Yuba City approves $2.09 million road-planning contract as officials weigh future financing

Yuba City officials approved a roadway audit and pavement-management planning contract that could help determine which streets receive major repairs, while discussing—but not approving—a possible bond-funded rehabilitation program.

The City Council voted unanimously Oct. 6 to award R.E.Y. Engineers Inc. a $1,903,993.70 professional-services contract, plus a 10% contingency of $190,399.37, for total contract authority of $2,094,393.07. The Folsom firm will collect pavement-condition data, conduct a roadway audit and help develop a major rehabilitation project and five-year pavement-management plan.

Public Works Director Josh Wolf told the council that Yuba City owns about 255 miles of roadway and that the citywide pavement-condition score averages 47 out of 100. The city is relying on inspection data that is seven years old for some heavily traveled roads and more than 10 years old for residential streets, according to the Oct. 6 council meeting.

Wolf said the updated pavement-condition index and five-year plan are expected to be completed in spring or summer 2027. The city could then be ready to seek bids for a major road rehabilitation project by late 2027 or early 2028, he said.

Staff told the council that financing options reviewed with the city’s financial adviser could support a future $12 million to $14 million bond-funded project, with estimated annual debt-service payments of about $1.5 million to $2 million for roughly 10 years. No bond issue was approved Oct. 6, and the city has not identified which roads would be included in such a project.

The contract will be funded through transfers from transportation-related accounts, including road rehabilitation and pavement-condition planning accounts, as well as unallocated Transportation Development Act funds. Staff said the project would have no General Fund impact.

The council’s action authorizes the contract, execution of related documents and budget transfers. The next major decisions would depend on the updated pavement data, the resulting rehabilitation plan and any future proposal to issue road bonds.