At least on the resurfacing. Are all these companies Philadelphia based?
Councilman, Joe Sernick again. 211 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 Anderson, Seravelli are Philadelphia based. Ramos are Philadelphia based.
Well, hold on for a second. Ramos wasn't in the five that I was initially given. So they must provide -- What service do they provide?
I believe you said other types of work. And we had said that Ramos had done street reconstruction...
...streetscaping, concrete work, curbing, sidewalks, that 212 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 kind of thing.
Right. Right. Yeah. They did Allegheny Avenue a bunch of years ago. So, I don't want to get caught in the you-didn't-ask-the-right-question situation. So, I know we have straight resurfacing work. And then we have road reconstruction. We've got streetscape and all the rest. Can I have the larger list, then?
Okay. All right. So, go ahead. And all of these companies do their own milling work or is that someone else? Is that a separate --
That's part of that. Okay. Let's go to in your section 5 37. Can you just provide to the Chair some additional information about all of these companies in your 250 series, in terms of a little bit of additional information on what the contract is, some demographic information about the contractor, including whether they are in the City or outside the City.
in section 37. Okay. And Commissioner, we heard the other day, when you go out into the marketplace for professional services contracts, is it normally with... Do you normally... I guess we've got RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, you know, RF, any other letter of the alphabet. Is yours usually a written proposal 214 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 or document? And do you usually seek competitive bids or do you just often know who you want to pick and you just pick them?
In writing with some general description or scope of services requested.
Okay. All right. A couple outstanding items. I've got... We get these letters from time to time in response to requests from constituents about streetlights. Am I over? Okay. Constituents ask about streetlights, for whatever particular reason. And at varying points in time, in the year, the response comes back that you're unable to install additional streetlights because you don't have any funding for new street lighting. My concern with that is... I got one of those letters last year. The reply was dated July 10th. The fiscal year 215 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 started July 1st. And so, on that one I'm slightly perplexed to understand how you could be out of money ten days into the fiscal year. So, I do wonder both about the response itself. And I know that you actually have money for street lighting. So, how do we go about getting additional streetlights when constituents ask for them?
We certainly had money on July 10th from July 1st. And the focus of our program --
Yes. We don't spend it quite that fast. The focus of our program has been on the replacement of obsolete fixtures throughout the City, replacing them with energy efficient, high pressure sodium fixtures, and also doing repairs. We have the opportunity to and we're able to also place new fixtures where 216 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 there's existing poles. Because of our limited funds, we are also taking the opportunity to include on our federal aid programs street lighting replacements and fixtures, where we can.
We are challenged to get a little bit past that. And I think that we have to do a better job, maybe in working with Council, to identify possible funding sources and support for those requests.
Okay. Which I'd be pleased to have that discussion. I mean, I think our goals are the same. We want to provide the service. If for some reason, with the exception of ten days into the fiscal year, you don't have the funds available, then I would like to have the discussion. I'd like to provide the service, and, you know, kind of move on. So, I will give you copies of these, a couple of which I did not receive a 217 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 response to and a couple I did. There was discussion earlier -- I hate to take you back into this territory -- with the person with no 6 sidewalk. And when the President returns, I actually would love to hear what the Law Department said about that. But I get requests from constituents on a pretty regular basis, and you know I've been involved in this issue for some time. But I got the 3,000 block of North Bambrey. Those constituents wrote earlier this year about their curbs and sidewalks. And there is a provision in the Code related to Streets, providing for if you're resurfacing a street, and if as a part of the work that needs to be done a determination is made that curb and sidewalk needs to be replaced, that you will do it. I guess the question is: Has that particular provision ever been utilized in 218 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 the Code, related to these kinds of problems?
In my previous commentary, that was the issue that I expressed some concern about, our lack of ability to fund that.
Okay. So... Well, let me ask this question: If you had the funding, and if there were a street in such poor condition that while you were pursuing resurfacing... It was in such poor condition that you really did need to reconstruct the curb and sidewalk area to make the resurfacing effective, would you pursue the curb and sidewalk replacement?
I'm sorry, Councilman. I turned away for a minute. I apologize.
I can understand that. What I said was, if you had the funding, and you went out to resurface a street, and the curb and sidewalk were in such bad condition that it basically didn't make sense to resurface the street without 219 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 repairing the curb and sidewalk, would you do it?
I think that's when we certainly would be able to engage with the Law Department, in a real conversation about how we proceed, then; you know, what are the legal issues, what are the policy issues; probably that said aside, you know, so that we can move forward with implementation.
