City Hall Roundup: Dallas to Invest $154M in Streets, Sidewalks, Alleys, And Bridges Outside Bond Allocations
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Dallas continues to chip away at infrastructure needs, allocating $154 million this fiscal year to streets, sidewalks, alleys, and bridges.
The Dallas Infrastructure Management Plan, now in its sixth year, evaluates maintenance needs for infrastructure projects outside of the bond program.
During a Feb. 21 briefing, staff from the Dallas Public Works Department reviewed the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), through which projects are prioritized and funded.
Voters will be asked to cast ballots May 4 on $521.2 million worth of bond projects related to streets and transportation, the highest prioritized category in the $1.25 billion bond.
District 14 Councilman Paul Ridley said his area has the highest appraised property valuations in Dallas and as a result has produced the greatest amount of property taxes in the city.
“And yet … District 14 has the worst streets in the city,” he said. “Not marginally but by five PCI points … not only that, but we’re projected not to improve at all in the next five years, but to remain in the cellar of all 14 districts.”
Director of Public Works Ali Hatefi said the city’s “zero degradation” policy looks at the city as a whole rather than by council district.
Ridley said he felt like some prioritization should be given to improve the streets that most people use.
“Because of the heavy traffic load on our streets, the core condition is affecting more people than just my district,” Ridley said. “It’s affecting motorists in all the districts. As a result, investment in improving the condition of the pavement in District 14 is an investment for the entire city.”
Other council members, including District 9 Councilwoman Paula Blackmon and District 2 Councilman Jesse Moreno outlined priorities in their respective areas, noting neglected neighborhoods and streets with low PCI ratings.
View the Feb. 21 Infrastructure Management Program presentation here and the briefing video here.
Development Services Releases Annual Report
Dallas’ embattled Development Services Department released its first-ever annual report earlier this month.
Under the leadership of Director Andrew Espinoza, the department has celebrated some successes in 2022-23 but still hears complaints about long turnaround times for permits. And there’s no doubt there will be pushback when a proposal to increase permitting fees goes before the City Council later this month.
The annual report highlights some of the department’s accomplishments — including clearing a years-old permitting backlog — and provides information about little-known duties assigned to Development Services, such as health inspections and land development.
“I am extremely proud of the work our team has accomplished in FY 2022-23 and am grateful for their efforts,” Espinoza said in a letter to residents included in the report. “Many of the objectives and goals we set out to accomplish were fulfilled. I am pleased with the direction and trajectory of our organization and am 100 percent confident we will steadily improve. This Annual Report is intended to track our outcomes, hold ourselves accountable, share and showcase some of our performance highlights, and document our results.”
