,000 total winter expenditure in 2008. This represents a potential $1,179,000 over-expenditure on winter Report No: CSD-08-039 3 maintenance activities for 2008 should an "average" September thru December winter be experienced this fall. Actual expenditures versus budgeted amounts for winter maintenance over the last 5 years (2003 thru 2007) are represented below: Winter Maintenance Budaet vs Exaenditure 2003 - 2007 Budget Actual Variance 2003 $2,854,954 $3,378,457 over $523,503 2004 $2, 951, 225 $3,135, 253 over $184, 028 2005 $3,138,135 $3,741,274 over $603,139 2006 $3,248,092 $2,414,846 under $833,246 2007 $3,379,601 $4,420,598 over $1,040,997 Winter Maintenance Costs 2003.2007 $5,000,000 $4,500,000 $4,000,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $- 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 +Actual -Budget (B~ Road Repair The cold mix patching budget is $133,721, while the hot mix patching budget is $505,207 totaling $638,928 for the road repair budget for 2008. Report No: CSD-08-039 4 The cold mix patching expenditure to date is only at $89,000 (67%). This is primarily because resources normally working under this index could not be freed up from working under the winter maintenance indexes this past winter. Even though pot holes have been quite prevalent this winter and spring, the combined road repair budget is expected to be sufficient for 2008 with no substantial overruns required to address the pot hole issue. CONCLUSION: The Operations Division has identified a potential $1,179,000 over-expenditure in the winter maintenance activity for 2008. An accompanying cost mitigation report will be tabled at the May 12, 2008 meeting discussing this issue and giving Council options to consider. Jim Witmer Director of Operations Scott Berry Manager of Maintenance Operations