How We Plan and Pay for Streets

The City of Abilene is responsible for the care and management of nearly 1,800 lane miles of roadway.

Historically, the City has worked to repair and maintain all of that roadway with money that comes from two places; the City budget, and bonds. 

Eight percent of Abilene's $106 million dollar general fund budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year is dedicated to public works, the department charged with maintaining our streets. But, the emphasis here is maintenance; City street crews are equipped to make mostly minor or temporary fixes, like filling potholes or patching smaller sections of roadway.

Pie chart showing 2019-2020 fiscal year general budget, 8% of which is dedicated to public works

It costs, on average, between $20 and $60 to patch or fill one square yard of roadway. Completely reconstructing a road can cost a lot more, and that's where bonds come into play.

Since 1950, Abilene voters have passed 14 bond packages for street projects; each time giving the City a green light to borrow money to do major road work and reconstruction.

Timeline showing the years Abilene voters approved bond measures and total amounts

While bond packages can address a lot of the City's road needs, they haven't been able to take care of everything.

Now, through the creation of Abilene's Street Maintenance Fund, the City is working to bridge the gap between road maintenance handled through the general fund budget, and major projects complete with bond money.

To learn more about Abilene's Street Maintenance Fund, click here, or use the link located in the side menu.