ABOUT THE LOCAL OPTION SALES TAX
Cedar Rapids voters passed a one percent sales tax for street repair in November of 2013, which went into effect July 1, 2014. The first measure approved the tax for 10 years. Voters went back to the polls in November of 2021 and renewed the program for another 10. The program will continue until it expires on June 30, 2034. Paving for Progress will capitalize on approximately $20 million annually, set aside solely for the maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of public streets.
The Program
- 1 percent local options sales tax
- Sales tax generated by Cedar Rapids residents as well as visitors who shop/dine in our community
- 20-year investment: 2014 –2034
- Approximately $20 million annually
- Funds are set aside solely for the maintenance, repair, construction and reconstruction of public streets
The Strategy
- Address neighborhood streets: 70 percent of projects are in residential neighborhoods
- 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
The City developed the 10-year management plan using pavement condition 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 every two years, and the plan is updated accordingly. Over time, we’ll be able to see the difference our investments are making in our roadways!
Key Goals:
- Fully reconstruct some of the roads in worst condition
- Perform less costly preventative maintenance to extend the life of additional roads
- Make improvements to residential neighborhoods that have long been neglected
10-Year Pavement Management Plan
The Plan Includes:
- Analysis on the condition of every street
- Treatment methods and cost
- Cost benefit of performing work early rather than when the street is worse and repairs are more costly
- Schedule
- Updated list of projects every two years based on new pavement data
- 70/30 split between residential/arterial roads
Treatment Methods
Preventative Maintenance
This treatment saves money in the long-run by extending the life of the road, while also enhancing pavement quality. Waiting to address roads until they are completely deteriorated is five to ten times more costly, and takes investment away from roads whose life could be extended with maintenance. Not all roads are good candidates for this type of treatment, but for some, it can add 20 or more years to the life of the street.
Preventative maintenance:
- Less impactful to residents
- Less costly
- Less time intensive
- Surface-treatment only
- Underground utilities not replaced
- Long-term cost savings (spending $1 on maintenance eliminates or delays spending $6 - $10 in total street replacement)
- Glass Road NE
- Edgewood Road NW
- Bever Avenue SE
- Diagonal Drive SW
Complete Reconstruction
Some streets are past the point where preventative maintenance is useful and we can no longer extend their surface life. Complete reconstruction is used when a street needs to be fully ripped out and replaced.
- More impactful to residents and time intensive
- More costly
- Complete replacement of the entire street
- Underground utilities replaced
- 42nd Street NE
- 19th Street SE
- West Post Road NW
- O Avenue NW
- Johnson Avenue NW
- 8th Avenue SW