Okay. Well, again, I'll give you another copy of this particular letter. And we've received some others, because I think some response to the citizens in that particular case would be helpful. And we didn't get anything back on that one.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Tasco. 220 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Last year a million dollars of NTI funds were allocated to do a study and pilot program regarding driveways, sidewalks and retaining walls. What was the result of the study and the pilot program?
I'm pleased to report that we have achieved a great deal with regard to our retaining walls. Over this last year three retaining walls were repaired, Berk Street, Mascher and Nedro. And we've identified the next two that are to be done. We did a significant survey throughout the entire City of all the retaining walls, to assess where we had our biggest challenges with regard to walls that were potential safety hazards. In fact, some were just teetering. So, the intervention and concern of Council was certainly very, very helpful to move ahead with that project. 221 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 We've identified a priority order of walls that need to be taken care of and removing post haste to get those walls addressed.
But the million dollars was for a fund to do a study -- are you aware of that -- in the NTI program?
I wasn't aware that it was for the study. I thought it was to do some of the work.
The sidewalks and driveways... There is some analysis about 222 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 that potential cost to do those. They are significant. They do not pose -- What was found, they do not pose the same safety hazard and concern as retaining walls. Some of the retaining walls were quite significant in size. Obviously, there was a concern with either things falling from above onto people or people falling down through something because of failing retaining walls.
Is the million dollars being used for retaining walls?
So did you do a study -- I think the purpose of the study was to look at how you could come up with a program that would be helpful to neighbors, in addressing the issue of driveways because right --
And curbs and sidewalks. And because the problem has 223 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 been that there is no... has been no effort to try to come up with a plan to help neighbors to repair their driveways. And that was the major concern, why the million dollars was done, to do some of this stuff, but also to do the study, basically for driveways and curbs and sidewalks.
Yes. I understand. I think that some priority was given to the retaining wall because of the safety issue. There is some analysis and commentary, with regard to the sidewalks and driveways as well. And I can pull that information and get it to you.
But what's important for us who have to deal with these driveway issues every time I go to a meeting, the neighbors want to know what can the City do. They don't necessarily want the City to pay for it. They want a process by where everybody... They understand it's a common driveway. But they can't, through 224 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 their own process, engage a hundred percent of the neighbors in paying for the repair or repaving of the driveway. So what we ask the City to do is to come up with a way that the City could involve itself, somewhat as you're doing with the retaining walls. I think the people who live where the retaining wall is being repaired have to pay, right?
Right. And the City does put some money in that, right?
All right. So what will you all do to help the people with the driveways, even absent the money, even helping them to understand that you have to pay. This is how much it costs. Then we will do X, Y, Z to help you get it done. That is what people are asking for.
I think what we've done -- what we've started in this process with the retaining wall is just that 225 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 approach. We've -- We've had community meetings with people, to talk about why we're doing retaining walls or their retaining wall first, the dangers and concerns that we have. And we've also talked about the need for citizens to repay the money, because the fund is somewhat like a revolving fund. And as people have the work done, we talk about -- they pay it back so that more work can be done. We have billed for at least two of these walls several hundred thousand dollars. The money has been slow in return. And I guess we have to give people a little bit more time. But those bills have been out there probably a little over a month at this point.
Are they -- Are the people -- Are the properties liened?
They have not been liened. Well, actually, let me back up one 226 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 second. Citizens have up to three years to repay the funds or pay it all at one time. After that point they are liened. So no 6 one has been liened as yet. But the feature of the program that talks about being the revolving fund is explained on the front end, so that people understand that as we do a retaining wall, it's very helpful to put the money back in so we can do more and more work. The fact is that these retaining walls, some were very, very bad and some were very, very large... in and of themselves have used up now nearly a million dollars. Now, certainly many driveways could be done for the same amount of money versus, you know... You could do, you know, ten, twenty times over the work with driveways, as opposed to retaining walls. But these were safety concerns that we felt had to be addressed fairly immediately.
So you're 227 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 saying if you had a million dollars you could do how many driveways?
I'll give you that calculation in one minute. If you could ask other questions, somebody will give me the answer to that.
So if you had another million dollars we could begin helping to repair driveways.
Yes, somebody's going to give me the answer. We need a calculator.
Thank you. For reconstruction of a driveway, 10 to 15. That number can be made even larger if we use other techniques, such as resurfacing and not fully reconstructing. 228 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
And that number can be even larger if we were to use other techniques, such as resurfacing, other resurfacing techniques.
