2020 Paving for Progress Accomplishments

2020 Paving for Progress Accomplishments

The 2020 Paving for Progress construction year is coming to a close, which included approximately 5 linear miles of roadway improvements (or approximately 10 lane miles) for the completion of 26 projects on both local and arterial roads. This was the seventh year of the program.

The vast majority of Paving for Progress projects planned for the 2020 construction season continued as scheduled, despite COVID-19 and derecho impacts during this construction season. Five projects originally planned for 2020 will begin in 2021 or later.

2020 Project Highlights:

• O Avenue NW: Second year of a multi-year project to replace the street between Edgewood Road and Ellis Boulevard. This year’s work focused on the section between 24th Street and 16th Street. Construction included new underground utilities as well as the pavement surface. Underground work will continue through winter, and paving operations will resume in spring.
• Center Point Road NE: Second year of a multi-year project to improve Center Point Road NE between Coe Road and 32nd Street. This year we concentrated on the reconstruction of the intersection at 29th Street, and also converted traffic to two-way operation between J Avenue and 29th Street. Work is scheduled to continue south towards Coe Road in 2022.
• Old Marion Road NE: Latest in a multi-year effort to improve Oakland Road NE and Old Marion Road NE between Coe Road and C Avenue. 2020 work focused on Old Marion Road between Regent Street and C Avenue. The pavement surface was improved, along with water main replacement and ADA enhancements. The final phase of Oakland Road and Old Marion Road between Center Street and Regent Street will be built between 2021 and 2022.

Projects Wrapping Up:

1. 10th Street NW, 1st Avenue to A Avenue
2. 1st Avenue W, Eastview Avenue to Hanover Road
3. 1st Avenue W, Leroy Street to south of Harbet Avenue
4. 23rd Street Drive SE, 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue
5. 29th Street SW and Hickory Drive Intersection
6. 30th Street SW, Van Buren Drive to 28th Avenue
7. 34th Street SE Bridge and Roadway Improvements
8. 7th Avenue SW, 6th Street to 8th Street
9. 8th Street SW, 5th Avenue to 7th Avenue
10. Black Granite Road NW
11. Blue Stone Street NW, Blue Stone Court to Black Granite Road
12. Broadlawn Drive SE, Green Valley Terrace to Dead End
13. Center Point Road NE, J Avenue to 29th Street
14. Chandler Street SW, 10th Avenue to 19th Street
15. Dunreath Drive NE, C Avenue to E Avenue
16. Foxborough Terrace NE
17. Green Valley Place SE, Green Valley Terrace to Dead End
18. Gwendolyn Drive NE, C Avenue to E Avenue
19. J Avenue NE, Oakland Road to Maplewood Drive
20. Longwood Drive NE, C Avenue to E Avenue
21. Needles Road SE, 29th Street Drive to Augusta Drive
22. O Avenue NW from 16th Street to 20th Street
23. Old Marion Road NE, Regent Street to C Avenue
24. Peace Avenue NW, Midway Drive to Jacolyn Drive
25. Rich Mar Court NW, Harbet Drive north to Dead End
26. Wiley Boulevard NW, F Avenue to Cedar Crest Court

2020 Projects Scheduled for Completion 2021

• O Avenue NW from 20th Street to Edgewood Road: Utility improvements will continue as long as weather allows and start again in the spring. Concrete paving will resume in the spring.
• E Avenue NW from West Post Road to Wiley Boulevard: Asphalt resurfacing between Jacolyn Drive and Wiley Boulevard will start in the spring.
• Bowling Street SW from 50th Avenue to Wilson Avenue: Concrete patching and surface improvements to the street will carry over into 2021; 2020 work focused mainly on improvements at the railroad crossing.

Looking Ahead – Major Projects Beginning 2021

• 6th St SW from Wilson Ave to 33rd Ave: Pavement resurfacing, water main improvements, and sidewalk installation on both sides of the road.
• Oakland Road NE and Old Marion Road NE from Center Street to Regent Street: Pavement reconstruction, utility work and sidewalk infill. 
• Council Street NE from Collins Road to Blairs Ferry Road: Pavement improvements. 
• 12th Avenue SE from 7th Street to 17th Street: Utility improvements, pavement reconstruction.
• Cottage Grove Avenue SE from 1st Avenue to Forest Drive: Pavement reconstruction, drainage and pedestrian/trail improvements.
• C Street SW from Bowling Street to Handley Drive: Pavement patching and resurfacing with sidewalk gap infill.

ABOUT THE PAVING FOR PROGRESS PROGRAM
Paving for Progress began during the summer of 2014 and started with streets that required minimal design considerations or complexities. The program has since evolved to include a 10-year capital improvement plan that includes a prioritization list and recommended treatment methods, based on data on city roadways.

PROGRAM ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE:

• Linear miles of roadway improved: 63.2
• Investment as of September 30, 2020: approximately $116 million 
• Projects completed to date: 206
• 70% of completed projects have been local/residential
• 30% of completed projects have been arterial

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• One percent sales tax for street repair; anticipated to be on the November 2021 ballot
• Went into effect July 1, 2014 and will continue for 10 years until it expires on June 30, 2024
• Sales tax generated by Cedar Rapids residents as well as visitors who shop/dine in our community
• Approximately $18 million annually
• Funds are set aside solely for the maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of public streets

THE STRATEGY

• Address neighborhood streets
• Invest in roads before they reach the end of their service life
• Completely replace some of our most deteriorated roads
• Data-driven, impartial, and measurable

PRIORITIZATION
The City developed the 10-year management plan using data collected on every roadway in Cedar Rapids. The data is collected by a vehicle that drives the surface of the roads and collects data on texture, pavement distress, and roughness. Fresh data is collected approximately every two years, and the plan is updated accordingly.

In addition to the pavement data, other factors help determine street priorities, including how bad the street is and how expensive it will be to fix. There is a cost benefit of performing work early rather than when the street is worse and repairs are more costly. The City’s strategy has been to do a little of both — completely replace some streets, while doing preventative maintenance on others.

Learn more: www.cityofcr.com/pavingforprogress.