Magazine For America’s Municipalities
February 2024
Streets, Highways & Bridges
INSIDE: MRL Equipment Company Jersey City recognized for Vision Zero efforts
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Slow streets here to stay?
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FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 3
Contents |
VOL. 14 No. 11
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www.themunicipal.com Shutterstock photo
February 2024
18 17 F ocus on Streets, Highways & Bridges Focus on Streets, 40 Public Safety: ‘Handle 30 18 Highways & Bridges: Exploring with Care’ softens the landing the status of slow streets programs
22 Focus on Streets,
Highways & Bridges: Oregon’s Small City Allotment opens possibilities
46
for traumatized kids
44 Building & Construction: Dilapidated buildings: Save money by codifying a short route to solutions
26 Focus on Streets,
46 Parks & Environmental
30 Focus on Streets,
50 Municipal Management:
Highways & Bridges: University of Nevada tests recycled plastics as asphalt binder
Services: New Brunswick unveils park renovations for community enjoyment
Belleview, Fla., welcomes new Highways & Bridges: New Jersey town takes steps to protect residents with promotional swag pedestrians Municipal Management: College Park creates new Focus on Streets, homeownership opportunities Highways & Bridges: San for people to live and work in its Antonio welcomes bike path to streetscape city
34
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54 ON THE COVER MRL Equipment Company Inc. and Trysil RMM have released the Trafficprinter, which sets a new standard for the road marking industry, improving safety and reducing the time needed to create road symbols. Learn more about this innovative tool on page 10.
Streets, Highways & Bridges
INSIDE: MRL Equipment Company Jersey City recognized for Vision Zero efforts www.themunicipal.com
4 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Slow streets here to stay?
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 5
Meet our Staff publisher RON BAUMGARTNER rbaumgartner@the-papers.com
Departments 8 Editor’s Note: More Americans are hitting the road
editor-in-chief DEB PATTERSON dpatterson@the-papers.com
10 From the Cover: MRL Equipment Company
editor SARAH WRIGHT swright@the-papers.com
publication manager CHRIS SMITH chris@themunicipal.com
12 On the Road Again: Get crackin’: The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum
38 Personality Profile: Mike Pemberton
senior account executive REES WOODCOCK rees@themunicipal.com graphic designer MARY LESTER mlester@the-papers.com
58 Conference Calendar 59 Product Spotlights 62 News & Notes 66 Top 10: Underrated U.S. winter destinations
business manager ANNETTE WEAVER aweaver@the-papers.com
director of marketing STEVE MEADOWS smeadows@the-papers.com
mail manager KHOEUN KHOEUTH kkhoeuth@the-papers.com
marketing assistant TAELYNNE OUSLEY tousley@the-papers.com
69 Advertiser Index
Contributing Writers Jennifer Barton, Beth Anne Brink-Cox, Lauren Caggiano, Nicholette Carlson, Denise Fedorow, Danielle Lund, Dani Messick, Janet G. Patterson, Julie Young
WWW.THEMUNICIPAL.COM PO Box 188 • 206 S. Main St., Milford, IN 46542 866-580-1138/Fax 800–886–3796 Editorial Ext. 2307; Advertising Ext. 2505, 2408
6 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
The Municipal does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does The Municipal or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication. The Municipal reserves the right to determine the suitability of all materials submitted for publication and to edit all submitted materials for clarity and space. The Municipal has not independently tested any services or products advertised herein and has verified no claims made by its advertisers regarding those services or products. The Municipal makes no warranties or representations and assumes no liability for any claims regarding those services or products or claims made by advertisers regarding such products or services. Readers are advised to consult with the advertiser regarding any such claims and regarding the suitability of an advertiser’s products. No reproduction of The Municipal is allowed without express written permission. Copyright © 2024.
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 7
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Editor’s Note
More Americans are hitting the road Sarah Wright | Editor
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ost Americans enjoy driving and road trips. In 2023, IPX1031 Insight Blog released its “America’s Travel Outlook 2023” report, which found more than 90% of Americans planned to travel in 2023. The report also shared, “More than half of Americans (67%) are also looking into a road trip this year. Slightly fewer (57%) plan on flying. The top reasons why people will not be catching a flight in 2023 include cost, preferring to take a train or driving, and not liking to fly.” 2024 is expected to be another travel heavy year. Recently, PRNewsWire shared the results of Squaremouth’s 2024 travel survey, which found “82% of survey respondents are anticipating that their travel spending will either increase or stay the same (in 2024).” The popular OnlyInYourState blog also polled its readers about 2024 travel plans, finding that “84% of OnlyInYourState readers are interested in learning about road trips and weekend getaways. Within the last six months or in the next six months, 86% of OnlyInYourState readers have enjoyed or plan to enjoy a scenic drive, with 82% interested in road trips.” How are your streets set up to receive these travelers? What sort of impression will they leave? There is one element residents and visitors will remember about a town — its streets. Drivers unconsciously take note of pavement conditions and streetscapes, from poor lighting and road markings to the amount of potholes. From these mental notes, they draw favorable or unfavorable views of a location. If you recently traveled for the holidays, think about the communities you passed
8 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
through along the way. How much of your opinion was marked by the drive or the town entrances? This February issue of The Municipal focuses on our roadways, particularly efforts municipalities are undertaking to improve safety, address the needs of all roadway users and explore innovations. Speaking about innovations, definitely check out Nicholette Carlson’s piece spotlighting studies being conducted by the University of Nevada, which is testing recycled plastic as a cheaper alternative binder in asphalt. Currently, the university is testing different formulas with positive results. One reoccurring theme in this issue is the move to multimodal roadways. Several projects featured this month have folded bike paths, wider sidewalks or better crosswalks into their plans. In many of these plans, safety has been king. On the East Coast, writer Jennifer Barton spotlights Jersey City, N.J.’s, successful Vision Zero efforts to reduce and eliminate traffic accidents and deaths. The city used a multidisciplinary initiative to pursue this goal, involving municipal departments beyond those specifically geared toward infrastructure and engineering. Our other topics include the state of pandemic-era slow streets, Oregon’s successful Small City Allotment program and San Antonio, Texas’, Avenue B project. If you’re planning to take a road trip in 2024, may you find some beautiful streetscapes and few potholes!
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From The Cover
The Trafficprinter :
Pioneering a new standard for road marking By SYDNEY MCPHERSON | MRL Equipment Company, Inc.
While the application of road markings has moved ahead by leaps and bounds over the past few decades, the constant push for productivity moving the industry forward has left striping contractors, private companies and municipalities concerned about safety. MRL Equipment Company Inc., a veteran of road marking equipment manufacturing, and Trysil RMM, a Norway-based road marking machine company, closed the gap between productivity and safety. The release of the Trafficprinter sets a new standard for the road marking industry, providing a solution to the notoriously dangerous and time-consuming job of road symbols. “This is truly a revolutionary product for the road marking industry,” said Boyd Montgomery, Director of Sales at MRL Equipment Company. “The Trafficprinter by MRL and Trysil RMM is the culmination of decades of experience and was designed out of a necessity for a safer, more productive way for stripers to mark and maintain roads.” 10 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
ABOVE: The Trafficprinter combines MRL’s industry-leading trucks with Trysil RMM’s road marking technology. (Photos provided by MRL Equipment Company)
An industry game-changer Built on the backbone of MRL’s industry-leading thermoplastic striping apparatuses, the Trafficprinter is strategically designed to address existing concerns for striping contractors. Productivity Large-capacity thermoplastic premelters allow operators a full workday without expensive downtime. MRL’s 4K melter set (8,000 pounds total capacity), is interconnected via a valve and flex bellows and recirculation system. Additionally, operators can select DOTapproved symbols as the job requires via a touchscreen computer.
Cost efficiency Typically, applying a symbol with a handliner and/or crew on the roadway with traffic takes approximately 20 minutes. The Trafficprinter takes a fraction of the time and manpower to apply a symbol, allowing operators to safely cover more miles. Consequently, the Trafficprinter relieves pressure on DOTs and contractors struggling to find qualified workers by minimizing the staff needed for any given project and improving ROI. Safety The Trafficprinter removes the need for boots on the ground, enabling a single operator to run the printer from the cab of the truck. Utilizing the front-mounted scanner and a rear-mounted printer, operators can print or repair road symbols in seconds. To maintain the safety of the operator and traveling public, a rolling barricade can be used if allowed. Designed to be operated in live traffic with minimal need for traffic management, the Trafficprinter reduces work-site accidents for both workers and the public and keeps traffic flow reduction to a minimum.
The Trafficprinter prints any sign or symbol in 30 seconds using thermoplastic extrusion.
Ease of use MRL’s in-place customer service and support teams enable owners and operators to confidently use the Trafficprinter and minimize downtime. Additionally, the extensive computerized symbols database and operating system is user-friendly, accommodates custom needs and requires minimal training to execute. How it works Built on the backbone of MRL’s industry-leading equipment, the Trafficprinter combines decades of engineering and field testing between the truck and the printer. As the operator drives over the symbol, the scanner at the front of the truck communicates with the printer system at the rear. The printer is able to automatically align and print the road symbol in the exact spot needed. Once in proximity to the marking location and the chosen symbol is selected, the printer applies the thermoplastic and deposits the glass beads onto the symbol within approximately 30 seconds. The thermoplastic application combined with the glass bead system achieves drivability quickly, the same as most thermoplastic materials being used today. Engineering the Trafficprinter Inspired by the safety and productivity benefits of both MRL trucks and the Trysil RMM printing technology, the two organizations established an exclusive partnership in January 2023 to introduce the printer to the United States and create the Trafficprinter . Since its initial release in 2019, the Trafficprinter has been used in Sweden, Finland and England. In 2023, it successfully field tested in the United States. The Trafficprinter is exclusively available through MRL with limited availability in 2024. The Trafficprinter tour After extensive field testing and custom engineering, the MRL/Trysil teams are excited to launch a demo tour across the southern United
States in February 2024 following the debut of the Trafficprinter at the American Traffic Safety Services Association (ATSSA) expo in San Diego. “We’re excited to get on the road and get the Trafficprinter in front of contractors and their federal, state and municipal officials,” said Montgomery. “The Trafficprinter checks the safety, productivity and cost savings boxes that striping contractors require.” The MRL and Trysil RMM Trafficprinter tour will begin on the West Coast in San Diego in February and conclude for the season on the East Coast in Florida in April. Planned stops on the tour route include California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida. M To schedule a live demonstration of the Trafficprinter in your city, email sales@markritelines.com or contact us through the QR code.