So we might have got more for our money if we had done driveways, right? I certainly had less grief. I don't get complaints about retaining walls. I got one complaint about one retaining wall. I get hundreds of complaints about driveways.
In a lot of instances the City is culpable because the 229 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 trash trucks use the driveways. And the argument by the homeowner is that, look, our driveways probably wouldn't be so bad if the trash trucks weren't there. So I have one block, as you know, 7400 block of... 2400 block, I think, of 76th or 77th Avenue, where the driveway has been condemned. So now they are picking up the trash in the front. And the neighbors are upset. And there's nothing being done to help these neighbors try and resolve the issue of how their driveway gets repaired.
So are you all going to do anything about the study on how to come up with a plan for driveways? Would you come back to City Council and ask us: We've come up with this program for driveways and here's how much it costs?
We can do that, Councilwoman, yes. In fact, we can work 230 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 with Council to try and develop a strategy that will be suitable.
Well, we're supposed to use some of this million dollars to do that.
Yes. Well, as I said, for the first three they really used the million dollars.
Well, you weren't supposed to use all the million dollars. You were supposed to use the million dollars to fund the retaining wall, alley, driveway, curbs and sidewalk repair, and reconstruction, pilot program and analysis.
Unfortunately, I think the magnitude of the problem and the safety concerns that were highlighted with these walls kind of forced -- forced everyone's hand on the issue of addressing these retaining walls immediately.
Thank you. 231 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 Thank you, Councilwoman Tasco. Commissioner, I'll be the first to say that I am very pleased, very proud, very excited about the retaining wall work that was done. Possibly one of the first letters I wrote when I arrived in City Council in January of 1992 -- I didn't even have regular stationery yet -- was about the retaining wall in the 5200 block of Berks and Euclid, which was completed earlier -- earlier this year. It is tremendous. The work was fantastic. The neighbors are very happy. So, you know, finally that got done. And I'm very pleased with it. But I do want to point out to you, and I also respect the fact that, you know, the magnitude of the problem, you know, was very large with the first three walls that were done. What I don't recall is, what the full cost was for the three. There was one done in Councilwoman Tasco's District, one 232 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 in Councilwoman Miller's District and mine. But at the same time, I mean, the million dollars was for a certain purpose. It was very clear. It was from NTI funds. It was in the NTI budget from two years ago. And I don't think even utilizing, you know, your good judgment about trying to address the issue that Council wanted addressed, I mean, you can't... you can't change the purpose for which we authorize the funding. And the study issue certainly could have been done before the three walls were worked on and completed. So... I mean, we now find ourselves in the situation where we authorized money to do two things: Start a retaining wall pilot program, which you did, and fund the study. We don't even know how much the study was going to cost. I've never received any kind of detailed response, at least from the NTI people, as to what they were doing because they were actually 233 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 charged with doing this. Obviously, they were going to work with the Streets Department on it. But... I mean, now you're in a situation where we ask about the study and you're left to say, well, we spent all the money on the retaining walls that you, Council, asked us to do, but now you don't get the study on all the other elements. I mean, I don't think that's... I don't think that's going to work too well.
I understand what you're saying. And I will certainly make sure I communicate the need for the portions of the study that talk about the sidewalks and the driveways, to be shared with Council, to address your concern.
All right. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you Councilwoman Tasco.
Right. I just -- I think it's very important -- And 234 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 I don't know how we impress upon you all -- We have talked to you on Council on record, and as well as privately, about the need to find a way to deal with the driveways. Our curbs and sidewalks are important, too. But for me it's the driveway issue. We have a meeting tonight about the driveways because it is a problem. And particularly where the trash trucks use the driveways, which most of them do in Mt. Airy, to pick up the trash. And then the trash -- the driveways are in such bad condition because of the constant traffic of the trucks, as well as just normal wear and tear. People are saying, help us fix this. They're not necessarily saying, City fix it, but help us fix it. And that's what I -- When we voted on this, and I was very happy that... Finally we keep telling people, well, there's a study that is going to be done, to talk to us about how to do it.
I have one other question, and I think I'll be finished. Could I do that?
We asked for a traffic turn signal at Rising Sun and Adams Avenue. It was refused. And last year we introduced a bill, Bill Number 030338, calling for installation of two left-turn green arrow traffic signals at Rising Sun and Adams. And I'd like to know the status of this traffic light. Will the ordinance be enforced?
