The Street Maintenance Division is responsible for over 300 miles of streets, including curbs, gutters, sidewalks, 35 miles of improved storm drains, maintenance of 10,000 traffic and street signs, and roadway markings including centerline striping and painted legends.

Curbs and Gutters

The California Street and Highways Code provides that adjoining property owners are responsible for the general maintenance of curbs along their property frontage. However, if the curb and gutter is damaged because of root growth from a City-owned tree, the City will assume the responsibility for making repairs.

Help Maintain the Curbs

Weeds and other plant growth can damage curbs, especially the caps of the cut stone curbs. Residents are encouraged to remove weeds from joints and cracks in the curbs and gutters.

Individual property owners may wish to replace broken or damaged caps on historic cut stone curbs. Staff is available to provide assistance with standard drawings and specifications related to these repairs.

Keep the gutters clean

The City prohibits residents from placing construction materials and other debris in the gutters.  In most cases dirt and other debris such a leaves or grass clippings block the water flow. A simple sweeping of the gutter will usually solve the problem.

Pot Holes and Repairs

Potholes are caused when the pavement or the material beneath it cannot support the weight of the traffic it carries. Two factors are the main causes of potholes – water and traffic.

The Facilities & Community Services Department maintains a full-time crew responsible for pot hole patching and other related asphalt pavement repairs.

Sidewalks

Sidewalk repairs are scheduled based on the following criteria:

1. If vertical displacement is less than ½ inch along the entire length of the developed crack, no work will be required on the sidewalk.
2. If the maximum vertical displacement is between ½ and 3 inches, the condition shall be rectified by wedging the uplifted sidewalk with asphalt or any other product approved by the Director.
3. Vertical displacement exceeding 3 inches shall be wedged as described above and the damage sidewalk shall be scheduled for replacement as the budget allows.

Resurfacing Program – Street Maintenance

The Division maintains over 310 miles of streets. The total maintenance responsibility is approximately 930 lane miles of streets.

In 2012, the City Council adopted a comprehensive Pavement Management Program (PMP) which provided a condition assessment of all City streets and guidelines for prioritization of street maintenance work. In developing the PMP, the physical condition of City streets was evaluated, rated, and the remaining projected life cycle determined. The PMP further identifies a schedule for maintenance and reconstruction of City streets at specified time intervals in order to extend the overall life-expectancy of all City streets in the most efficient and economical manner possible. In addition, the PMP establishes a comprehensive process to prioritize the rehabilitation of City streets and is a powerful tool to aid in the decision making process in order to best utilize financial resources.

Consideration of street conditions:

Patching and rehabilitating streets in poor condition can more than consume a budget allotted for street maintenance. Meanwhile, streets that are in relatively good condition but at a point where “timely” lower cost maintenance is needed are left unattended, causing them to enter the rapid deterioration phase in a few years. Therefore, “good” streets need routine maintenance and may need to be ranked ahead of what might be termed a “failed” or crisis street. Preventing good streets from slipping into deterioration will intervene in the chronic cycle, allowing staff to best utilize financial resources. Full resurfacing is scheduled for poor condition streets and reconstruction is recommended for failed streets through the Department’s capital improvement program.

The City has established a five-year moratorium on any utility cut in a newly resurfaced street, other than for emergency repairs. Utility companies and contractors who cut City streets are required to provide either a street cut fee or a long-term warranty for roadway restoration.

Roadway Markings

Roadway marking include any markings applied to the pavement such as paint, raised pavement markers and special pavement treatments. Markings have a definite and important function to perform in a proper scheme of traffic control. In some cases, they are used to supplement the regulations or warnings of other devices such as traffic signs and signals. They are also used alone and produce results that cannot be obtained by the use of any other device.

The most common method of placing pavement markings is by the use of paint. Pavement markings shall be yellow or white. Yellow lines delineate the separation of traffic flows in opposing directions or mark the left edge of a divided highway. Marking for school zones are also yellow. White lines delineate the separation of traffic flows in the same direction or mark the right edgeline. Broken lines are permissive in character, and solid lines are restrictive in character.

Street Signs

Traffic signs should be used only when warranted by facts and field studies. Signs are essential where special regulations apply at specific places, specific times or where unusual conditions are not self-evident. They also provide information as to street locations, directions, destinations and points of interest. ordinarily, signs are not needed to confirm rules of the road or general provisions of the California Vehicle Code.

