Pavement Management

Workers in a large truck applying slurry seal on roadway

(City of Burien 2019, Slurry Seal Application, Residential Street, PCI=76)

The City of Burien is responsible for repairs and maintenance of approximately 137 centerline miles of paved roads (Residential= 70%, Collectors Arterials=20%, Primary Arterials=10%).

Maintenance items such as pothole repairs and crack sealing, together with other emergency repairs throughout the city are handled by the city’s Public Works Street Maintenance Crew. The larger capital pavement management projects are contracted out annually, under the Pavement Management Program, through the city’s “Competitive Bidding” or “Small Works” policies (RCW 39.04). 

The city’s annual pavement management program consists of pavement preservation (crack sealing, micro surfacing and slurry seal coatings), maintenance items (full depth repairs), together with reconstruction and rehabilitation projects (mill and overlays). The purpose of the program is to reduce the overall long-term cost for maintaining the condition of Burien streets.

Pavement Conditions - 2024

The Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is a numerical rating of the pavement condition and ranges from 100 (newly paved road) to 0 (road has failed), which measures the severity and types of distresses observed within road surfaces using survey and calculation methods per ASTM D6433 Standard Pavement Condition Index (PCI) rating scale. 

The city’s road network average PCI is currently at 69, which indicates the overall network is in ‘Fair’ condition.  The figure below shows a typical pavement deterioration curve depicting street conditions over time. 

Pavement Condition Index Graph - measures severity and types of distresses observed within road surfaces.

(The Pavement Condition Index Graph)

The city’s road network is near the point where many streets are beginning to deteriorate rapidly from ‘Fair” to ‘Poor’ conditions. Factors such as traffic volumes, traffic loads (heavy trucks and buses), and damaged caused by poor drainage all affect the life of a given road segment.

View the 2024 Pavement Condition Map to see the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) ratings of all 1443 street segments within the city’s road network.

Annual Pavement Management Projects (PMP)

Photo of workers working on pavement surrounding by large machinery and trucks.

(City of Burien 2021, Full Depth Repair with Grind and Overlay, Collector Street, PCI = 53)

Each year the city’s Pavement Management Projects are selected within one of the city’s 5 maintenance zones, by reviewing the current pavement condition Index (PCI), field inspections, and resident input, together with using the city’s advanced pavement management application software, Street Saver®, which allows the city to assess project cost, choosing the right application and when, and evaluate target goals within a given budget.

Maintenance Zones: (Regional Neighborhoods), Next PMP Year

  • Downtown = (Downtown, Chelsea Park), 2025
  • NW = (Shorewood, Salmon Creek, Evansvale), 2026
  • NE = (Beverly Park, Boulevard Park, Highline), 2027
  • SE = (Five Corners, Manhattan, Sunnydale), 2028
  • SW = (Gregory Heights, Lake Burien, Seahurst, Three Tree Point), 2029
The associated cost to maintain and repair street pavement depends on its current PCI. The key element of the city’s Pavement Management Program is to keep streets that are in ‘Good” to ‘Fair’ categories from further deteriorating while making the necessary improvements to streets in ‘Poor’ conditions to improve their acceptable service levels. The city’s goal is to keep the overall network at a service level of PCI = 70.

Report a Street Problem

To report a street issue such as a pothole, heavily damaged, cracked pavement or drainage issue use the link below.

 

Updated February 11, 2025