Bedford Considers $30 Million Road Bond

For decades, Bedford roadways were allowed to deteriorate to the point of failing.

Though the last 10 years have seen a drastic improvement in the overall maintenance and quality of those roads – specifically those that are most well-traveled – Bedford town officials say much more work must be completed to bring Bedford roads up to par.

Last week, Bedford Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Jim Stanford and Town Manager Jessie Levine presented the Town Council with an aggressive $30 million road bond proposal that they say ensures all current needs are met.

And, after much discussion, each of the seven members of the council proved agreeable, or at least amenable, to supporting the 15-year bond, which would be presented to voters on the 2015 ballot.

Should the bond be supported by Bedford taxpayers, the highest estimated tax rate impact would be 70-cents per $1,000 assessed valuation (in 2021), or $245 on a $350,000 home. However, because other debt is being retired annually during that time, many of the 15 years of bond repayment are expected to see little to no impact at all. In fact, some years may even see the tax rate decrease by as much as 50 cents per $1,000 assessed valuation (see attached chart for a detailed look at the projected annual net tax rate impact).

Background

The problem with Bedford's roads was first truly realized – or at least addressed – in 2001, when a review gave the condition of the town's roadways a near-failing pavement condition index (PCI) rating of 60.

When Stanford was hired as Bedford DPW director in 2003, he made the repair and maintenance of Bedford's roads a top priority.

At the time roughly 130 miles of roads were in failing condition at an estimated cost of $50 million to repair.

Bedford voters approved an $8 million bond that year to address the most critical of needs, and then another in 2005. By 2008, Bedford's PCI had improved to 69, and then 77 in 2010, the final year of the 2005 bond improvements.

The economic downturn of the last decade, however, combined with increased fuel and asphalt prices, took its toll on Bedford roads as voters rejected similar bonds in 2008, 2009 and 2010 and the current Bedford PCI has slipped to 70.

Voters did support a $13.2 million infrastructure bond in 2011 – $11 million of which will be spent on road improvements – though Levine notes that the town's pavement management system gives priority to the town's well-traveled "collector roads" such as Meetinghouse Road, North Amherst Road and Wallace Road.

In addition, she said that town's current strategy for cost-saving road repair is to first address local streets that connect and abut to collector roads.

That, of course, leaves less-traveled "local" streets like Old Farm Road – which have a greater immediate need for repair – lower on the priority list.

Levine points out, in a soon-to-be published Bedford Patch blog post, that Bedford has more than 200 miles of roadways to maintain, 53 of which are in need of immediate care. Of those miles, 38 belong to local roads.

Looking ahead

The best way to address Bedford's deteriorating roadways in the near future, said Levine, is to pass a $30 million road bond in 2015 which will, conceivably, cover all current needs.

Combined with the town's current annual appropriation of $1 million a year for road maintenance, and the aforementioned $11 million from the 2011 bond, Stanford explained that most, if not all, of the town's current $31.1 million backlog ($11.3 million for collector roads; $12.2 million for local roads; $3 million for bridges/major culverts; and $4.6 for routine/preventative maintenance) should be addressed.

"I think the only approach we have is the $30 million bond," said town councilor Bill Dermody at last Wednesday's meeting. "There's a lot of people in this town who live in some of these older neighborhoods ... I call them the forgotten roads."

Dermody said he's traveled many of the local roads in need of immediate care, specifically noting the significant deterioration of Old Farm Road, and expressed concern, not only in terms of wear and tear on vehicles, but also the negative impact on the value homes located in those neighborhoods.

"I think we need to bite the bullet and go with that approach ... the local roads have got to be addressed," he said.

The Bedford Town Councilors agreed to continue to review the proposal, at length, and to solicit additional feedback from residents, prior to placing the bond on the 2015 ballot.

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