Dallas

More Money Needed to Solve Dallas Street Issues

No solutions were offered Monday on finding the funding to pay for suggested upkeep and repairs

Dallas must spend around three times more than it does now to make progress on the condition of city streets. That was the bottom line of a briefing delivered to a Dallas City Council committee Monday.

The news comes after years of neglecting street maintenance and after voters approved a large bond referendum in 2017 with half of the money going to streets and transportation.

Between bond money and general fund cash, the city will spend a total of $106.7 million in fiscal year 2019 on streets. The briefing said $269.4 million a year is needed, just to keep the condition of streets citywide from declining further. To improve the overall condition of streets by just one percent per year, the briefing said the city must spend an average of $351 million each year.

"It's just not a pretty picture," said Councilman Lee Kleinman. "I just don't think it's going to happen."

City staff members did not have immediate options for finding that kind of money.

Councilman Tennell Atkins said his district, with larger geography, needs even more money than others.

"I will never catch up if I get the same equal share. There's no way I'll catch up," Atkins said.

Council members praised the additional pavement management information the city is posting online about the condition of streets, including a color coded map with street conditions and links to work schedules

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