Each year, City staff walk over 250 miles inspecting and recording conditions. Most major streets receive further engineering analysis to decide on resurfacing needs. Streets included in the annual resurfacing program are carefully selected. Decisions are based on engineering, work with other agencies and utilities, and input from citizens. Street work is grouped together where possible, to reduce costs.
Much work is done to keep from cutting into existing streets.
The City also works with underground utilities to get street openings done before, not after, resurfacing. And, soon it will have another - the 26th Avenue Extension. The product is a five-lane roadway extending from Columbia Street in downtown Vancouver west over the rail yard to Fourth Plain Boulevard. Extending Mill Plain Boulevard west enhances freight access between I-5 and the Port of Vancouver. The road features lighted sidewalks, bike lanes, landscaping and decorated soundwalls.