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 11
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On The Road Again
Get crackin’: The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum By JULIE YOUNG | The Municipal
Arlene Wagner is a little nutty — about nutcrackers, that is. As the co-founder and curator of the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum in Leavenworth, Wash., she shares the world’s largest collections of its kind with over 40,000 visitors annually. “We’ve had visitors from every state in the union, every province in Canada and from over 50 countries. We had 4,000 guests in November alone,” she said. “The Nutcracker Museum is one of Leavenworth’s favorite tourist attractions. We’re very popular.” A passion for crackin’ Located at 735 Front Street in the heart of the city’s Bavarian Village, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum began as a way for Wagner and her late husband George to showcase their personal collection amassed over 25 years. The Wagners’ passion for nutcrackers developed out of their shared love of the 12 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Tchaikovsky ballet, which Arlene directed for 11 years and George performed in for eight. After marrying in 1970, the couple toured nutcracker factories throughout Europe, attended nutcracker-making workshops. They collected a variety of nutcrackers in all shapes and sizes and before long, the collection outgrew their home. The Wagners faced a choice: Buy a new home in which to live or find a new home for the nutcrackers. They chose the latter, purchasing a threestory, 9,000-square-foot Bauernhaus-style building and opening its doors to the public June 10, 1995. In 2006, the museum earned its 501(c)3 nonprofit designation and today
This carving greets visitors on the exterior of the Nutcracker Museum. (Photo provided by the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum) TOP PHOTO: The Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum is located in the heart of Leavenworth, Wash.’s, Bavarian Village. It has more than 9,000 nutcrackers on display. (Photo provided by the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum)
is home to over 9,000 nutcracking devices. It was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records in March 2022 and has been featured
A sign leads guests to the museum, where they will see the world’s greatest collection of nutcrackers on display — including one from ancient Rome. (melissamn/Shutterstock.com) on CBS News, The Food Network, the Conan O’Brien Show, A&E’s Ultimate Holiday Town and HGTV. The museum’s mission is to “foster and encourage the interest of the general public of the importance of nuts in the diets of humans through history and in the evolution of the nutcracker. No other tool or collectible has shown such a wide diversity of material and design as the implement used to crack the hard shell of a nut,” says their website. “Yes, this place is nutty … but it’s a good kind of nutty. It’s quirky … it’s charming and there’s no chance you are going to forget about your experience here,” said Jason Van Camp of Portland, Ore., in a Yelp review. Beyond the basic Guests who think nutcrackers are limited to the white bearded toy soldiers typically sold en masse around the holidays are surprised to find that the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum offers much more. In fact, it is the only place in the world where one can see everything from ancient nutting stones to hand forged and molded metal devices. They are made in a variety of carved woods, from manmade materials, and some crafted from bone, ivory and porcelain. There are countless shapes, sizes and characters on display including some that, while historic, depict negative stereotypes that guests may find offensive. According to Wagner, the oldest metal nutcracking device in the museum is from ancient Rome, 200 B.C. – 200 A.D. It’s made of bronze and features four detailed lions on its handles. It was unearthed in 1960, and after being buried for more than 1,800 years the bronze was completely corroded. The oldest wooden nutcracker on site is a carved boxwood design from 1500. Artisans from England and France were particularly fond of boxwood due to its grain and uniformity of color. While there are some similarities between that model and the variety featured in the famous ballet, the standing wooden soldier and king nutcrackers did not come about until 1800. According to the museum’s web site, the term “Nussknacker” first appeared in the Grimm Brothers dictionary and was used to describe a “misshapen little man, in whose mouth the nut, by means of a lever or screw, is cracked open.”
Grace Nolan and Ashley Sellers pose with the carved wooden nutcracker that welcomes visitors to the Leavenworth Bavarian Village in Washington state, home of the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. (Photo provided by the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum)
Bring the whole family There is something for everyone at the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. In addition to being an affordable outing for the whole family, Wagner — aka “Nutcracker Lady” — has created several scavenger hunts geared for the young and young at heart. Those who cannot read can follow along with pictures to identify nutcrackers depicting Mickey Mouse, Santa Claus, an elephant or an alligator. Elementary school aged hunters can seek out a bear, witch or the Tin Man from “The Wizard of Oz.” Older kids may seek out more detailed nutcrackers, such as a metal kangaroo or a monkey in a top hat, while teens and adults will have to find specific materials and characteristics in order to win the game. Wagner even has hunts for Spanish-speaking guests, those with mobility issues who need to stay on the first floor, couples and more. There is a small surprise for those who turn in a completed list! “What a fabulous little museum! Their scavenger hunt kept my 7-yearold engaged for an hour,” Kirsten Dugger said in a Google Review. Don’t forget to stop by the Nutcracker Lady’s gift shop, which includes a wide variety of high-quality nutcrackers for sale to add to any collection. The shop also offers ornaments, smokers, books and collectibles. M FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 13
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March 5–8
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I n d i a n a pol i s, I N
MORE THAN A TRADE SHOW MORE EQUIPMENT
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TM
Through its research, the University of Nevada has determined that post-consumer plastics can replace between 10-20% of the asphalt binder.
focus on:
10-20%
Streets, Highways & Bridges
Learn more about the university’s studies on page 26.
77 Jersey City, N.J.’s, Vision Zero action plan originally comprised 77 different actions to accomplish the city’s goal within eight years of its inception.
84%
Oregon’s Small City Allotment program has a participation rate of 84%, meaning that 134 of the 160 eligible cities either had an active SCA project, which precluded them from applying again, or had applied.
Read about Jersey City’s Vision Zero actions on page 30. Read how small cities are making projects a reality using Oregon’s Small City Allotment grant on page 22.
$10,000
520,000
In November, LyondellBasell and the Plastics Industry Association announced that the equivalent of more than half a million used plastic retail bags had been recycled and used in an asphalt process that paved 4,875 square yards of a parking lot in Westlake, La. Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lyondellbasell-collaboratesinnovative-paving-project-201500765.html.
4,000 Number of sensors installed around metered parking spaces in Arlington County, Va., last year to gather data that will be used to make the area more driver friendly. The goal of the program is to make more metered parking spaces available, which will help drivers as well as reduce emissions. Read more at https://wtop.com/arlington/2023/12/hate-parkingarlington-wants-to-make-it-easier/.
SLOW STREET
When unrolling slow streets to help residents get out during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, Redwood City, Calif., initially paid approximately $10,000 for A-frames, signs and staff time for the project.
Slow streets continued to be explored by cities. Find out more on 18.
20 Twenty crashes in one day delayed traffic on Interstate 95 north of Waterville, Maine, when winter weather first hit this season. On Dec. 9, black ice caused eight crashes in the early afternoon; a short time later, 12 more slide-offs happened near the same stretch of roadway. Source: https://www.necn.com/news/local/ icy-conditions-in-maine-causes-20-highway-crashes-in-one-day/3111073/.
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 17
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Exploring the status of slow streets programs
Pavement markings alert drivers that this is a bicycle boulevard in Redwood City, Calif. (Photo provided by Redwood City, Calif.)
18 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
By DENISE FEDOROW | The Municipal
During the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, several communities implemented a trial program called slow streets, which slowed traffic on neighborhood streets, allowing for safer neighborhood outdoor activities and social distancing. In California, San Francisco, Oakwood and Redwood City all enacted slow streets programs. The East Coast also got on board with notable cities like Buffalo, N.Y.; Jersey City, N.J.; and Miami Beach, Fla., welcoming slow streets. Redwood City, Calif. According to Redwood City’s associate engineer Erik Zhen, the city implemented the slow streets program shortly after the pandemic started in April or May 2020. “As a means to give space for people to participate in social distancing,” he said, adding, “Someone in the community saw they had a program in Oakland and asked if we could do something similar, so we did internal surveys.” Zhen said initially the pilot program was meant to only last a few weeks, so they placed very temporary A-frame signs that stated, “This is a slow street, local traffic only.” The A-frame signs blocked off both entrances to the street on either end. “They could still drive through; they just had to drive around the A-frames,” he said. He admitted the city had to replace equipment frequently at first, and the cost to the city initially was approximately $10,000 for A-frames, signs and staff time. Zhen said Redwood City did another set of surveys to determine if the neighborhood wanted to continue with the slow streets program. “There was a mix of opinions and feedback — some didn’t like it because they couldn’t get on the street as easily.” Zhen said city officials decided to let the majority of residents decide if they wanted to continue. “If more than 50% of survey
Construction of the traffic circle on Vera Bicycle Boulevard, which was one of the original slow streets in Redwood City, Calif. (Photo provided by Redwood City, Calif.)
Street signage designates the Vera Bicycle Boulevard in Redwood City. (Photo provided by Redwood City, Calif.)
