The Wichita City Council gave the green light to two programs for next year that will address the condition of Wichita streets.
The dirt street paving program is a multi-year plan that will receive $1 million in funding in 2023 and $31 million through 2032. The city will begin paving dirt streets located within a block of schools and plans to be completed with that work within 4 years. Next, the city will pave dirt streets in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
The new streets will have a 5" rock base and a 5" layer of asphalt on top. The city says no storm sewers will be installed with this work and anticipates the streets will have a 15 to 20-year lifespan.
The city has approximately 160 lane-miles of dirt streets and about a quarter of them would be paved over the next 10 years. The remainder of the work would be completed by the year 2054.
The council also approved $12.8 million for its pavement preservation program in 2023. The city started the effort in 2011 with 72 lane-miles completed and now averages between 350 and 400 lane miles per year. The city uses a variety of methods to preserve and repair pavement, depending on its condition, in an effort to extend the lifetime of the roadway. City leaders say efforts to preserve pavement are similar to applying paint to your home, to extend the life of the siding and woodwork. It's also much cheaper than having to replace all of it.
