City Hall: Street conditions in Sioux Falls outpace national average

Citywide pavement assessment brings positive marks for Public Works Department

Don’t let the craters along East 10th Street or portions of South Minnesota Avenue fool you — the streets in Sioux Falls are in good shape.

That’s the assessment of a recently released road condition report commissioned by the Sioux Falls Public Works Department assessing the quality and condition of what amounts to 18 million square yards of paved roads in the city.

“Taking a data-driven approach is key to investing in the right streets at the right time to extend their lifespan,” City Engineer Wes Philips said Wednesday during a morning news conference at City Hall where the pavement condition index (PCI) compiled by third-party vendor Roadway Asset Services (RAS) was unveiled. “As a Public Works team, we have a goal to maintain a PCI of 70 or higher, and we are pleased with a PCI of 73.”

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According to RAS, the $2.6 billion worth of paved roadways maintained by the city are in “very good” condition overall, citing a pavement management survey it conducted last September using a high-tech van equipped with lasers, cameras, Global Positioning System (GPS), and other measuring sensors. Every block of city streets was surveyed as part of the city’s contract with RAS, valued at about $200,000.

The city’s latest PCI of 73 is within the national average, which ranges from 65 to 75, according to RAS.

And for a cold-weather climate city, being on the high end of the national average is an accomplishment, said Zac Thomason, a senior vice president for RAS.

“If you put that in perspective too, less than 5 percent of agencies that we work with score above an 80,” he said. “It’s financially unachievable for most agencies to get that high in terms of condition.”

Sioux Falls is also ahead of the curve when it comes to roads considered to be in excellent condition. The city’s PCI graded 36 percent of its streets as excellent, a score of 85 or higher. In contrast, cities typically earn excellent marks on fewer than 30 percent of their roads.

“That tells us there has been reinvestment back into the pavement management program (in Sioux Falls),” he said, also noting the amount of roads deemed to be in the city’s backlog is at 3 percent, while 12 percent is the average number of roads considered overdue for repairs in other cities.

The pavement management survey results are used by the Public Works Engineering and Street Maintenance Divisions to prioritize and budget city streets for preservation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, said Dustin Hansen, Street Operations Manager for the City of Sioux Falls.

Hansen also noted that in addition to the pavement management survey, the city considers other factors in street project selection, including utility condition, traffic volume, safety, pedestrian needs, neighborhood grouping for efficiency, locations of other street projects to prevent major impact on an area, maximizing economic efficiency, and funding availability.

“The city’s PCI score demonstrates our commitment to a well-maintained street network,” Hansen said. “We take immense pride in managing and enhancing this vital asset for the benefit of our community.”

The value of the city’s street pavement alone, not counting sidewalks, utilities, amenities, or other features, is over $2.6 billion. Sioux Falls has more than 3,455 lane miles, which is equivalent to building a two-lane road between Sioux Falls and San Diego, California.

Sioux Falls undertakes the citywide pavement survey every four years. The city last conducted a survey in 2019, resulting in a rating of 70 — also classified as “very good.”

A map of data collected by RAS during the pavement management survey is available on the city’s website. Current and recently completed street projects are not reflected in the map.

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