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 19
continued from page 19
respondents (residents had to respond to be counted) wanted to keep it, we’ll keep it.” Redwood City later replaced the A-frames with more permanent delineator posts. Zhen said engineers take guidance from the city council and the transportation advisory committee. Malahat Owrang, senior transportation planner for Redwood City, also weighed in, saying the city originally had 12 slow streets. “Based on survey results, we did eliminate some, modified some and made the rest semi-permanent,” she said. Currently, there are 10 slow streets, but she said the city is coming to the end of the three-year pilot program, so another survey will go out in January as officials are considering “marrying the slow streets program to another program.” She explained last summer Redwood City developed a bicycle pedestrian plan to create bike boulevards. She said since the state and federal COVID emergency has been lifted and the pilot program ended, “We have to make a decision to either fade it out or marry it to another program.” Owrang said three of the 10 slow streets have already been earmarked to become bike boulevards, so those are treated separately. “Even if we fade out the slow street program, those three corridors will remain capital projects.” One street has already been transitioned to a bike boulevard. “It was a good example of how a slow street can be easily transitioned to a bike boulevard.” She said when officials began discussing the bike boulevard program, they looked at the whole city to determine what neighborhoods would be appropriate for a bike boulevard. Some criteria included low traffic volume, low speeds, close proximity to schools and connected to downtown. Three of the slow streets meet that criteria so surveys will be sent to all the slow street neighborhoods in January informing them that the pilot program is ending but telling those three neighborhoods of the potential to become a bike boulevard instead. Bike boulevards have traffic circles, speed humps, signage and pavement markings. Owrang shared one street has already been turned into a bike boulevard and the city held contests for the residents to submit a design for art inside the traffic circle. She said she got the idea when at a conference in Florida. 20 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
A pedestrian crossing on the Vera Bicycle Boulevard offers increased visibility. (Photo provided by Redwood City, Calif.) The Redwood Art Commission chose the winning designs and Owrang contracted the work. “It took about two to three months. It’s very fun and colorful!” The difference in cost for slow streets versus bike boulevards is about 10 times more for a bike boulevard. “It was probably $20,000 for the 10 delineator posts and the bike boulevard cost about $230,000 for engineering, construction, materials, etc.,” she said. Redwood City Council is “very supportive” of the bike boulevard program, and Owrang said the city received good feedback from the community with the bike boulevard, “especially because it’s right next to an elementary school — any sort of traffic calming close to our schools our council is supportive of.” She explained the city also has a Vision Zero initiative, prioritized by the city council to eliminate traffic-related deaths and severe injuries. “We are, unfortunately, one of the highest in traffic fatalities and severe injuries, that’s why our city council implemented Vision Zero so any traffic calming and traffic safety (programs) they are on board,” she said. Owrang pointed out, “From the public’s standpoint, the slow streets program was a simple street closure, but behind the scenes,
multiple staff hours were spent coordinating with the fire department and emergency responders, coordinating with transit organizations and the school district to maneuver school buses around and lots of communication with the public who were confused at first about what a slow street means.” She said some residents were concerned about the impact on property values and didn’t like the temporary look of the signs; they were concerned delivery trucks would be confused and not deliver to them, while other neighborhoods loved it and wanted it to expand. Educating the community took a lot of staff time, Owrang said, and they created brochures and other educational materials that were mailed out. Redwood City has a population of about 87,000, according to Owrang, but with several major employers in the city, including Stanford University, Google and Oracle, it adds to the traffic. “We’re a very active city,” Owrang said, concluding, “We liked the program. It was a good experience test to see how the community responded and which communities need traffic calming.” M
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Oregon’s Small City Allotment opens possibilities
By JANET G. PATTERSON | The Municipal
Life in one small Oregon mountain town is improving partly because of a $250,000 transportation grant. “It’s just a 500-foot stretch (of road), but it goes right through the center of town,” Detroit city council member Greg Sheppard said of a road widening project that means pedestrians will be able to stroll through the heart of this lake town that has taken its share of lumps lately. “We’ve been recovering from a 2020 forest fire that took about 80% of the buildings here,” Sheppard said. “The Small City Allotment grant made possible a project that will help in our recovery.” With a year-round population of only about 200, Detroit relies heavily on tourists who have vacation homes or come to campgrounds to enjoy the surrounding
22 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Cascade Mountains and the lake formed by the Detroit Dam. The $5 million annual Small City Allotment program makes grants to municipalities of fewer than 5,000 residents to improve streets, roads, intersections and sidewalks that are inadequate for the people they serve or are in unsafe condition, according to SCA program manager Deanna Edgar. In some small cities, a lack of sidewalks has meant that people in wheelchairs or other mobility equipment have had to use roadways to move around town. In 2017, the Oregon legislature passed a historic funding package that created the
ABOVE: Small City Allotment grants can be used for projects like this rapid flashing beacon crosswalk in Wood Village, Ore. (Photo provided by Oregon Department of Transportation)
program specifically for small cities that typically do not have the money to repair local roads. To include as many cities as possible, Edgar said, no local matching funds are necessary to qualify. “By the end of our last project solicitation, we had an unprecedented participation rate of 84%, meaning that 134 of the 160 eligible cities either had an active SCA project, which precluded them from applying again, or had applied,” Edgar added. The annual statewide allotment for the program is $5 million, although if money is not spent the previous year because a project was
Thanks to a Small City Allotment grant, the tiny town of Willamina, Ore., was able to improve one of its deteriorated streets. Pictured is First Street before and after improvements. (Photo provided by Oregon Department of Transportation)
canceled or used fewer dollars than estimated, the unspent money carries over to the next year. Grant money available for the 2024 program amounts to $5.7 million. To illustrate the importance of the program to small cities, Edgar said the Oregon Department of Transportation received 69 applications requesting a total of $16.5 million. ODOT’s annual solicitation for proposed projects typically accepts applications between June 1 and July 31 of the previous year. Cities can request as much as $250,000 for a project. Sheppard said his tiny lake city requested $100,000 for its project. But with inflation and the cost of transporting materials, ODOT increased the maximum grant request to $250,000. “I got a phone call asking if we wanted to cancel the $100,000 request and take our chances on getting $250,000. I talked with our city council, and they thought that sounded like a pretty good deal.” The change made all the difference in the outcome of the grant request. An ODOT representative went to Detroit to discuss the request and look at the condition of the roadway in question. “Highway 22 cuts right through the middle of Detroit. As we were walking the roadway, a big gravel truck came barreling through, almost knocking us off the road,” Sheppard said.
Within months, Detroit’s grant request was approved to widen the 500-foot stretch of the roadway and add a walk zone for pedestrians. By the end of 2023, the asphalt roadway had been widened, and all that was left to do was stripe a pedestrian zone on one side of the road. Crosswalks were an area of concern for Wood Village, a one-square mile suburb of Portland. City manager Greg Dirks explained that the busiest roads in the village are maintained by the county. However, for the safety of local pedestrians, the village wanted to upgrade its crosswalks on the one mile of road through the village. The answer was to install rapid flashing beacons (RRFB), a traffic control device that flashes yellow light and a pulsing sound when a pedestrian is using the crosswalk located in the middle of a block or where there is no traffic control device. For the village of 4,500 residents, coming up with the money to create three safe crosswalks was a stretch. “Knowing that the county had way more projects than money to pay for them,” he said, the village looked into applying for one of the early $100,000 SCA grants. Dirks said Wood Village and Multnomah County had to forge an agreement to allow the village to construct the crosswalks and for the county to maintain them. ODOT “was great to work with through the whole process,” he added.
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In fact, Wood Village has applied for another grant to complete a fourth crosswalk in the one-mile stretch of roadway. The ODOT program is funded by a bicycle excise tax that was created in 2017 when the transportation funding bill passed. It is a flat tax of $15, which is collected when a consumer purchases a bicycle that is $200 or more and is exclusively human powered or electric assisted. In addition to making it possible for small cities to complete some long overdue projects, the state has made the application process as simple as possible by recognizing the limited number of staff people in small municipalities and the limited resources small towns may have to start a project. “The program offers an advance payment of 50% of the award amount upon execution of the agreement (with the state). Without this help, several cities would not have the funding to get their projects off the ground,” Edgar said. The balance is paid when the project is complete. These concessions are particular to the SCA grants to make it possible for small cities to complete their projects. “Generally, our grant programs require the recipients to provide a percentage of the overall cost, such as matching funds, and do not offer any advance payments,” she noted. Sometimes a project, such as the Wood Village crosswalks, will cost more than the grant. Dirks said Wood Village was able to pay the additional money to complete the three crosswalks. At other times, a project will cost less than expected, in which case the leftover funds
24 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Pedestrians in the one-square-mile town of Wood Village can control traffic when ready to cross. (Photo provided by Oregon Department of Transportation)
will revert to the state of Oregon and will be added to the next cycle of grants. M
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M Focus on: Streets, Highways & Bridges
University of Nevada tests recycled plastics as asphalt binder
By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
There is a new type of asphalt being researched and tested in the Pavement Engineering and Science program at the University of Nevada in Reno, Nev. Peter Sebaaly, University of Nevada department of civil and environmental engineering professor and director of the Western Regional Superpave Center, stated the program’s researchers have been conducting research on various types of material of asphalt for the last 33 years.
For the past few years, a stretch of California highway has hosted field testing for this new asphalt using 10% post-consumer plastics. (Photo provided by the University of Nevada) 26 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
“Recycling is a hot topic,” Sebaaly mentioned. “We can recycle other products, such as used tires from cars and trucks. We recently looked into recycling plastics since we generate millions of tons of plastic each year.” Graduate students dedicated to the research of materials and enhancing asphalt then collaborated with the companies that fund the research and had a brainstorming session discussing the use of recycled plastics. These private funding partners wished to further the research into post-consumer product
plastics and asphalt, which led to the graduate students’ examination to test whether it was possible to use these plastics to enhance asphalt pavements. Post-consumer plastics include a wide range of plastics, such as toner cartridges, cups, water bottles, etc. It is plastic with a structure. Asphalt consists of a mixture of gravel, sand and asphalt binder. These plastics are primarily used to replace the asphalt binder since the asphalt binder is the most expensive part of the road mixture. Traditional asphalt
binder typically costs between $500 and $600 per ton. “Anything we can find to replace the binder is actually a cost savings,” Sebaaly explained, “especially if the product is going to waste like used plastics and tires.” Through its research, the University of Nevada has determined that post-consumer plastics can replace between 10-20% of the asphalt binder. This is tested in the university’s laboratories with both temperature and load on a variety of asphalt mixtures. These laboratory tests help to accurately simulate the different seasons as well as moisture levels. “When you put asphalt pavement on the road, temperature and traffic loads are very important,” Sebaaly emphasized. In the heat of the summer, when the air is 100 degrees, the surface of the asphalt can reach 150 degrees. In the winter months, temperatures can dip down to 0 degrees and the asphalt can freeze. “It needs to be strong in the heat of summer as well as other extremes and be flexible when it freezes. Anything we put into asphalt needs (cannot) rut in the summer and crack in the fall and winter.” Laboratory testing typically takes approximately 18 months before the correct variants are determined. Following lab testing, the data is then published, and the research moves on to field testing. The pilot test with the asphalt using post-consumer plastics is on a California highway. This stretch of highway was chosen since one of the contractor sponsors funding the testing was constructing a road there. The collaboration and approval of the California Department of Transportation was critical to both the inception and success of the pilot test section. The stretch of highway tested is approximately 1,000 feet. “There’s lots of traffic on that road, so it was an ideal location to test the binder,” Sebaaly stated. The asphalt binder using post-consumer plastics was placed two years ago. In this pilot test, the asphalt binder was replaced with 10% post-consumer plastics. The university checks the stretch of road every few months to see how the binder is holding up and monitors the results. “So far it has survived a couple of winters and summers. It has also dealt with a lot of rain and flooding,” Sebaaly said. As the field testing goes on, the laboratory testing continues as graduate students work
The University of Nevada is home to a Pavement Engineering and Science program that conducts research and testing on various asphalt materials. A current project is using post-consumer plastics to replace a portion of the asphalt binder in asphalt. (Photo provided by the University of Nevada)
with various products and various combinations of products that could be used in the roadways. More companies have shown interest in using this research and testing plastics as a replacement for asphalt binder on their roads and highways, and the university continues to receive inquiries. In order to begin testing on another stretch of road, the university must have a funding sponsor who wants a road in that area and has a contract for a stretch of road as well as finding road agencies that
are receptive to the idea of using alternative asphalt binder. Currently, the university is following up with a potential lead with a new company on the East Coast. The university works with a wide range of sponsors at all levels of government. For any product to be evaluated on a stretch of road, the university must work with the state department of transportation, Federal Highway Administration, county transportation departments and city departments. M
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M Focus on: Streets, Highways & Bridges
New Jersey town takes steps to protect pedestrians
Children travel safely by bicycle in this protected bike lane. (Photo provided by Jersey City, N.J.)
