Street Smarts

What is a pavement condition survey?
How many miles of street, including dirt streets, does the City of Durham maintain?
How can I find out how my street rates and if my street is scheduled to be repaved?
How much asphalt does it take to repave one mile of street?
On average, how many potholes does the City fill each month?
In which months does the City receive the most requests for pothole repairs?
How long does it take to repair an average size pothole?
How do I report a pothole to the City?
What is the average "life cycle" of a street before repaving is needed?
What are the best months to repave streets?
How can you tell the difference between a City-maintained street and a State-maintained street?

Dollars and Cents

How much will it cost to repave streets in Durham?
How much does the City spend annually to maintain streets?
What is a general obligation bond and why is issuing bonds the most cost-effective way to pay for large-scale capital projects?
What is a bond rating?
What is debt service and can the City afford the additional debt?<
What are some of the commonly used budget terms and other information to help understand City budgeting?

Frequently Asked Questions - Street Smarts

1. What is a pavement condition survey?
   The streets that are repaved by the City are selected based on a pavement condition survey. For over 20 years, the City has used a street condition survey methodology developed by the Institute of Transportation Research and Education at North Carolina State University. Streets scheduled to be repaved in 2011 and 2012 were identified through the last pavement condition survey conducted in spring 2007.
   
   The condition ratings range as follows:
   0-50 (Very Poor)
   51–65 (Poor)
   66–80 (Fair)
   81-90 (Good)
   91-100 (Very Good)
   
   Find out how your street rates. You can also view more information about the pavement condition survey process.


2. How many miles of street, including dirt streets, does the City of Durham maintain?
   
   680 miles



3. What is the difference between street repairs, street repaving, and street rebuilding?
   
   
   • Street Repairs - A method of replacing existing asphalt, stone, and subgrade on sections of streets that have failed due to excessive cracking and pavement failure. These repairs are made prior to the resurfacing of a street.
   
   
   • Street Repaving - A method of adding another layer of asphalt course to an existing pavement to provide additional strength and a smoother surface. This is a common method for restoring older pavement on a road.
   
   
   • Street Rebuilding - A method or rebuilding a street’s pavement structure when the street’s pavement section has failed due to a poor subgrade. The existing soil can be dug up and replaced with a stronger soil type or the existing soil subgrade can be strengthened by admixing with stabilizing or chemical agents that will increase load-bearing capacity, firmness, and resistance to weathering or displacement.



4. How can I find out how my street rates and if my street is scheduled to be repaved?
   
   "Very poor" and "poor" proposed streets to be repaved with the successful passage of the 2010 Street Bond.
   
   
5. How much asphalt does it take to repave one mile of street?
   
   344 tons.



6. On average how many potholes does the city fill each month?
   
   160 potholes per month.



7. Which months does the City receive the most requests for pothole repairs?
   
   January, February and March, depending on the severity of the winter weather.



8. How long does it take to repair an average size pothole?
   
   Five to eight working days.



9. How do I report a pothole to the City?
   
   Contact Durham One Call online or at 560-1200.



10. What is the average "life cycle" of a street before repaving is needed?
    
    20 years on average depending on the usage of the street.



11. What are the best months to repave streets?
    
    April thru November.



12. How can you tell the difference between a City-maintained street and a State-maintained street?
    
    In general, all limited access highways and streets that are labeled SR___ or NC___ and interstates.
    Some common streets inside the city limits that are State-maintained include Guess Road, Mangum Street, Roxboro Street, N.C. Hwy. 147, I-85, I-40, University Drive, Lakewood Avenue, and Duke Street. The City maintains 680 miles of streets and the State maintains 485 miles.
    
    State maintained streets
    
    For repair request on State-maintained street, use the following contact information:
    E-mail: Durham County Maintenance Engineer
    Phone: (919) 477-2814 (M-F, 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

Frequently Asked Questions - Dollars and Cents

1. How much will it cost residents to repave streets in Durham?
   
   If Durham City Council deems it necessary to impose a tax to repay the debt service incurred by the 2010 bond, resident could see a minimum tax increases. For the owner of a $150,000 home, property taxes would increase about $11.40 a year, or approximately 95 cents a month.
   
   

   Fiscal Year	Home Value   $100,000	Home Value   $150,000	Home Value   $200,000
   2012	$7.60	$11.40	$15.20
   2013	$6.70	$10.05	$13.40
   2014	$6.40	$9.60	$12.80
   2015	$6.10	$9.15	$12.20
   2016	$5.80	$8.70	$11.60




2. How much does the City spend annually to maintain streets?
   
   To date, between only $2 million and $3.5 million annually. Annual maintenance costs to maintain streets on a 20-year repaving cycle depend on many factors, such as the price of oil (raw materials) and the capacity of paving contractors in the area. Currently, estimates range from $4.7 million to $6 million annually. Beginning in fiscal year 2011-2012, sufficient funding will be allocated in the annual operating budget, once the remaining backlog is finished, to stay current going forward. That means that we will be able to maintain streets at a "fair" or better condition during their 20-year life cycle.



3. What is a general obligation bond and why is issuing bonds the most cost-effective way to pay for large-scale capital projects?
   
   General obligation bonds are bonds issued by the City of Durham, which are backed by the full faith and credit (taxing ability) of the City. Issuing general obligation bonds – or borrowing money – is the most cost-effective way to pay for large-scale capital projects, such as street repaving. And, because Durham maintains a AAA bond rating and current financial market conditions, the City can borrow at the lowest interest rates, some of the lowest in recent years.



4. What is a bond rating?
   
   A bond rating is an evaluation of the credit risk associated with a particular bond issue. Bond ratings range from AAA (extremely strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal) to D (currently in default). A higher bond rating results in lower interest rates, thus reducing the cost of a capital project financed with bonds. The City of Durham currently has a AAA bond rating.



5. What is debt service and can the City afford the additional debt?
   
   Debt service is the payment of principal and interest to creditors on outstanding debt. The City can afford this additional debt service if this bond is passed, as illustrated in the below chart.
   
   

   Fiscal Year	Additional Debt Service	Portion of One Penny of Property Tax Needed to Support Debt Service on Bond	City Debt Service Ratio - Policy Not to Exceed 15%
   2012	$1,800,000	0.76	14.27%
   2013	$1,760,000	0.67	14.01%
   2014	$1,720,000	0.64	13.68%
   2015	$1,680,000	0.61	12.51%
   2016	$1,640,000	0.58	10.30%




6. What are some of the commonly used budget terms and other information to help understand City budgeting?
   
   Many commonly used budget terms can be found on the City’s Budget & Management Services Web page.