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Sunnyvale gets $5.4 million from Measure B fund
By KELLY WILKINSON
Sunnyvale roads are getting a $2.68 million tune-up.
The Santa Clara Board of Supervisors unanimously approved almost $26 million in pavement repair funds to local cities. Sunnyvale's cut--two disbursements of almost $2.7 million--will be distributed over the next four years.
The road repair money comes from Measure B, which was passed in November 1996 and increases sales tax in the county by a half a cent for nine years.
But Sunnyvale's roads are in better shape than most in the county, city officials say. Pavement repairs are made on a consistent, annual basis in Sunnyvale, said Ray Williamson, traffic engineer for the city. Sunnyvale has a pavement management program for each year, which aims to prevent potholes rather than waiting for deterioration before taking action.
"City Council has realized that it's the most cost-effective way to maintain the roads," Williamson said. "Most cities don't assign it such a high priority, so we probably won't have to do much reconstruction."
Instead, the city might file for self-certification from the county, said John Greenhunt, field service superintendent, which would allow the city to use the money for congestion management and traffic relief.
The city has already set aside a portion of its budget for future road repairs, according to Greenhunt. "So this is money in addition to what we were planning on spending," he said.
The city will be deciding how to allocate the money over the next few months, after they have received more details of when and how the money will be coming in from the county.
"All sources of money come with strings attached," Williamson said. "So we're juggling different projects and different money to figure out how to use it all best."
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