30 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
By JENNIFER BARTON | The Municipal
Everyone wants to walk — or bike, run, rollerblade, etc. — down safer city streets. It is a great tragedy when a pedestrian loses their life to an automobile. Jersey City, N.J., has one of the highest rates of bikers, walkers or transit users in the country, a fact more common in places like nearby New York City — of which Jersey City constitutes part of the metropolitan area — than a city of just under 300,000 people. Since 2018, Jersey City’s mayor, Steven Fulop, has dedicated himself and his city to decreasing pedestrian fatalities through a program called Vision Zero. This year, Jersey City received the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Complete Streets Excellence and Champion Award for improvements implemented through that program. Barkha Patel, director of the department of infrastructure, spoke with The Municipal about the program’s inception and the successes of the last five years. With her background in urban planning and over seven years working for Jersey City, a year and a half directing the department, Patel is highly qualified to oversee the program. She explained that Vision Zero came about as a combined effort of city advocates “who for many years had been advocating for safer streets and prioritizing people who are vulnerable users of our roadways” and Mayor Fulop, “a big champion and supporter of this work.” These changes have been brought about through executive order. “Under his leadership, we as a city committed to a Vision Zero goal, which was a really ambitious and new thing for a city at the time, especially in the state of New Jersey,” Patel said. “And the goal was to eliminate all trafficrelated fatalities and severe injuries from our city-owned streets by the year 2026.” To accomplish this, Jersey City utilizes a “multidisciplinary initiative,” involving municipal departments beyond those specifically geared toward infrastructure and engineering, such as fire and police, health and human services and others. The original action plan comprised 77 different
This graph shows the number of traffic deaths on Jersey City streets from 2017 to December 2022. At the time, the city had installed 600-plus speed hump; added 190-plus right turn on red restrictions; created 12-plus new plazas and public spaces; upgraded 130plus traffic signals for pedestrian priority; created 90-plus intersections with new curb extensions; and added 19-plus protected bikes lanes. (Graph provided by Jersey City, N.J.)
Pictured is Jersey City’s Washington Street before and after improvements were completed, which included bike lanes and clearly marked lanes and crossings. (Photo provided by Jersey City, N.J.)
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 31
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actions to accomplish this goal within eight years of its inception. The first consisted of redesigning certain street corridors that had typically been high-injury routes “to better prioritize vulnerable users.” “You start from a baseline of safety, which is that even one life that’s lost as a result of a traffic crash is one too many, and so the main impetus is to make things as safe as possible,” she continued. Instead of tackling the issue from a behavioral approach, Jersey City looked at it through the lens of an engineering issue. The city began by looking at specific corridors that had the highest number of fatalities and made changes to those routes, and Patel was pleased to announce that those areas were no longer seeing that level of accidents. Patel spoke about “road diets,” a technique that reallocates parts of a road for other purposes like bike paths and pedestrian crossings, which increases the safety of these travelers. “In those locations that used to be high-injury locations, we have seen a dramatic reduction of fatal and severe and even moderate crashes.” Part of the reason Jersey City has been able to accomplish such an ambitious feat has been through the “quick build” process, using low-cost and temporary materials, which can promptly be put into place. It also allowed city residents to become involved in the projects from the start through an urban planning technique known as tactical urbanism, meaning projects are carried out at least in part by the citizens themselves. This has helped build rapport with community members as well. Residents can call the city about a problem area and rather than waiting months for allocated funds, the response time becomes two or three weeks, when city officials meet residents on the streets for a conversation, then begin working on the project together. “It really changes the game of how you’re interacting with the community by involving them in that process,” Patel remarked. Temporary building also allows the city to go back to an individual project and either redesign it if the temporary fix was ineffective or make it permanent if it was. Revisiting these quick builds is one goal Patel said the city plans to tackle in the future. The second is to extend the work 32 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Bicyclists take part in Jersey City, N.J.’s, Bike to Work event. The city has prioritized reducing pedestrian and automobile accidents to zero. (Photo provided by Jersey City, N.J.)
A worker adds markers to one of Jersey City’s bike lanes. (Photo provided by Jersey City, N.J.) to other streets connecting to those that have benefitted from Vision Zero. Patel admits that there are still more neighborhoods where the city hasn’t begun work, but hopes to build a “spine network of streets that all connect to each other and are highly, highly safe.” The project’s goal is an ambitious one. However, residents have responded well overall to these efforts. But as with any new approach in local government, opposition sometimes arises, particularly on individual projects. Redesigning roads means
change, which can be difficult, especially in places where residents have lived and worked for years. When those conversations come up, Patel said, is when “the strong commitment from the city and the mayor and our team comes into play,” putting the safety of the individuals first. Last year marked the first year that zero goal had been met. Though sustaining that number for as long as possible would be ideal, Patel stated that some years, regardless of the efforts of everyone involved, the city still sees a handful of deadly accidents.
“The years when we do have a few fatalities, those years are really, really critical for cities like ours because those are the times we should be recommitting to the goal and reinvigorating the reason why we are investing in this and believing in this.” Vision Zero isn’t just about saving lives; it’s also about making the city streets more appealing to those who call Jersey City home. Patel stated that to maintain the program goals, “you have to really look beyond that and make the streets feel really welcoming and appealing and aesthetically beautiful.” She hopes citizens can see the streets as more than a means to get from one area to another; instead, to view them as “a part of our neighborhood, a living, breathing thing that we should invest in and make really appealing to be able to walk on or bike on.” The historic nature of the city poses an additional challenge, and narrow streets allow only limited space to make changes, so Patel concedes that there have been some trade-offs in those areas. Jersey City has proven that a city-led accident-reducing plan can be successful,
Many of Jersey City’s traffic improvements have also factored in appearance to create a welcoming and appealing environment, including this curb extension project. (Photo provided by Jersey City, N.J.) particularly when promoting a communitywide culture of safety. In a city with such high numbers of walkers and transit users, the culture had already been primed to
embrace and build upon Vision Zero. The work will continue to achieve and maintain that zero loss of pedestrian lives each year for years to come. M
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M Focus on: Streets, Highways & Bridges
San Antonio welcomes bike path to streetscape
By BETH ANNE BRINK-COX | The Municipal
Texas is one of our country’s biggest states, and they do nothing in a small way. San Antonio, the seventh largest city in the United States, proved that again when it undertook a bike lane project for its Avenue B and North Alamo Street. While the project experienced some delays and design changes, the city wrapped it all up in time for Christmas with a festive ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 5. Councilwoman Dr. Sukh Kaur of District 1; Razi Hosseini, professional engineer (P.E.) and registered professional land surveyor (R.P.L.S.), San Antonio public works director; and Catherine Hernandez, transportation interim director, came together in proud celebration of a job well done. Other improvements were made by changing Avenue B from twoway to one-way southbound traffic, which created a protected bike lane, as well as wider sidewalks, on-street parking, landscaping and lighting. How did this begin? Voter approved funds during the 2017 bond, intending a reimagined Broadway corridor with curbs, sidewalks, 34 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
ABOVE: Bicyclists wear proper gear as they traverse San Antonio’s latest bike path. (Photo provided by Nicholas Olivier and Nadia Canales)
trees and other amenities. In 2019, the city council agreed to use $6 million in special area tax revenues to fund the protected lanes instead of having them on a 1-mile portion of Broadway. Construction began in August 2021. Nadia Canales, senior public information officer at the city of San Antonio, explained, “The city was awarded the funds in 2019 and held a handful of public meetings in 2019 and 2020. Additionally, public engagement has been combined with the nearby Broadway project, which includes meeting with stakeholders every two weeks for the past year.” Canales continued, “As the city designed the nearby Lower Broadway (Houston to IH-35 project), we knew how important bike lanes were to the community, so we worked with the biking
community to develop the Avenue B/North Alamo bike route solution. It provides safe bike connectivity in this corridor and allows for wide sidewalks and trees along Broadway.” Sundt and AECOM designed and engineered the lanes, and the city of San Antonio’s public works department managed the project admirably. Construction began in August 2021 and was completed in November 2023. As with any extensive project, there were some bumps in the road. One problem was simple and easily remedied once Mother Nature cooperated. The lanes had been meant to open in early March, but they couldn’t be completed due to frequent rain all spring. Once that had stopped, the re-striping of new lanes could commence and the project rolled ahead. Another issue? The original design incorporated planters between the bike lanes and traffic lanes to protect the bicyclists, which proved to be inconvenient for business deliveries. New dividers and bollards were ordered to replace the planters. In terms of bikeable cities, San Antonio ranks 152 among 163 large U.S. cities. The city updated its master plan for improved bike infrastructure and even created and launched a survey for the community, requesting their input on thoughts and ideas for making biking safer and identifying areas where better facilities, such as more bike lanes, were needed. Canales, when asked how successful the lanes have been since completion, said, “Anecdotally, this project has been used and enjoyed by bicyclists, senior citizens on tricycles, unicyclists and skateboarders.” Canales added, “This cycle track connects people from home to work, from the River Walk to Downtown, from store to restaurant. It connects to our growing network of Downtown bike lanes and to the trails along the Mission Reach portion of the San Antonio River.” The Lower Broadway Corridor Project is still in the works. According to San Antonio’s official website, it will include “improvements such as roadway reconstruction, curbs, sidewalks, driveway approaches, underground drainage, ADA wheelchair ramps, pedestrian lighting and amenities, landscaping and utility upgrades. Substantial completion for this project will be summer 2024.” While many cycle year-round, for all kinds of reasons — environmental, financial and health, just to name a few — we will see many more once the spring approaches. It’s a simple pleasure that everyone in the family can enjoy. Many cities are going to be considering bike lanes. Research continues to show that bike lanes create consistent traffic flow, with no slowdowns because of getting caught behind a bicycle; additionally, there’s no need to speed around a bike or wonder if you can pass the biker within your lane. It seems likely that bike lanes would encourage those who wouldn’t otherwise try biking along the roads. Data also shows lower fatality rates for all road users, not just cyclists, when protected lanes are in use. School zones can be much safer. Cities are more congested, and costs of vehicles, fuels, and insurance are continuing to grow as well. Whether you choose to ride a bike or drive a car, it certainly makes good sense to create all the safety on the roads that’s possible. M
The guests listen as the bike path is made ready for all to enjoy during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photo provided by Nicholas Olivier and Nadia Canales)
This ribbon cutting was fun for everyone in attendance, not least of which were those who headed up the committees and departments. (Photo provided by Nicholas Olivier and Nadia Canales)
This map shows the Avenue B/North Alamo bike project route in green and the ongoing Broadway project lower segment in magenta. (Map provided by Nicholas Olivier and Nadia Canales)
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Personality Profile
Superintendent protects Ironton, Ohio, for 50 years By LAUREN CAGGIANO | The Municipal
Mike Pemberton serves as Ironton’s superintendent of Street, Sanitation and Flood. However, his current role in the southern Ohio city only tells part of the story. From maintenance on the levees to navigating the bureaucratic maze of city government, his career has been defined by personal grit and a deep-seated love for the community. Now, as the sun sets on his career, the public servant reflects on the challenges, accomplishments and enduring passion that have defined his journey of nearly 50 years. Pemberton started with the city at age 18 in a humble role, though one that, in retrospect, was instrumental in his life’s path. “I got out of high school and got a job cutting grass on the levee,” he said. “I moved my way up the ladder by doing maintenance on the project. I worked there for a couple of years and then fate led me to a different department. In 2023 I find myself still here,” he said. Pemberton has witnessed many changes in his town and the nation at large that have impacted his work and the people he serves. For instance, winds of economic downturns blew in, echoing the Rust Belt narrative. The town faced challenges as industries closed and jobs died up, altering the fabric of Ironton’s existence. That narrative applied to colleagues as well. “I’ve seen a lot of good people come and go,” he said. “Unfortunately, some have passed away.” Pemberton was influenced and inspired by those who served the city alongside him, and by some of those who served before his tenure. Mentors, particularly a former superintendent, shaped not only his career but also his approach to leadership. “You can’t please everybody. Please the people that you can,” he said. “That’s always been my thinking.” Raised in the Ohio countryside and influenced by a strong single mother, he reflected on the values instilled during his upbringing. He associates his mother’s parenting with hard work and sacrifice, qualities he has strived to replicate within the family he has raised in Ironton. “We’ve raised two wonderful children,” he said. “When I first came here, we didn’t make a whole lot of money, but I climbed the ladder, and I think I’ve raised my children the best that they can be raised.”
