PUBLIC WORKS
STREET DIVISION
The City's street system includes 135 miles of streets and 31 miles of alleys. This Division employs 12 full time employees. Their responsibilities include operation and maintenance of the City's transportation systems.
Harold Colby, Street Division Manager 721-5277
Tommy Scott, Street Division Supervisor 721-5276
Christmas Tree Pickup
STREET MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PROGRAM:
Pothole patching: Some 200 tons of hot and cold mix asphalt materials are used annually to patch holes in the paved streets. Some specialized mix was used for winter patching. Small cuts made by the Utilities Division to repair water leaks are repaired as are potholes caused by pavement failure. A lesser number of patches are made to repair cuts made by franchised utilities.
Gravel Street Maintenance: All gravel streets are graded at least twice each year, some as frequently as five times each year. Approximately 400 tons magnesium chloride is applied to all gravel streets in June and September each year to control dust. Each spring new base material is applied to the gravel streets as needed to replace that lost through wind erosion and vehicles tracking the material off the street. Approximately 1,000 tons of granite base will be installed this budget year.
Street Sweeping: All streets are swept at least once per year. Major streets and those in the downtown area are swept more frequently. Sweeping is done year round when weather permits. Sweeping is done ahead of the crack sealing and chip sealing operations, following the application of sand for snow and ice control, and for leaf pickup each fall.
Painting: Center line and lane lines are painted each summer. Those in high traffic areas may be painted twice. School and pedestrian cross walks are also painted each summer. Curb painting which denotes special parking restrictions (handicap parking, loading zones, no parking zones) may only be done every other year if the existing paint is in good condition. In previous years, bicycle lanes were only painted on Reynolds and Ivinson and with a single line. In August and September of 1999, bicycle lane markings were installed on other streets and a second line was added to provide a clearly designated path. Approximately 2,100 gallons of paint are used each year along with 6,000 pounds of glass beads.
Alley Maintenance: Concrete and paved alleys are patched and swept as needed. Gravel alleys are graded and gravel is placed as time permits on a request basis. Consideration is being given to improving the alley maintenance program to provide maintenance to every alley each year. Approximately 10 miles of alleys will be graded each year.
STREET RECONSTRUCTION:
Street reconstruction entails the removal of the existing surface and up to 14 inches of the existing sub-grade material. A special plastic fabric is placed and the excavation is filled with crushed base prior to the new asphalt surface being placed.
SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL PROGRAM:
Snow and ice control consists of applying a melting agent (salt or Ice Slicer) to the streets during and after a snowstorm. If the snow depth exceeds 3 inches or if drifting occurs, the arterial and collector streets will be plowed. Should it become necessary, snow will be windrowed to the center of the street and removed. The Street Division will use about 500 tons of Ice Slicer this winter. Little or no sweeping is required after the Ice Slicer has melted the snow unlike when a sand/salt mixture is used. Under some conditions, ice may form in the gutters where trees and buildings provide shade. Ice build up is removed when it begins to interfere with traffic and drainage. Residential streets are plowed when they are determined to be impassable.
STREET SIGN MAINTENANCE:
The Street Division maintains approximately 4,500 signs along the streets of Laramie. These signs include street name signs, speed limit signs, school zone signs, snow route signs, parking signs, etc. Vandalism requires the replacement of 400 to 600 signs each year, primarily street name signs. Vandals also damage or steal portable barricades used to protect the traveling public from excavations and other street work. Permanent barricades are placed at the ends of most of the streets that dead end onto private property or end at hazardous locations such as the Spring Creek Channel or the rail road tracks. Portable stop signs are placed when a permanent sign is knocked down and when a traffic control device is not functioning.
TRAFFIC LIGHT MAINTENANCE AND REPLACEMENT:
Twenty-two traffic lights are maintained by the Street Division. Three of these are on the state highway system. While maintenance primarily requires the replacement of burnt out light bulbs, controllers and other parts of the traffic light installations may also require repair. Flashing school cross walk lights are also maintained by the Street Division. The Street Division now has the capability of doing simple traffic counts to determine the timing for the traffic lights. Signal timing is set by the division. All but two of the lights are set to flash between midnight and 6 A.M. to save money. This includes lamp replacement and keeping the time clocks set to function during the proper hours when school is in session. Some street lighting maintenance is also done by the Street Division. The division maintains the new, low mount lights in the downtown. The Street Division also acts as a liaison between the public and Rocky Mountain Power to facilitate the reporting of non-functional street lights. LED lights are being installed in the traffic lights as funding permits.
STORM SEWER MAINTENANCE:
The Street Division does repair and replacement of storm sewer lines and inlets as necessary. Two inlets will be replaced in April and others are being examined for replacement. Personnel from the Street Division clean the inlets on a periodical basis to remove leaves and other debris from the inlet openings. Storm sewer outfall ditches are cleaned either by Street Division personnel or by a contractor. A contract to clean storm sewer lines is administered by the Division each summer. The amount of line cleaned varies depending on the amount of dirt and roots in the line and the size of the line needing cleaning.
VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE:
A Fleet Maintenance Division has been established as a part of the Public Works Department to maintain most of the City's fleet of 250 plus vehicles. 3 1/2 full time employees operated the Fleet Maintenance Division. Most work except for engine and transmission overhauls is done in house. Repairs are made to all types of vehicles and equipment. A fleet maintenance computer program is being installed to help track vehicle costs.
OTHER WORK:
The Street Division replaces concrete valley gutters and alley approaches as time and money permit. Typically four valley gutters are replaced each year along with one or two alley approaches. Handicap ramps are installed whenever curb is removed for inlet replacement. Christmas trees are picked up each January and chopped into mulch to be used by the citizens and the Park Division. Bags of leaves are picked up each fall and hauled to the landfill. Branches from trees blown into the streets by wind are picked up and trees that blow over onto the streets are cut up and removed.