Councilwoman, we would like to talk to you about this issue in detail. I certainly respect the fact that there is an ordinance in place to support this. We do have some concerns on that. And I understand your concerns. And I am willing to get past our concerns. But I'd need to talk with you probably in greater 236 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 detail and share some information with you. And if your concerns outweigh the concerns that we have, we'll move ahead.
Well, we've only been talking about this for about three years or more. I think everybody who travels Adams Avenue and Rising Sun will tell you of the debacle with the traffic there. It just doesn't seem that the Streets Department can understand the dynamics of what happens there. I avoid the area because of the traffic, and the congestion, and the way the traffic flows. And you know, I will tell you my concern about it, in terms of whether or not it's enforced. Just recently I had a meeting with -- Was it Streets Department -- to talk about Haines and Stenton. And ever since I've been on this Council, since 1988, neighbors ask me about traffic controls at Sedgwick and Philalena. Oh, no, we can't do that. We 237 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 can't -- The study says you can't do it. The study says you can't do it. About a month or two ago I got a meeting with the Streets Department, talking about controlling traffic at Stenton and Hanes. And oh, by the way, we're going to put traffic controls at Stenton and Sedgwick. So it creates for me a problem, in terms of being able to rely on how decisions are made in the Streets department. So, if I ask for something and we don't get it, and all of a sudden you all think about it... Well, it may be done now. We don't know if the same conditions existed existed before. So now I need a traffic light at Rising Sun. And your people in your department say, we can't do that, for whatever reason. Something's going to happen there, and then you're going to say, oh, we can put the traffic light there. 238 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 Because I don't see any justification or rationale, that's based on anything, how you all make these decisions. And I was totally concerned when they told me they were going to put the traffic controls at Stenton and Sedgwick where there have been any number of accidents, any number of accidents. But nobody listened. So I have a real problem with the information that flows from the Streets Department, regarding these traffic signals, regarding traffic control, because it seems to be based on not what we want or the community wants, but what the people in the department thinks ought to happen.
I understand what you're saying, Councilwoman. And I am very concerned about decision-making process because it doesn't seem to be based on anything that is credible. I would say that sometimes in doing traffic studies, conditions do change over 239 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 time. And I understand that there are regulations that... that kind of guide -- I won't say govern but guide -- the decision-making process for our management. But we need... We're still working on being more flexible or being as flexible as regulations will allow us to be. We haven't gotten there as yet, and we're still working on that point.
We need some help with Rising Sun and Adams. I will tell you I've had a conversation with PENNDOT. Doesn't seem to be a problem with them. We met with the Secretary.
And the staff people. And we raised the issue with them. And they can question sometimes how we make decisions using PENNDOT as the excuse for things not getting done. So we have a democratic government. We have a very good relationship with that department. So, I will talk to you about Rising 240 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 Sun and Adams. But what I want is the street signal put up.
Chair recognizes Councilman Rizzo for a point of order.
I'd like to add to the list Bells Mill and Germantown Avenue -- Bells Mill and the Ridge, a left turn arrow. And I don't mean to be critical of traffic engineering. But I'll tell you this: That when you ask for a left turn arrow you're told, no, it doesn't meet the standard. But when the bridge was out on Germantown Avenue, they put a left turn arrow for... I guess that would be southbound Ridge Avenue, for lack of a better direction, heading towards the City.
That's a question. 241 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
To help during the detour at that location to get traffic over Bells Mill. Well --
Well, when it comes to your turn, you'll ask that question.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke. 242 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Thank you. Thank you, Madam President. Good afternoon. I have a couple of relatively quick, slash, easy questions. And then I'm going to get into a little more detailed questions on some other issues. First, can you tell me on the hazardous waste sites, what the policy is in selecting the sites, how you select the sites, what kind of communications you have with the surrounding community, slash, community groups or elected officials, in terms of selecting the sites. The other one I have is the status of the Avenue of the Arts, North Broad Streetscape project. And then I have some more detailed questions.
Okay. I'll have Mr. Sernick come back up and talk in detail about Avenue of the Arts. For the hazardous waste, you're talking about the household hazardous waste? 243 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Yeah. There was -- Yeah. I think it was probably two years ago. There was a hazardous waste site at Sedgley and Ridge. It was one of the City's municipal yards. And it was utilized for hazardous waste sites. And the only way I knew about it, although I lived in the neighborhood, like three or four blocks away, I just happened to be driving down the street. And I believe the collection was minimal because I don't think the people in the immediate neighborhood knew exactly what that was all about. And I'm wondering if we've changed or altered that process, to better communicate, particularly to the people who are closest to you, that there's an opportunity to dump off some of the hazardous waste, as opposed to putting it in the trash in a clandestine way, which is 244 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 not obviously good environmentally for the citizens to have done. Can you talk to me?