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Pemberton said he has experienced changes large and small during his time in city leadership. However, there’s one constant in the mighty Ohio River’s presence in the region: The body of water is prone to periodic surges that put the town at risk for flooding and consequently loss of life and property damage. It’s clear that Pemberton has played a key role in implementing and maintaining the infrastructure that safeguards the town. “When the almighty Ohio comes up, all we have to do is close some big gates and pump the water out. It’s pretty simple,” he said. “But they are big pumps, and they need maintenance.” While managing three departments and handling the related daily responsibilities, he draws strength from a personal philosophy grounded in service. In other words, Pemberton has poured his blood, sweat and tears into his role — and he has been recognized for his service. In 2023, the city renamed a portion of a street Mike Pemberton Way in his honor. Naturally, he’s invested in the future of Ironton. Ongoing projects, overseen by both the city and the Corps of Engineers, are being designed to protect the town against future floods. He said public works projects on the north end particularly showcase an ongoing commitment to the community’s well-being. “We’re moving forward on building new pump stations, putting new curbs on one street and installing new catch basins and drainage,” he said. While Pemberton is unclear how many years he’ll remain on the job, he’s not in a huge hurry to hang up his hat, either. “There’s nothing wrong with 52 years, although I’ll probably retire with 50 or 51 years in. I’d like to maybe do more traveling. But I enjoy serving the public. That’s probably the bottom line. There are a lot of good people here in Ironton.” M
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Public Safety
By DANI MESSICK | The Municipal
The Johnson City Police Department’s Handle with Care Intervention Program is going so well, New York’s Broome County and cities within it have adopted the program, too. In 2017, Johnson City Police Chief Brent Dodge was first approached by Johnson City Central School District then-Superintendent about a similar program implemented elsewhere in the country. “I’m like, ‘I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t think of it myself,’” Dodge admitted. “‘This is something we should have been doing a while ago.’ We immediately implemented it.” Any time Johnson City officers interact with a school student, they contact the district and issue a Handle with Care notice. LEFT: Johnson City, N.Y., Police Department has prioritized community engagement in many forms. To support the department’s efforts, the Johnson City Rotary Club helped develop new signs to be displayed at community events using a grant. (Photo provided by Johnson City Police Department)
40 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
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‘Handle with Care’ softens the landing for traumatized kids
It doesn’t matter what the situation is: If kids are involved, the department notifies the school. “This is a free and easy way to help positively impact the lives of the children we deal with,” Dodge said. “It’s absolutely something that law enforcement should be doing for the children they serve in this day and age.” Picture this: It’s 7 p.m. on a Tuesday, you’re a sixth grader at Johnson City Central School District who is sitting down to complete homework. Your parents begin fighting — again. This time, though, it’s different. The police are called, and your dad ends up being arrested and taken to jail. You don’t know what’s happening or what’s going to happen, and you get on the bus Wednesday morning confused and exhausted from racking your brain all night long trying to figure out situations your 11-year-old brain doesn’t comprehend yet. “Maybe that resulted in the kid not getting his homework done, or because he didn’t get any sleep that night, he’s now falling asleep in class,” Dodge said. “Instead of there being negative repercussions on the kid at school because of the traumatic experience, the school can cut the kid some slack.” That compassion might look like sending the student to the nurse’s office for a nap or not penalizing the student for an incomplete assignment. There are many ways the school district can help, but only if administrators know about the situation.
Community Engagement Officer Jay Peets reads to a kindergarten class. Students also learned about the daily routine of a police officer. Johnson City Police Department maintains partnerships with area schools, including for its Handle with Care program. (Photo provided by Johnson City Police Department)
“It also gives the school a chance to talk to the child and maybe send them to a counselor or something and just see if the kid wants to open up, wants to talk about the experience,” Dodge added. “I go directly to the superintendent because he knows his resources better than I do, and he’ll tell the teachers. Or if it’s something they want to tell the counselors or a psychologist about, or if the nurse needs to know, he can utilize those resources as well.” Dodge said the department generally does not reveal any information that may compromise the student, instead focusing on the message that, for whatever reason, the young person should be handled with care. “I’ll give a handle-with-care notice if we catch a kid shoplifting and they have to get brought back to the station and processed or something,” he said. “I’ll still send it even if the kid I’m dealing with is not the victim or offender, because these situations are still probably going to have some kind of emotional impact on the kid.” FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 41
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When it’s a matter of public record, such as the death of a close family member, or if the child was involved in a car accident where someone was severely injured, the department will share more information. “There are also some things where, if it’s for the health and wellness and safety of others at the school, we can give them more details,” Dodge explained. “Really, the school knows that the staff is free to ask questions or just say ‘Hey, we understand you experienced something last night. We don’t know any of the details and we’re not here to judge you, but if you want to talk about it, we’re here for you,’ and a lot of times kids will open up and share what’s going on.” Dodge said that from his 43-man department, about two Handle with Care notifications are sent out weekly. With a population of about 15,000 in Johnson City and about 150 students per grade level, Dodge said the workload hasn’t been a massive undertaking for him and his staff. With the expansion countywide, however, other jurisdictions have had to find their own ways to manage the program. “Every department does it a little bit differently,” Dodge said. “Here, I do it personally. We’re small enough I can handle that detail, and I can ensure that it gets done, but the city of Binghamton, which is our neighbor, they’re a 150-man department. There’s
Johnson City Police Department was well represented at the Johnson City Elementary School Trunk or Treat event in October. (Photo provided by Johnson City Police Department)
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no way their chief could keep up with the responsibility personally. He’d probably have to delegate it to someone else.” With the expansion of the program countywide, school districts interacting with police departments across the county are now receiving notifications. Each department in the county handles its own calls, contacting individual school districts as needed. “Just because they don’t go to our school doesn’t mean they don’t need our support,” Dodge said. Good rapport with the school districts is essential, as is officer support. Expanding his own jurisdiction’s support was at first a big task for Dodge, because he didn’t have the same rapport with leaders at other school districts. Now, Dodge said he has points of contact for all schools in the county. “That line of communication has to be there, and there has to be an education component so everybody understands exactly what we’re doing and what the benefit is,” Dodge said. “It’s not difficult at all,” he said. “You just have to be diligent with the officers to make sure it’s carried out, because it’s not something they’re used to doing, so sometimes they’ll forget. Like any new initiative, you have to implement it over a period of time and make sure you stay on top of people, reminding them that they need to do it, and that it took a while to become standard procedure here as well.” M
Engaging with youth has been important to the Johnson City Police Department. This past December the department partnered with NYS University Police at Binghamton to bring numerous Youth and Police Initiative graduate students to a Binghamton Black Bears hockey game. (Photo provided by Johnson City Police Department)
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Building & Construction
Dilapidated buildings: Save money by codifying a short route to solutions By JANET G. PATTERSON | The Municipal
They can be seen by all who travel to cities large and small around the country. They may be boarded up, have a “Condemned” sign in the yard or just generally look neglected and dilapidated. They are the scourge of neighborhoods and the bane of city officials. Neighbors may demand immediate action, but there’s a process to cleaning up what has become known as “blight”: neglected homes that are badly in need of repair or that should be demolished. Removing these homes from the landscape is hardly simple.
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“We have to make sure that we follow legal procedure and give proper notice to property owners,” explained Edgar Orozco, zoning enforcement supervisor for the city of Laredo, Texas. For one thing, a minimum of 30 days’
ABOVE: Although dilapidated and abandoned buildings can become hazardous and a cover for illegal activity, demolition is not the only option. Some of the structures can be restored, thereby retaining higher property tax revenues. (Shutterstock.com)
notice is required to alert property owners that the city is about to take action. This municipality of a quarter million residents sits on the north bank of the Rio Grande and is the largest inland port on the
Mexican-United States border. For these reasons and others, finding an owner is daunting at times, said Orozco. “We check the property database to see who owns the property, but the owner may be deceased. Then we have to find the heirs, and sometimes there’s a family disagreement about the property. It can be complicated.” Once a property is declared substandard or abandoned by the city inspector, the property is tagged with a sign indicating that it is a hazard to the public. Not only are dilapidated and neglected residences considered hazardous, but Orozco said that they also can be a cover for illegal activity and a drain on city resources. According to the Urban Institute, a 2014 study in Pittsburgh, Pa., found that a house that has been abandoned for a year costs the city approximately $14,000 in crime including injury to victims, criminal justice proceedings and decreased productivity by the people involved. Such properties also pose a fire risk that can cost the municipality money, and potentially the neighbors as well. While these costs vary by city and region, they include direct property maintenance such as cutting grass, removing trash and eventually boarding up the structure. And in addition to the potential police and fire costs, there are code enforcement program costs and lost property tax revenue. In Laredo, owners or heirs are invited to a meeting of the Substandard Housing Board, a six-member panel of city residents appointed by Laredo’s mayor. During the meeting, the board and owners discuss the best option for the property. “Maybe it can be fixed up or maybe it has to be demolished,” Orozco said. “Most get demolished.” The city then puts out requests for bids for the demolition. Contracts are always awarded to the lowest bidder, he noted. Demolition in south Texas can be anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 for a 1,400 square foot house: The total varies based on whether there is hazardous material in the structure such as asbestos, and whether there is a concrete foundation. The cost includes removal of the debris to an appropriate dump site. Orozco said that there have been years when the Army National Guard has sent demolition crews to Laredo as part of the annual training of Army engineers. “We would give them a list of maybe 19 houses,
The process to sell or demolish a condemned structure is often a drain on city resources. (Shutterstock.com) and they would do the demolition free of charge.” After demolition, the city places a lien on the property to reclaim the cost of the teardown and any unpaid taxes. “We have to recover the money we’ve put into it,” Orozco said. The entire process can take years to complete. Further north in Goshen, Ind., such properties pose the same problems, but Building Commissioner Myron Grise said that because of a serious housing shortage the city is trying to salvage as many as possible. “The onesies and twosies — single residences that can’t be salvaged — have to be demolished. But we have landlords who can’t keep up with the number of properties they own. Those landlords are getting older, and they have trouble finding people who can do the upkeep and maintenance the properties need.” In addition to the costs incurred by blighted properties, Grise said the work of enforcement takes time away from other work of the city’s building department. Some of the properties are the victims of years of neglected maintenance. Some have been declining for as many as 20 to 30 years.
