The good news is that the City is improving local roads, including portions of Walnut Hill, Inwood and Midway, in 2019. The bad news? Construction is a traffic nightmare, and complaining about the improvements is a neighborhood pastime. We asked City of Dallas’ Director of Public Works Robert Perez to answer three common questions his department frequently receives. For a complete list of upcoming citywide projects, check out Dallas’ five-year infrastructure management plan.
1.) How does the City of Dallas choose which streets to repair?
Streets in the city are categorized based on their “Pavement Condition Index.” Roads are rated from 0, being the worst, to 100, being new. Streets that are rated poorly are reserved for bond projects, and the city uses maintenance funds to improve roads in better condition. “We’ll basically schedule or provide maintenance on available funding,” Perez says.
2.) Why doesn’t the City do road construction at night?
“Abrams is a perfect example,” Perez says, citing the East Dallas street that was under construction for about a year. “There are residences on either side of the street. If you do the work at night, those residents are affected. It’s a balance. I would love to do a lot of work at night, but we have to take into consideration residences and local businesses.”
Why are streets closed when no repairs are happening?
One of the most common complaints the City receives is, “The street is closed for no reason,” Perez says. After pouring concrete, it has to cure anywhere from five to seven days. “If you’re going to put asphalt or traffic on a street, it needs to be fully cured before you do that, otherwise, it gets damaged.”