Surely. The City offers six household hazardous waste collections per year. And they move around the City. Additionally, we have an intergovernmental agreement with the surroundings counties which gives us another ten collection points. Those sites are designated usually just by where we own a facility. At Ridge and Sedgley we own a facility that we thought could accommodate the cars coming in and out fairly easily. We work with a vendor, Claim Ventures, that captures the material and handles it in a safe and proper manner, and then takes care of disposal in the proper way. The advertising for that is usually through the community papers, the radio and flyers. Flyers and notices go out in the mail -- 245 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Yes. We share those with... Usually share it with the Council offices, recreation, and lending library.
-- do you mean you put them out -- you give them to the Councilperson for them to put out or do you have an employee of the Streets Department physically placing flyers in the doors in the --
So it's essentially left to the -- It's the responsibility of the Councilperson to distribute the flyers. 246 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Well, to various levels. I don't just mean Council people. I mean elected officials, our libraries our recreation centers, we hand them out. And then we do... We do little giveaway, like bookmarks and things like that, to advertise in the front end. And we do that several times throughout the year. But in the beginning of the year we have a big push, listing all the dates and the locations, to encourage people to come out. And you are right --
Yeah. I mean, there was like -- There are -- There -- There are no libraries in the immediate vicinity, and no recreation center in the immediate vicinity, and so the distribution didn't take place in the way that it should 247 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 have.
You can maybe schedule something special to that location and try and do a better job of that --
One of the things, if you let us know early on that that's going to be the location, we could be helpful in the distribution process. In some of the neighborhoods, I know that throughout the City we have contracts. OHCD has contracts with NSAs or NACs, NACs. Their prime responsibility is dissemination of information in and around communities. So I would suggest that we touch base with those organizations. I know in Strawberry Mansion we're actually hopefully going to get one -- back online. And that would be a good opportunity to have them distribute information. I know South Lehigh NAC has a contract with the City to provide that service. 248 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 So if you can let us know early on, we can make sure that they get the information because, frankly speaking, if you give to it me, I don't want to guarantee you that I'm going to distribute the flyers door to door.
Right. And we're not trying to put that on the Council to be the ones to communicate. That really is our responsibility.
And we can do a better job. And we can -- And we can talk to the other groups for our future household hazardous waste events, as well as other programs that we're doing through the Streets Department. We can use them as a point of information.
Avenue of the Arts. Yes. Joe is going to come forward and give you an update on that.
Joseph Sernick, 249 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 Streets Department. Councilman, as you know, we were directed by PENNDOT to rebid that project. It was actually re-advertised for bids yesterday. Bids will be received in about one month. And if everything goes well, we should be starting construction midsummer.
So one month we'll receive bids back from the respondents?
We need to review the bids, get approval from PENNDOT, and then go through the contract process, actually getting a contract with the successful bidder.
Do we anticipate a reasonable response from PENNDOT this time?
When somebody issues that, we're involved in the original 250 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 bid solicitation that were problematic that created this resubmission resolved so we don't go through that again?
The biggest issue there was a prequalification issue. We changed the bid proposal to include in there the different bid codes for the different items of work, so that a contractor -- should be very clear to a contractor whether or not he or she is prequalified to do a particular item of work that should make it, number one, easier for the contractors. It certainly will make it easier for the government to evaluate. The evaluation will be very clear, that you either are or are not to be qualified.
So both with respects to the capacity issue and the participation levels, we've made it clear...
Because my understanding is that those were the two 251 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 key issues that created a problem with our prior --
That's correct. With regard to participation, there was a question on -- originally, on whether or not one of the minority suppliers was, in fact, a real supplier or, in fact, a broker. That issue sort of dissolved when the lawsuit was withdrawn. But it hopefully will not be a problem in the rebid. So we'll have a ceremony midsummer?
Okay. All right. One of the things that concerned me over the years in government is trenching and street opening, the lack of coordination. We resurface a street. Two months later, the gas company or the water company or some entity will come and take -- you know, tear the street up or we'd have a situation where an entity would tear the 252 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 street up and put a line in, and three months later somebody else will come in. And I see in your testimony you talk about improvement in street openings and in the permitting process, and you also anticipate forwarding an ordinance to Council in the spring. Could one of you talk to me about the ordinance and what specifically will you anticipate. And I understand it may not be ready. If you can in general terms give me a sense of what that ordinance will entail. And the other question... Well, I'll let you answer that, and then I'll ask you to follow up to that.