“Recently we’ve started pushing harder to get the properties into shape. We’re pushing owners to clean up, especially when there are raccoons and rats living there. It’s not good for the neighborhood,” Grise said. The push to clean up dilapidated properties is driven in part by the housing shortage in Goshen, a city of about 35,000 just south of the Michigan border. The economy in the area is healthy, with the recreational vehicle industry employing a large sector of the population. Having suitable safe housing is a part of the city’s mission, Grise noted. Because of that, owners are encouraged to clean up and fix up a property that is salvageable. “Of course, the owner has to consider the return on the investment.” The city is also glad to keep houses on properties to benefit real estate tax collections. “Taxes will be lower on properties that are just a vacant lot.” Grise is hopeful that recent property auctions will result in cleaned-up properties that will enhance the neighborhoods and help ease the housing shortage. “We give them a timeframe to get the work done. Unfortunately, we’re to a point with some properties that we’re going to have to tear them down.” M FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 45
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Parks & Environmental Services
New Brunswick unveils park renovations for community enjoyment
By DANIELLE LUND | The Municipal
In September 2023, New Brunswick, N.J., welcomed long-planned park improvements to its beloved Feaster Park after a long year of park closure. Residents attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the park officially to the public. Various spaces have been developed to encourage locals to spend time utilizing these areas with their friends and families. Later, in 2024, a statue of Paul Robeson, a local hero, will be unveiled. After a few years of discussion, planning and construction, the Feaster Park renovation has finally come to fruition this past September. The 5-acre park underwent improvements to ensure the community could take advantage of the beauty that the space has to offer. Additionally, a nearby school — Paul Robeson Elementary — and other local community programs were considered
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during the inception of the park, to ultimately allow and encourage the community to use the new and improved spaces around the park. On Thursday, Sept. 14, Middlesex County Commissioner director, Ron Rios, and New Brunswick’s mayor, Jim Cahill, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony with students from the nearby elementary school. The joyous ceremony included festivities such as music, games, entertainment and food vendors for the residents, with an open invitation for everyone to attend.
During the summer, families will be able to cool off using Feaster Park’s new water feature. (Photo provided by New Brunswick, N.J.)
ABOVE: Feaster Park features many outdoor spaces for residents and visitors to use and relax in. A walking path connects these spaces. (Photo provided by New Brunswick, N.J.)
Public information officer J. T. Miller of New Brunswick discussed the park’s inception, planning and execution in an email correspondence. When asked how the project planning and designing process went, Miller said, “Public questionnaires were circulated to residents seeking their input on the redesign and upgrades to Feaster Park. Two local service organizations, ‘Unity Square’ and the ‘Civic League,’ were also asked to provide feedback towards the park’s design and usage. The Trust for Public Lands was consulted with and handled the design process.” During the park’s planning phase, it was important for local officials to gain feedback and insight from the residents who would be most affected by the improvements. Neighborhood stakeholders were also significantly invested in the planning and design process of Feaster Park. The renovation project included updates to many of the alreadypresent structures and building facilities within the park. Most
Children enjoy new playground equipment. (Photo provided by New Brunswick, N.J.)
notably, the park has had significant updates and additions to the amenities. These include the new summer water features, designated age-specific playground spaces, refurbished public restrooms, basketball courts, a community garden, a multipurpose field, an amphitheater and an outdoor classroom space equipped with a special chalkboard for the students of the Paul Robeson Elementary School that sits directly across from the park. Additionally, one of the most captivating features to be added, a cement walking path, has been designed to wind throughout the park in a circular pattern, allowing people to enjoy the scenery as they walk, run, bike or rollerblade. According to J. T. Miller and other news sources, the project has cost the city of New Brunswick a sum of approximately $4 million. Miller discussed the funding in an email response, stating that, FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 47
continued from page 47
“The funding for the project came from a $1.5 million Middlesex County Open Space grant, approximately $2 million in New Brunswick capital funds, and approximately $620,000 from an interlocal agreement with the New Brunswick Board of Education.” Since the public’s reception was extremely important to city officials, it was made clear that the park’s intention was to provide locals with as many useful spaces as possible within the park to encourage attendance. Some spaces mentioned previously were part of this, but additionally, the park would be home to spaces for reading, table games, fitness classes, movies on the lawn, local performances and an array of seating areas. So far, the overall reception of the park appears to be positive. When asked, Miller said, “The city has not collected specific utilization data; however, the city operates a park ranger program for all of the parks in the city, and the rangers have reported positive feedback with the park’s usage.” While the majority of the renovations have been completed in the Feaster Park remodel, the city continues to develop the park areas and looks forward to the next project to be complete in 2024. To continue progress, Miller mentioned, “A statue of Paul Robeson has been commissioned and is in the process of fabrication. The completed statue will be installed in Paul Robeson Plaza, an area within the park paying tribute to the late Paul Robeson, a hero
A young park goer plays a happy tune, using Feaster Park’s builtin outdoor drum set. (Photo provided by New Brunswick, N.J.)
in New Brunswick, remembered for his iconic work as an academic, athlete, actor and activist.” It is clear that the Feaster Park update was well received by the public and will become a beautiful, open, natural space for the residents of New Brunswick. M
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Municipal Management
Belleview, Fla., welcomes new residents with promotional swag
A unique way Belleview, Fla., is sharing vital information with new residents is through a welcome bag. New residents are given this welcome bag in person at city hall when they go to get the water at their new home turned on. The bag contains information and promotional items from local businesses. (Photo provided by the city of Belleview, Fla.)
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By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
The city of Belleview, Fla., intends to ensure all new residents know about local businesses and the services the city has to offer by handing out welcome bags. When a new Bellevue resident comes into city hall to activate city water in their home, he or she is also presented with a package of flyers, pamphlets, promotional items and coupons from local businesses. The welcome bag program was started after a previous events and promotions manager worked with the commission on a way to make newcomers feel at home while sharing critical community information. It has been going on for three to four years and gives new residents a good idea of where to go for items, as well as what city office to contact in common situations. It’s free for local businesses to participate in the welcome bag program. The business simply has to provide a month’s supply or more of a promotional item and anything else they would like included in the bag. A member of the business brings in the items they want placed in the bags to Mikaela Schrickel, Belleview events and promotions manager, or she will pick the items up. Members of her department place the items in the bags. Schrickel will typically do Facebook posts and reach out to local sponsors who participate in other city events to spread the word about the welcome bag program. If the bags are running low on items or the city is looking to promote a specific type of business, she will write out a press release to be shared: However, the program grows primarily by word of mouth. At the program’s inception, a business had donated a large quantity of tote bags. Once those ran out, Schrickel succeeded in getting tote bags with the city seal on the front written into the department’s budget. The bag itself gives residents something useful they can continue to reuse, and its contents provide the resident with useful phone numbers and contact information in case they have any questions. Staff members in the events and promotions department normally have 50 to 100 bags at the ready. “On average we pass out 50 to 60 bags each month,” Schrickel said. They recently started to accept promotional flyers and other material from businesses in nearby Ocala, like the new indoor dog park. “Other than the welcome bags, we do our best to invite new citizens to attend our monthly events, including Friday Foodie Fest at Lake Lillian every third Friday of the month from January to September and Reading with the Mayor every first Tuesday of the month at the Belleview Community Center,” Schrickel said. At both, they work to promote the next upcoming community event. In the interest of engagement, they also work with local nonprofit organizations such as the scouts, Boys and Girls Club and veteran organizations as well as various businesses, and they participate in the county schools’ monthly meeting. In May, Belleview hosts a large Founder’s Day event at Lake Lillian. The library comes in with a pop-up board, and there are free activities for children. In October, the department hosts a trunk or treat the Saturday before Halloween.
Businesses in Belleview, Fla., can choose to participate in the city’s welcome bag program at no charge. They must simply provide a month’s supply of any items they wish to be placed in the bag. The events and promotions department ensures bags are prepared for new residents. The city typically hands out between 50 and 60 bags each month. (Photo provided by the city of Belleview, Fla.)
“We typically get about 10,000 citizens and county residents with around 50 businesses passing out candy for free,” Schrickel said. In December, a vendor-based event known as Light Up Lake Lillian enjoys participation from approximately 60 small businesses and food trucks, as well as an appearance from Santa. The department also hopes to attract new residents and businesses by highlighting photography taken throughout the city. Belleview also offers a community center for rent for celebrations or to offer free classes. “Our slogan is ‘City with small-town charm,’” Schrickel said. “We have a main strip with businesses, but it is not as busy as downtown Ocala.” Although the city is growing, “you can walk to all the stores,” she noted. “It is comfortable and small. There is a park at Lake Lillian with pavilions to rent and a dock. Belleview is a good place to raise a family.” M
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Municipal Management
College Park creates new homeownership opportunities for people to live and work in its city By NICHOLETTE CARLSON | The Municipal
College Park, Md., is encouraging University of Maryland employees and city employees to purchase a home within its limits with its homeownership program. In order to qualify, university employees must be full time and be benefits eligible, while city employees must be full time. Homes purchased must be within the municipal boundary of College Park. The College Park City-University Partnership’s homeownership program provides $15,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance and is structured as a 10-year, zero-interest forgivable loan. In 2015, the Partnership began implementing strategies and initiatives in the University District Vision 2020. At this point, only 4% of the University of Maryland employees actually lived in College Park, which meant many had long commutes. Thus, the homeownership program was created as a simple home buying solution. In order to take advantage of the program, buyers would select a home in the city and then submit completed paperwork, including the Partnership’s application, a signed human resources letter, an appraisal, a signed loan application and a ratified contract of sale. All applications are reviewed by the Partnership’s staff and executive director. If an application is approved, a formal loan commitment is signed, and the Partnership provides the title company with the necessary legal documents and funds at closing. According to Kendra McAbee, College Park City-University Partnership communications coordinator, “The process for building and implementing this program is a testament to the power of partnership — when all entities worked together to research, build, fund and announce this important initiative.” It only took six months to get from the concept to the first buyers utilizing the program. Similar programs, such as Live Baltimore, Johns Hopkins’ Live Near Your Work and other Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development programs, were researched to discover best practices. The Partnership also consulted its previous Live/Work College Park program, U3 advisors, attorneys and accountants for assistance creating the necessary legal documents, policies and procedures. The board of directors is made up equally of representatives from both the university and the city. While the program was under development, funding was applied for through the Department of Housing
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The city of College Park, Md., is encouraging full-time university and city employees to take advantage of the homeownership program offering down payment and closing cost assistance. The first homebuyer to utilize the program was William Witchard. This was the first homebuyer ribbon-cutting event in September 2023 with Sean Murphy, former landlord; William Witchard, homebuyer; and Daniel Cunningham, executive director of the College Park Community Preservation Trust. (Photo provided by the College Park City-University Partnership)
and Community Development Community Legacy grant. This funding is matched by the city and university annually. The program was brought to the board after program development for discussion and approval. Once approved, it was announced as part of the Smart Place to Live and University District Vision event series. Since 2015, this program has been used to help over 81 buyers purchase a home in College Park.
