Public Works: Keeping the City Moving
Public Works: Keeping the City Moving
What is Public Works? Public Works professionals include those who manage streets and sewer infrastructure, traffic controls and engineering, design engineering, project and construction management. They maintain and improve the systems and services vital to a community’s health, safety, and comfort.
Collectively, Cedar Rapids Public Works manages the repair, construction, and maintenance of over $1.5 billion in street and $1 billion in sewer infrastructure. A snapshot of Cedar Rapids Public Works includes:
Engineering
Engineering is responsible for implementing the City’s infrastructure capital improvement program. This would include streets, bridges, sidewalks, trails, sanitary sewers, stormwater improvements, traffic signals, the Flood Control System and Paving for Progress programs. Engineering is responsible for acquiring and processing right-of-way, permanent and temporary easement for all City projects, and for disposing excess City-owned property.
Traffic Engineering
Traffic Engineering is responsible for evaluating and monitoring traffic operations and safety for the city. The division manages and operates more than 217 traffic signals, approximately 1,200 street lights, and more than 1.4 million feet of pavement marking and signage designed to organize the movement of freight, transit, vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrians. The division conducts engineering studies to identify appropriate traffic control devices needed on new and reconstructed streets as well as during construction to safely support all users of the city’s transportation network.
Street Maintenance
Streets is responsible for maintaining over 1,400 miles of City street through preventive maintenance including crack sealing, resurfacing, concrete repairs, and alley grading. The maintenance staff is also responsible for snow removal during the winter, utilizing 92 pieces of equipment to clear streets within 12 hours after a snow event. In the spring, these same crews sweep the City streets, collecting approximately 3,000 tons of debris that is screened and recycled for use on maintenance projects across the city and county. The Streets Division responds and supports other City Departments in response to emergency situations like flooding, high wind damage, and emergency water main breaks.
Sewer Maintenance
Sewer Maintenance is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the City’s sanitary and storm sewer systems. This infrastructure is critical for the protection of public health and environment and is required to meet Federal regulatory requirements. The Sewer Division oversees 667 miles of sanitary sewer main, 521 miles of storm water mains, nearly 15,000 manholes, 100 public detention basins, 20,000 storm structures, and inspects private storm water facilities and developments for required stormwater management practices to keep Cedar Rapids’ natural waters clean.
Construction Engineering
The Construction Engineering Division is responsible for the contract administration and field inspection of construction projects by contractor forces. The 13-member team is on site for more than 50 City administered contractor construction projects a year as well as private subdivisions and commercial developments that include public infrastructure improvements. The division ensures that high quality construction projects are executed in a timely fashion and partner with local businesses and residents for the best possible solution on projects.
Together, these divisions make up the forces that keep the city moving and are on call seven days a week to respond to emergency situations.