The... We call it the right-of-way ordinance. What it does is, it allows the Streets Department to organize the work in the construction on city streets, and it also allows to us recapture the costs to repair and restore the street after others do what they need to do on the streets. 253 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 We presently have a system where a street can be paved. And sometimes within weeks, the street -- the street is cut into, as you said, by the gas works or by a cable company. We saw Ogontz Avenue that was not even completed cut into within -- within a week of its being resurfaced and in part reconstructed. And it's a very sad thing for the City because every time a street is cut, it degrades the life of the street, potentially. In addition, it looks bad. And we go through a lot of effort to do our work, and we really cannot afford for others to come in and tear up behind us. We've improved our ability to coordinate between the Water Department and the Streets Department. But they are the external agencies of the utility companies and cable companies that don't kind of follow the same rules. So through our right-of-way 254 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 ordinance and also through our payment management system, we're looking to track the condition of streets, track who's doing what work, and maintain the streets in a proper manner. And for those who want to cut into those streets, they can do so but they can also pay for it at the same time.
That's correct. There would be fees for cutting into the streets.
So you say currently there are no fees for cutting into the street?
So you just pay for the permit to do the work, and there's no fee for actually degrading the street.
That's correct. So, when PGW goes and then does its work, it's usually labeled as an emergency. They cut into the street. They repair it and 255 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 restore it, and then that's it. But if it degrades the life of the streets, limits the life of the street, there is no 5 compensation for that.
Will there be an across-the-board cost for all individuals, slash, entities?
That will trench the streets or municipal -- municipally-owned facility such as PGW would pay a fee that would essentially come out of...
...the budget, PGW's budget, and then be subtracted from the $18 million that they're not going to give us. So we won't really realize any increase in revenue from that particular transaction.
Well, one of our hopes is that through this process, that we will heighten the issue for management to understand the implications of some of the 256 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 decisions that are going on. Right now there is... There appears to be a lack of concern about cutting into streets, cutting into brand new streets. I can give another example in Center City, where, you know, a main street, after a lot of work being done on it, was cut into it, while almost the asphalt was still wet and soft. And right now there's nothing to encourage management to think about those decisions. And we need to put in place a system that encourages them to think about it.
Have you ever given any -- First let me ask this question. Are there any shared utilities, in terms of the trench.
Say, for instance, if there's a certain trench line along the street, that there's a shared utility line.
Say, for instance, you have the water lines and water supply lines or sewer lines and the gas lines and telecommunication lines all in one trench. Or are they all across the street and throughout the sidewalk?
Where possible there is some commingling. Obviously, you can't put, you know, a water line, you know, right with something else that can be damaged by that same -- by that product. But there are opportunities for work to be shared or at least areas, space in the street, to be shared so that the lines are not all across the street.
However, there are also significant occasions where there's a need to have some separate space between -- between the lines, just so that when work is going on, when you -- when you go to work on a water line, you don't hit the gas line, you know. You want to have -- You want to have some space. 258 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
Right. Is there a possibility -- or does this make any sense -- that we dictate the time line on when individuals could put telecommunication lines or other types of utility lines during the course of the year? Say, for instance, during the month of July, we tell -- the notification is out. Are there any entities, slash, companies that are interested in the foreseeable future putting in lines, be it utility or telecommunications line, this is the time, so when there's an opening in the street it will be done in this particular time line so you'll just have the one -- one opening, and then subsequently the one resurfacing --
-- of that particular trench, in the case where you do have shared or commingling of lines? Does that make any sense or is that just something that -- 259 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04
No, no, no. You're making absolute sense. We didn't necessarily look at it from the standpoint of making it a month out of the year. But what we have done, through our payment management system, is to kind of advise folks, if you want to do work in the 2200 block of Sansom Street, there is a scheduled reconstruction that's going to happen on this time line. Do your work in advance or you can't do it for a certain period of time afterwards, with it, you know --
But we don't require that they do that. It's kind of a notification, and we're not -- we don't tell them that if you want to put a line in the street at a time separate and aside from this designated time, you will be prohibited to place a line in the subsequent months.
We have limited our permits. In fact, I think we identified 400 conflicts just this year alone, where 260 Whole - Operating Budget 4/28/04 we avoided that very problem. And we have not given permits or permission to do some work if we thought that it was inappropriate. However, we do run into a problem where we have the... what could be called emergency work. And we're trying to tighten that definition so that the right-of-way management system will work well, work to the City's advantage.