A mural in downtown College Park called “Psychophily — Pollination by Butterfly” was facilitated by the Partnership and transformed the most visible and prominent façade in downtown College Park at Knox Road and Baltimore Avenue. The mural features native Maryland species, including the checkerspot butterfly, black-eyed susan and terrapin. (Photo provided by the College Park City-University Partnership) “The benefits are seen through the number of people using the program and making College Park their home,” McAbee described. “It’s seen through the fact that 69% are first-time homebuyers and 67% of homebuyers have shorter commutes by a more varied mode, such as bike walk or bus. This contributes to broader state and regional climate change goals by reducing commutes and vehicle miles traveled closer to work. One homebuyer mentioned, ‘I can live an almost car-free lifestyle.’” The amount of university employees living in College Park has also increased to 6% from the original 4% seen in 2015. Many of these homebuyers also participate in a variety of other city events and initiatives. This includes the farmer’s market, sustainability initiatives like the bee hotel program and seasonal festivals. “This sense of community builds on the goals of the Partnership to have a vibrant campus community,” McAbee explained. “As one homebuyer put it, ‘College Park — it’s like living in a big city with all the benefits but also having a quiet place to put down roots.’” The city of College Park and the University of Maryland came together to create the College Park City-University Partnership 25 years ago in order to achieve shared community development goals. Strategic plans, such as Vision 2020 and currently Vision 2030, help to bridge the gap between them. “One of the key pillars of the strategic plan is housing — increasing the rate of owner-occupied, single-family homes within the city,” McAbee stated. “Out of these discussions arose the idea of creating a separate vehicle utilizing the concept of a community land trust as one of several tools to address housing affordability. The College Park Community Preservation Trust was formed and is a program of the partnership. It is one of 15 registered affordable housing land trusts in the state of Maryland.” The trust purchases homes at market price and is backed by approximately $15 million in capital funding from local, state, federal and philanthropic grants. These homes are then resold to buyers at an adjusted price based on the affordability level of the homebuyer. This is done by the trust selling the home but keeping the land. The buyer then agrees to a 99-year affordability requirement on the home and gives the trust first right of refusal in order to repurchase the home when the buyer sells it.
The College Park Community Preservation Trust is one of 15 registered affordable housing land trusts in Maryland. The Partnership recently won an award for the new homeownership program. Staff who accepted the Maryland Community Development Network 2023 Pioneering Award included Tawfiq Abdul-Karim, senior associate, College Park Community Preservation Trust; Susan Slingluff Hartmann, executive director, College Park City-University Partnership; and Daniel Cunningham executive director, College Park Community Preservation Trust. (Photo provided by the College Park City-University Partnership)
“A unique shared equity agreement allows for the buyer to enjoy market increases in the value of the home with a component that entails some of the upside going to the trust for the trust to reach even more homebuyers,” McAbee described. Participants must meet certain income requirements in order to be considered for the affordable housing land trust. They must earn 65-140% of the median family income, which is slightly above $200,000 for a family of four in the Washington metropolitan area and is adjusted up or down for family size. Participants must also qualify for a mortgage and complete a homeownership class approved by their lender. Price will be determined based on the participant’s current debts and estimated costs of homeownership, including principal, interest, taxes and insurance. Applications are available online at www.communitypreservationtrust.org. She continued, “Housing affordability is a complex, ubiquitous issue affecting communities across the United States. The Community Preservation Trust is just one of several approaches used by the Partnership and our institutional partners to address housing concerns in our community. Together, the city of College Park, the University of Maryland, the partnership and the Community Preservation Trust specifically selected the community land trust model. By crafting a structure that allows for more people of various economic means to become homeowners, the trust is changing the way people think about homeownership in College Park. As more people want to be in College Park — and stay there — the region can see and feel the benefits of this continued stability.” M FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 55
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F E B R UA R Y Feb. 2-6 ATSSA’s Convention & Traffic Expo San Diego, Calif. https://expo.atssa.com/ Feb. 4-6 Alabama Recreation & Parks Association State Conference Orange Beach, Ala. https://www.arpaonline. org/event/2024-arpa-stateconference/ Feb. 4-7 Ohio Parks Recreation Association Conference & Trade Show Kalahari Convention Center, Sandusky, Ohio https://opraonline. org/2023/02/08/2024-opraconference-trade-show/ Feb. 5-7 96th Annual Meeting Technical Conference & Exhibition New York City Marriott Marquis, New York, N.Y. https://www.nywea.org/ Feb. 7-8 City Action Days Lacey, Wash. https://wacities.org/ Feb. 7-9 Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Winter Professional Development Conference Amway Grand Hotel, Grand Rapids, Mich. https://www. michiganpolicechiefs.org/
Feb. 10-13 National Association of Counties Legislative Conference Washington, D.C. https://www.naco.org/ event/2024-naco-legislativeconference Feb. 14-16 Energy Storage North America San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, Calif. https://www.intersolar.us/ Feb. 20-22 Illinois Rural Water Association Annual Conference Keller Convention Center, Effingham, Ill. https://www.ilrwa.org/Training/ Conference.html Feb. 21-23 Operations & Maintenance & Safety Conference 2024 San Diego, Calif. https://cleanpower.org/events/ Feb. 25-28 NJRPA Conference & Expo 2024 Harrah’s Waterfront Conference Center, Atlantic City, N.J. https://www.njrpa.org/ Feb. 27-March 1 Texas Recreation & Park Society Institute & Expo Galveston, Texas https://traps.org
MARCH Feb. 27-March 1 Michigan Parks Conference & Trade Show Kalamazoo, Mich. https://www.mparks.org/page/ Conference Feb. 28-29 Delaware Rural Water Association 34th Annual Technical Conference Delaware State Fairgrounds, Harrington, Del. https://drwa.org/ events/#conference Feb. 28-March 1 Wisconsin Integrated Resource Management Conference Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, Wis. https://www.wirmc.org/
MARCH March 4-7 ARFF Training Alliance Leadership Symposium Port Charlotte, Fla. https://arffwg.org/conferences March 5-8 NTEA, North America’s Largest Work Truck Event Indianapolis, Ind. https://www.worktruckweek. com/register March 5-8 2024 MPRA Conference & Expo St. Charles, Mo. https://www.mopark.org/ conference
March 11-13 Utah Recreation & Parks Association Annual Conference Dixie Conference Center, St. George, Utah https://urpa.org/annualconference.html March 18-22 Michigan Chiefs of Police 2024 Spring Police Exec. & New Chiefs School Okemos Conference Center, Okemos, Mich. https://www. michiganpolicechiefs.org/ March 20-22 FLAGFA Spring 2024 Shores Resort & Spa, Daytona Beach Shores, Fla. https://www.flagfa.org/future_ dates.php March 20-23 NUCA Annual Con Expo Convention & Exhibit Palm Springs, Calif. https://www.nuca.com/ March 21-23 Wisconsin Firefighters Association Annual Convention Holiday Inn and Convention Center, Stevens Point, Wis. https://www.wi-statefirefighters.org March 17-20 PPE Symposium & Pre-Seminar HOTs Program Greenville, S.C. https://www.fieroonline.org/ upcoming-events
Event The Muncipal will be attending. To list your upcoming conference or seminar in The Municipal at no charge, call (800) 733-4111, ext. 2307, or email the information to swright@the-papers.com.
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News & Notes VMAC’s industry data shows service vans are gaining traction: 47% of fleets now include vans NANAIMO, B.C., CANADA — The number of fleets with service vans increased significantly in 2023 to 47%, up from 36% in 2022, according to the 331 service truck industry professionals surveyed by VMAC. Fleets with six to 25 vans saw the most significant spike in van adoption, increasing from 6% to 21%, year over year. “VMAC has been monitoring the industry’s predictions about the van market for years and finally we’re seeing the increase in demand in the data,” said Mike Pettigrew, VMAC’s marketing manager. “Rightsizing is a priority in the industry, as oversized vehicles come with higher price tags, increased operating and fuel costs, and maneuverability challenges in narrow streets and tight spaces.” When asked if they anticipate the number of service vans in their fleet to increase, decrease or stay the same, survey respondents almost unanimously agreed (97%) that the number would increase or remain the same. Only 3% of respondents expect a decrease in the number of service vans in their fleet. “The industry data has shown consistent van growth in Canada and the United States, and yet VMAC has the only engineered air compressor solution for these service vehicles — the UNDERHOOD40,” noted Pettigrew. “Ford has upfitted their fleet of service vans with UNDERHOOD40s for their mechanics to use when servicing their customers’ fleets. We expect more companies to follow suit and add vans to their fleets in the upcoming year as the benefits of rightsizing will continue to benefit the bottom line in 2024.” Get all the stats from VMAC’s “Annual State of The Industry Survey,” including charts, at www.vmacair.com/survey.
