Monrovia Renewal

The City of Monrovia has launched Monrovia Renewal, an innovative multi-year initiative comprising $51.7 million of priority repairs to the City’s water, sewer, and street systems, including sidewalk, curb / gutter and driveway approach improvements. As the 4th oldest city in LA County, Monrovia’s aging infrastructure includes significant deferred road maintenance, along with water and sewer lines approaching a century of use. To address these concerns, the City commissioned four master plans to identify major deficiencies in street, sidewalk, water, and sewer systems, and also completed a citywide Pavement Condition Index (PCI) survey. The average PCI rating for all City streets was determined to be 57.1, with 65% of streets (110 out of 170 lane miles) rated 70 or below. Monrovia Renewal is investing around $30 million to bring every street in the City up to a minimum PCI level of 70. This involves the rehabilitation or reconstruction of around 10 million square feet of streets at an average cost of $2.98 / square foot. Once complete, the average PCI rating for all City streets will increase to 83.4, putting our roads in excellent condition and eliminating all failing streets, in accordance with best management practices. To improve efficiencies and achieve economies of scale, the City overlaid master plan findings to coordinate underground water and sewer system repairs prior to any street work. Due to the project’s ambitious size, the City was also divided into six segments designed to be large enough to attract highly-qualified firms and spur competitive pricing, yet small enough to allow for effective fiscal and project management. Furthermore, the design / engineering for each phase takes place during the construction of the preceding phase to minimize overall project timelines and impact. Multiple street repair techniques are also being employed based on PCI ratings, from slurry seals to full reconstruction. On reconstructed streets, the City is recycling old pavement into the road base to use existing materials in place, thereby reducing waste. In addition, for streets with a PCI rating above 70, the City is implementing a Pavement Management System (PMS) to schedule proactive, routine road maintenance. Ultimately, the PMS will result in every street being touched at least once every six years to extend the life of the road. Additionally, the City, with utility / stakeholder input, developed a Pavement Preservation Ordinance to protect the improved street infrastructure. Finally, the project has identified and will repair every sidewalk issue in town, thereby promoting improved pedestrian access and safety. Coupled with implementation of other infrastructure enhancements, including installation of bike lanes, the overall project aims to facilitate the use of multiple modes of transit to reduce vehicle trips and greenhouse gases. The City is in the middle of the first phase of repairs and expects to complete Monrovia Renewal by 2020.