Project Information

Updated May 26, 2023

Dozens of miles of City streets have significant numbers of potholes deeper than 2-inches and/or areas where the upper 2-inches or less of pavement are missing due to a phenomenon known as surface stripping, resulting in unsafe conditions for drivers and pedestrians. The number of streets exhibiting these severe pavement distresses continues to grow with each passing year.  In recent years, the Public Works department struggled to repair these distressed pavement sections and in the process were forced to neglect other core duties, such as street sweeping. In 2023, the number of streets with deep potholes and surface stripping have increased significantly such that Public Works staff are unable to maintain these distressed pavement sections in a timely manner.  These poor pavement conditions are primarily the result of older streets being constructed with pavement sections that are less substantial than today’s standards require, followed by decades of minimal pavement maintenance. Other factors include the negative effects of surface stripping under sealcoats, followed by last winter’s severe weather conditions with record breaking rain and snowfall totals and a higher than normal number of freeze-thaw cycles. 

In 2022, during the 2023 budget process, the City Council authorized bonding approximately $12M for additional Pavement Management Program (PMP) projects (pavement overlays and street reconstructions) over the next 10 years. The City Council also authorized budgeting an additional $750,000 to the streets maintenance fund for temporary spray patching improvements on an estimated 19 miles of City streets that were not identified for overlay or reconstruction improvements in the 2022 - 2031 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) but are exhibiting significant surface stripping damage.  The bituminous pavement on these streets is prone to accelerated deterioration due to water pooling in the surface depressions, which is then forced between the pavement base and the wear courses as vehicle tires drop into the depressions and push the water into pavement voids. The serviceability of these streets will therefore continue to decline while other streets receive overlay and reconstruction improvements.  Staff therefore recommended spray patching the estimated 19 miles of streets while PMP projects in the 2022 - 2031 CIP are completed, and until streets with PASER ratings of 4 or less that were not included in the 2022-2031 CIP can be reconstructed.  

This Spring, City staff developed plans to hire one or more contractors to perform temporary pavement repair work throughout the City in 2023.  While developing this plan it was observed that several different types of pavement repairs would be needed to most cost-effectively maintain pavement on streets awaiting overlay and reconstruction improvements. The three types of pavement repairs recommended by Staff for 2023 include spray patching areas with shallow surface stripping damage, patching potholes deeper than 2-inches, and completing 2-inch mill and overlay improvements over critical areas with extensive potholes resulting in significant calls for service and vehicle damage claims.  Pavement striping will also be needed in some areas after the contracted work is complete.

On April 25, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution #23-089 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for Improvement Project #23-14, 2023 Critical Mill and Overlay Improvements, to temporarily repair pavement sections in 21 of the most critical areas experiencing severe pavement distress, thereby preventing the need for future pothole patching in these areas until they can be reconstructed. That same evening, the City Council directed the City Engineer to solicit quotes for contracted services to immediately patch as many of the highest priority potholes as possible and to present all quotes received to the City Council for consideration of awarding a contract for said services on May 9, 2023. And lastly, Council also directed the City Engineer to prepare plans for patching all other identified streets experiencing severe pavement distress and to present said plans to the City Council for consideration of approving the plans and authorizing bids for said pavement patching contracted services on May 9, 2023, which is proposed with this project. 

On May 9th, the Ramsey City Council adopted Resolution #23-101 approving plans and authorizing advertisements for bids for Pavement Maintenance Project #23-16, 2023 Pavement Patching Contracted Services. 

Deep pothole patching involves cleaning debris and water out of potholes deeper than 2-inches using compressed air, applying bituminous tack coat on existing bituminous pavement surfaces within the potholes, placing hot asphalt mix in the potholes, then compacting the hot mix. A figure showing the proposed deep pothole patching proposed with Pavement Maintenance Project #23-16 may be seen here.

Spray patching involves using a spray patching truck to clean debris and water out of potholes 2-inches deep or shallower using compressed air, then applying a bituminous spray patch mix within the shallow potholes. A figure showing the spray patching proposed with Pavement Maintenance Project #23-16 may be seen here.