The Division maintains over 10,000 traffic control signs throughout the over 300 miles of roadways in Redlands. Installations include required regulatory signs such as stop signs, speed limit signs, warning signs, street name signs and other advisory signs. The Division also has the capability to make special use signs, such as those advising the public of available parking lots in the downtown area.

To report missing or damaged signs, signs covered by tree branches, or any other related traffic sign repair, please provide our staff with the location and type of the sign damage or problem.

Weed Abatement Services

The Division provides a variety of weed abatement services within the public right-of-way at certain locations. City crews provide shoulder grading and weed clearance along rural roadways such as San Timoteo Canyon Road. Crews will also provide clearance as necessary to enhance visibility at intersections.

Property owners are responsible for all weed abatement on private property and along improved streets to the curb line.

What you can do to help! 

Property owners can keep their parkways, curbs and gutter clear of weeds and grass. Periodical removal of weeds and grass from cracks or joints in sidewalks, curbs and gutters can assist to avoid damage and maintain an aesthetic appearance of our neighborhoods. This will also allow the street sweepers to provide a more effective cleaning service.

Storm Drains

A number of regional and local storm drains that run through the City of Redlands. Most of these drains flow through enclosed pipes or along improved open channels. The City maintains all improved storm drains that have dedicated easements for storm drain purposes.

City crews provide regular inspection and maintenance of storm drains throughout Redlands. However, crews cannot find all problems that could develop in the storm drain system. To report drains blocked by brush or debris, erosion, collapse of walls or channel bottoms or any other related storm drain problem, please provide our staff with the location of the storm drain damage.

Pollution Control

When it rains, water flows into the storm drain system.  All drainage from the City of Redlands ultimately enters the Santa Ana River. This runoff can carry debris and pollutants into the Santa Ana River. Polluted runoff can potentially contaminate the groundwater which is used for drinking.

Protection of our waterways is both important and our responsibility.

Protection of our waterways is both important and our responsibility. There are ways where each one of us can help.

Prevent contamination from such things as chemical spills, careless agriculture and thoughtless and improper disposal of motor oil, household products and pet waste.

There are ways where each one of us can help. Here are some DO’sand DON’T’s of storm drain pollution.

Do…

1. place litter in trash cans.
2. take household toxic fluids to a hazardous waste collection facility.
3. dispose of pet waste in trash.
4. maintain your car and look for possible leaks.
5. clean up spills with an absorbent material and dispose of it properly.
6. sweep up yard debris and place in trash bins or compost it.
7. water your lawn for shorter durations.
8. clean water-based paints from rollers, pans and brushes in your sink. Take unwanted thinner, paint and related materials to the City’s household hazardous waste collection facility.

Don’t…

1. litter.
2. dump oil, antifreeze and other chemicals down the storm drain.
3. leave pet waste on lawns, streets or in public places for a long period of time, as harmful bacteria can be washed into storm drains.
4. allow your car to leak fluids that will be washed into the streets.
5. allow oil or paint spills to accumulate on driveways or sidewalks.
6. wash or place leaves, twigs, grass clippings or dirt into the storm drains.
7. overwater your lawn.
8. wash out paint brushes, pans and rollers in gutters.

SANDBAGS

Residents are also encouraged to make necessary advance preparations if they are aware of the potential for flooding on their property.

The City maintains a stock of sandbags for emergency purposes. Residents can pick up unfilled sandbags from any Redlands Fire Station or at the Fire Administration Office at City Hall as long as Fire personnel are available and not on an emergency call.

 

Residents are also encouraged to make necessary advance preparations if they are aware of the potential for flooding on their property. The following policy is used regarding the issuance of sandbags:

1. Sandbags shall be given ONLY to residents or businesses* located within the City of Redlands. Sandbags shall only be for use at this location and not for locations outside of the city limits. Residents must provide identification and business owners or managers must provide information indicating their business is located within the city’s jurisdiction.
   *Businesses excludes contractors.
2. City crews are generally not able to deliver sandbags during a storm or flooding event. (Crews may deliver sandbags as a service to the elderly or handicapped.)
3. Fill sand and shovels will be made available across from the City Yard at 1270 W. Park Ave. and at the Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave. whenever significant rainfall is predicted for the area. Residents have to fill the sandbags themselves.
4. There is a limit of 10 sandbags for any one resident or business.
5. Bags may also be purchased at most home improvement stores and filled at City locations.