Portable evaporative cooler drops temperature up to 26 degrees at work or play THEODORE, ALA. — The latest addition to the Cool Boss family of portable evaporative coolers, the CB-26 is built to rapidly and economically cool areas up to 3,055 square feet. Leveraging the natural process of evaporation, it can drop air temperatures by 26 degrees for less than a dollar a day, making it an eco-friendly alternative to air conditioning. “Like the other evaporative coolers in our COOLBREEZE Series, the CB-26 lets you direct chilled air exactly where it’s needed at any time thanks to its oscillating swing louvers,” said Lee Franklin, product manager. “Use it at work or at home, indoors or out. All it needs is water and a standard power outlet.” The CB-26 has a compact design and easy-roll locking swivel casters, so it’s easy to move as needed. Simply plug the powerful air chiller into a 110-volt outlet and fill the 50-gallon reservoir with water. From there, warm air is pulled into the back of the CB-26 and directed through a water soaked Honeycool evaporative media pad that chills it instantly. The now-colder air is blasted out by a proprietary 26-inch Blue Flex axial flow fan. Its
blades pump out 6,027 CFM and pull a high volume of air at low RPMs. The unique Blue Flex fan will alter its shape slightly at higher RPMs. Although it’s hardly noticeable, it delivers reduced engine drag for increased energy efficiency and lower energy cost. The CB-26 measures 43 by 27 by 66 inches. Other key features include automatic water source shutoff; remote control with convenient holder; user-friendly controls; durable ABS plastic shell construction; antibacterial housing; and extra-long 15-foot power cord for maximum versatility. The Cool Boss lineup was designed with over 2,000 hours of research and development to deliver long service life. Because Cool Boss air coolers are not air conditioners, they don’t require expensive high-amp compressor motors, environmentally toxic chemicals, refrigerants or permanent installation.
Work Truck Week 2024 expanded with new training sessions FARMINGTON HILLS, MICH. — NTEA has added two more breakout sessions to a packed Work Truck Week 2024 educational program, announced presenters for OEM panel discussions and other training sessions, and extended Green Truck Summit hours. Work Truck Week 2024 runs March 5-8, 2024, at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. It encompasses Green Truck Summit, The Work Truck Show, NTEA Annual Meeting, Ride & Drive, educational sessions and more. Green Truck Summit is March 5, educational sessions run March 5-7 and Work Truck Show exhibits are open March 6-8. Work Truck Week, North America’s largest work truck event, is produced by NTEA —The Work Truck Association. For a complete schedule and to register, visit worktruckweek.com. Education is one of the core components that make Work Truck Week more than a trade show. The educational program includes a range of in-depth Special Sessions and shorter Breakout Sessions focused on ideas and strategies to help attendees improve efficiency, implement best practices and enhance operational growth. “Work Truck Week education and training sessions bring in experts from across the global commercial vehicle industry — including chassis and equipment manufacturers, government officials, business consultants, fleet managers and others — to help attendees stay current with trends, technology developments and vehicle changes,” said Jennifer Mitchell, NTEA senior director of content development. “WTW and GTS sessions address challenges attendees are facing right now, like grappling with recruiting and training employees, specifying and upfitting alternative fuel vehicles and maximizing productivity.” For a complete event schedule, session descriptions, registration and more, visit worktruckweek.com or contact NTEA at info@ntea.com or (800) 441-6832. M
News releases regarding personnel changes, other non-product-related company changes, association news and awards are printed as space allows. Priority will be given to advertisers and affiliates. Releases not printed in the magazine can be found online at www.themunicipal.com. Call (800) 733–4111, ext. 2307, or email swright@the-papers.com. 62 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
BENDPAK LIFTS BRING ANY JOB DOWN TO SIZE BendPak Model PCL-18B-6 Portable Column Lift
Certified to meet the standards of ANSI/ALI ALCTV: 2017
PCL-18B
FULL MOBILITY
SIMPLE OPERATION
ADJUSTABLE WHEEL FORKS
Bendpak is the name that fleet operators rely on because they’re the toughest lifts on earth. And nowhere is that strength more impressive than on our PCL-18B series portable column lifts. With a lifting capacity of 18,000 pounds for each column and paired configurations ready to accommodate two, four, six or eight axle vehicles, the PCL-18B is ready to service trucks as heavy as 144,000 pounds. From school buses and fire engines, to agricultural vehicles and utility trucks, bendpak continues to make today’s tough challenges yesterday’s problems. To learn more or to shop now, visit bendpak.com or call us at 1-800-253-2363.
1-800-253-2363 • BENDPAK.COM ©2024 BendPak Inc. All rights reserved.
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 63
Look familiar?
Switch to corrosion resistant, maintenance-free Strongwell FRP.
Above: The Franklin County Engineers Office in Columbus, Ohio needed to refurbish a public walkway alongside a four lane bridge. Over time, the steel check plates and support members corroded beyond repair due to heavy exposure from vehicular runoff comprised of brine salt, de-icing fluids, gasoline, antifreeze, and motor oil. Through the use of Strongwell’s Corrosion Resistance Guide, gritted, interlocking SAFPLANK® panels measuring 2” thick x 24” wide were chosen for the decking/walkway surfaces and EXTREN® Series 525 pultruded beams were chosen to replace various steel support structures underneath the walkway. Corrosion resistance and ease of installation were key benefits of FRP important to this installation.
Learn More at strongwell.com/municipal
Proudly Made in the U.S.A. The World Leader in Pultrusion and Pultruded Fiberglass Structures & Shapes 64 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
276-645-8000 • info@strongwell.com www.strongwell.com
Live behind the windshield? Heated Wiper Blades help you see in the snow. Clearly. Our premium heated wipers feature a heated frame and silicone blade that melt ice and snow on contact, instantly increasing your visibility and efficiency.
46104 State Highway M26, Atlantic Mine, MI 49905 800-746-0428 | www.everblades.com FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 65
TOP 10 Underrated U.S. winter destinations Wintertime offers the opportunity for every destination to put on a new face: Northern locales exchange their lush greenery for powdery hills of snow, and southern spots see wildlife as well as human residents turn their focus to new and innovative projects. For that reason, anyone up for traveling in February will find surprises that are hidden during the rest of the year. In fact, the online Family Destinations Guide has found no fewer than 150 cities across the country that are underrated when it comes to interesting experiences during this season. The guide features places that highlight their historic value, natural beauty and serenity and offer family activities devoid of the long lines that are so typical during summer months. Visit familydestinationsguide.com/americas-favorite-underrated-winter-destinations/ to see the entire list and to read details about what the Top 10 cities in America’s 150 Favorite Underrated Winter Destinations have to offer. Those cities are:
1. Buffalo, Wyo. 2. High Springs, Fla. 3. Creede, Colo. 4. Tok, Alaska 5. Frankenmuth, Mich. 6. Waimea Town, Kauai, Hawaii 7. Ashland, Neb. 8. Arrow Rock, Mo. 9. Mineral Point, Wis. 10. Cedar Key, Fla. Source: familydestinationsguide.com/americas-favorite-underrated-winter-destinations/ 66 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
Bighorn Mountain Range, Buffalo, Wyoming (Shutterstock.com)
REDUCE IDLE TRUCKS AND RISING COSTS
Transform your fleet with the Switch-N-Go® interchangeable truck body system where a single truck does the work of three
NEW FOR 2024: 60CA SWITCH-N-GO® FOR CLASS 4 & 5 State level DOTs, large city fleet managers, and township trustees are all uniquely positioned to take advantage of the over 30 Switch-N-Go® interchangeable truck bodies (Stainless Steel Dump Bodies, Flatbeds, and WorkReady™ Subframes, etc) all of which will help maximize budget dollars and provide the right tool for every job. D
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SEE How at Work Truck Week this March!
www.switchngo.com/municipalmagazine FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 67
68 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
M
Advertiser Index A
L
American Shoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Landmark Studio & Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BACK
ANP Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Land Pride . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Applied Concepts, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
B Bedlock Safety Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
M Microcranes, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 MRL Equipment Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover, 10-11
BendPak Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
N
Bonnell Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
National Construction Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Brightly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Next Filtration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Bucher Municipal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-37
NRT Specialty Trailers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Buyers Products Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
NTEA Work Truck Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
C
O
Clearspan Fabric Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
The ODB Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
E
R
EJCDC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Rendel’s Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Elgin Sweeper Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
S
Everblades Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Seica USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Stewart-Amos Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
F Flag Shooter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Fluid Control Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
G Global Environmental Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Streamlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Strongwell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Switch-N-Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
T Transpo Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Greystone Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
U
GVM Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Uline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
H Henderson Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
V Vactor Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Valtir LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
I
Versalift Forestry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
ICC Distribution Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
VizCon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
K
W
KM International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7, 56-57
Wisconsin Surplus Auction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
This index is provided courtesy of the publisher, who assumes no liability for errors or omissions. FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 69
The FlagShooter is a revolutionary tool that was developed to bring safety and efficiency to the damage prevention industry by combining the tasks of flagging and painting into one handheld device. The efficiency and ergonomic benefits of the FlagShooter are magnified in hard or frozen ground scenarios. The FlagShooter works with all major brands of inverted nozzle marking paint.
GUARANTEED QUALITY. MADE IN THE USA.
The FlagShooter is constructed of non-corrosive materials including nylon, aluminum and stainless steel. All parts are made and assembled in the U.S.A.
Stock up for spring! Save 5% on all orders Using Coupon Code:
Municipal *Offer ends February 28th, 2024
To Learn More Visit: The Best Way to Paint, Flag, and Profit... Guaranteed!
70 THE MUNICIPAL | FEBRUARY 2024
FlagShooter.com/Municipal/
The SnowDogg SuperWing Plow ®
™
Built To Keep You Working
SaltDogg® MDS Dump Spreader For Year-Round Use
SnowDogg® Illuminator™ LED Headlights Brighter & Longer-Lasting Than Traditional Halogens
Wide Range of Steel, Stainless Steel, & Poly Municipal Plows
Full Radius Poly Fenders
Equip your fleet with the SuperWing™ • 10-gauge 304 Stainless Steel & 7-gauge Carbon Steel models An investment that will last • Heavy Duty Tapered Moldboard with Flared Ends Clear large amounts of heavy, wet snow • SnowDogg Modular Design Allows for a wide range of mounting and brace options
Call 440-974-8888 ext. 1109 or email munisales@buyersproducts.com for a quote.
MADE WITH PRIDE IN THE USA
NOTHING WORKS LIKE A DOGG™
BuyersProducts.com
FEBRUARY 2024 | THE MUNICIPAL 71
Sustainable Waste Solutions for Total Municipal Management
Make Waste Disposal Easy City-Wide Your municipality is home for people and pets alike—along with their trash and recycling. Landmark makes it convenient for you to dispose of all that waste and prioritize recycling. From enclosures to dog waste stations, our products are:
Sustainably Made
Constructed for Durability
The same HDPE recycled materials that make our products so sustainable also make them highly durable. They will hold up against rain, snow, humidity, and more.
Fully Customizable
Keep branding consistent city-wide with our many personalization options. You can choose from different sizes and designs, color combinations, load options, and more.
We craft our products using GreenCircle-certified materials to promote a circular economy and keep plastic out of the environment.
Scan to start customizing—and tell your Landmark Account Manager you saw this ad in MUNICIPAL MAGAZINE
Plus, ask about our time- and money-saving Smart Waste™ trash sensors, which let you monitor bin fill levels right from your smartphone.
1-888-839-3853
LandmarkStudio.com