Try This Strategy for Planning and Funding Street Improvements

Planning, funding, and constructing street improvements can be challenging for many small cities. Often times streets reach complete failure before repair is even considered and that can be expensive. Funding can then become a major challenge. While assessments offer one approach for funding, they can cause issues for the city and property owners. Wouldn’t it be nice if your city could minimize or even avoid assessments when a street repair or improvement project is needed?

An established street fund could do that for you, and Widseth can help.

With a bit of planning and some patience, your city could be in a better position to fund street repairs and improvements.

Here’s how:

• Street improvement fund planning—determine the best approach to establish a street improvement fund. Our team, along with your financial advisor, can talk to you about getting started.
• Create a priority list—determine which streets need the most attention and what needs to be done. Widseth will work with your staff to create a rating scale that can help you prioritize.
• Develop a long-term plan for the entire street system—How will the fund continue to grow? Look to future street needs versus chasing after problems, which are typically more expensive to fix.

The goal is to plan for street improvement projects before your streets deteriorate to a point beyond repair. Sometimes when repairs or improvements are needed it can be difficult to assess certain properties. Community “buy-in” into improvement projects tends to increase with proper planning and funding mechanisms in place.

Widseth has professionals who will look at a project objectively and make an informed recommendation based on the goals, needs, funds, and priorities of the city. With planning and foresight, money and time can be saved, and the best option for your community can be brought to the forefront.