Pavement Maintenance Project #23-16 will help hold the identified streets together until they receive reconstruction or overlay improvements as part of the current Pavement Management Program (PMP), or until they can be added to the PMP program in the future.

These plans are currently advertised for bids. City staff estimated project costs for these improvements to be $1,200,000 but the City has never bid a pothole patching project similar to this before so bids could be significantly higher or lower. Potential funding sources for these project costs in excess of any funds remaining from the $750,000 budgeted for temporary pavement repairs once the 2023 Critical Mill and Overlay Improvements and the Priority Pothole Patching Contracted Services projects are funded include Public Improvement Revolving (PIR) funds and Municipal State Aid (MSA) funds. 

If you have questions regarding this project, please contact City Engineer/Public Works Director Bruce Westby by email or by phone at 763-433-9825.  

Updated May 12, 2023

On May 9^th, the Ramsey City Council approved plans and authorized advertisement for bids for these pavement patching improvements.

Dozens of miles of City streets have significant numbers of potholes deeper than 2-inches and/or numerous areas where the upper 2-inches or less of pavement area missing, generally known as surface stripping. This is resulting in poor and unsafe conditions for drivers and pedestrians. The number of streets exhibiting these severe pavement distresses have grown significantly in recent years.

In 2022, the Public Works department struggled to maintain all of the distressed pavement sections and in the process spent a large amount of time patching potholes, which forced them to neglect other core duties.

In 2023, the number of streets with deep potholes and surface stripping have increased significantly such that Public Works staff are able to maintain very few of these distressed pavement sections. This is due in part to last winter’s severe weather conditions, as well as insufficient proactive pavement maintenance over the life of the pavement.

On April 25, 2023, the City Council adopted Resolution #23-089 approving plans and specifications and authorizing advertisements for bids for Improvement Project #23-14, 2023 Critical Mill and Overlay Improvements, with the intent of temporarily repairing pavement sections in 21 of the most critical areas experiencing severe pavement distress. That same evening, the City Council directed the City Engineer to solicit quotes for contracted services to immediately patch as many of the highest priority potholes as possible and to present all quotes received to the City Council for consideration of awarding a contract for said services on May 9, 2023, as Improvement Project #23-15, 2023 Priority Pothole Patching Contracted Services.

On April 25, 2023, the Ramsey City Council also directed the City Engineer to prepare plans for patching all other identified streets experiencing severe pavement distress and to present said plans to the City Council for consideration of approving the plans and authorizing bids for said pavement patching contracted services on May 9, 2023, which is being proposed with these improvements.

Deep pothole patching involves cleaning debris and water out of potholes deeper than 2-inches using compressed air, applying bituminous tack coat on existing bituminous pavement surfaces within the potholes, placing hot asphalt mix in the potholes, then compacting the hot mix. A figure showing the proposed deep pothole patching may be seen here.

Spray patching involves using a spray patching truck to clean debris and water out of potholes 2-inches deep or shallower using compressed air, then applying a bituminous spray patch mix within the shallow potholes. A figure showing the proposed spray patching may be seen here.

Pavement Maintenance Project #23-16 will help hold the identified streets together until they receive reconstruction or overlay improvements as part of the current Pavement Management Program (PMP), or until they can be added to the PMP program in the future.

Staff estimates project costs for these improvements to be $1,200,000. However, Staff has never bid a pothole patching project similar to this before, so actual bids could be significantly higher or lower. Potential funding sources for these project costs in excess of any funds remaining from the $750,000 budgeted for pavement maintenance once the 2023 Critical Mill and Overlay Improvements and the Priority Pothole Patching Contracted Services projects are funded include Public Improvement Revolving (PIR) funds and Municipal State Aid (MSA) funds.

Staff encourages impacted residents to contact us with questions or input regarding this project. Please email City Engineer, Bruce Westby, reach out by phone at 763-433-9825 with any questions.