

Topeka, Kansas
City of Topeka’s Public Works department was tasked with using a 0.5-cent retail sales tax to fund a pavement renewal project, as well as improving their average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) from 55 to 60 over the next 10 years.
-They spent $0 on new data by leveraging existing pavement condition data and existing pavement work order data
-Clearly demonstrated that an annual budget of $24 million, along with treatment strategy improvements, would meet the outlined goals and preserve high-traffic streets, with only 4.7% of roads reaching end of life
-Revealed that an increase to $31 million per year budget would yield only a 3-point overall improvement in condition score
-Achieved actionable insights within eight weeks of launching their pilot
-Produced a street forecasting Esri Story Map to illustrate the decision-making process to their City Council and taxpayers
Roads are often a top priority for taxpayers. When roads are in poor condition, they negatively impact motorists, cyclists and pedestrians because they play an essential role in the overall productivity of the city.
That’s why, when the City of Topeka, Kansas informed its Public Works department that the half-cent retail sales tax used to fund its pavement renewal projects was up for re-evaluation, in-house experts recognized the importance of proving its future financial requirements.
Adding to their challenge, Public Works was tasked with improving their average PCI (Pavement Condition Index) from 55 to 60 over the next 10 years. They were also asked to demonstrate what PCI could be achieved with an annual budget increase to $31 million.
Jason Peek, Director of Public Works, and his staff engaged Dude Solutions to better understand their long-range pavement condition and funding scenarios. Leveraging existing pavement inventory and condition data, the team used Capital Predictor to model several different funding scenarios and their resulting PCI ratings and levels of service over a 15-year time period.
Through the Capital Predictor modeling process, city leaders found:
The team then decided to improve their treatment strategies within the same budget constraints ($24 million per year) and arrived at the optimal combination of investment and PCI. The City of Topeka’s GIS staff produced an Esri Story Map to quickly and powerfully communicate each simulation to the City Council and the public.
The software gave us quick, actionable insights and a robust, evidence-based forecast of our future actions and spend to achieve pavement condition goals.
“Importantly, this was done leveraging existing data, efficiently and affordably,” Jason says.
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