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“It must always be remembered how cost-effectiveness works in the public sector: the cost IS the benefit.” - author unknown

What are the Cost Implications of Implementing the Guidelines?

This document presents the characteristics, design elements and benefits of multi-modal streets consistent with the policies set forth in the Regional Transportation Plan. Local agencies required to implement these policies must address their cost implications. This section presents example cost estimates under two scenarios: (1) a comparison of costs to modernize an existing street to meet current standards (of a representative county in the region) versus implementation of the guidelines in this document and (2) a comparison of the costs to construct an entirely new street based on current design standards versus the Metro guidelines.

Street modernization or construction costs vary dramatically due to the unique characteristics, design and constraints of each roadway project. The examples presented here are representative of such unique situations, but cannot reflect the countless variations of costs that are possible. The basic assumptions used to derive the cost estimates are described in this section. Detailed unit costs, line items, and drawings are available from Metro.

Example modernization cost comparison

The following modernization example is based on an actual street segment located in a representative county, Multnomah County. The segment is a 1,890-foot portion of Division Street from 127th to 133rd Avenue. This segment was selected to represent a typical street that currently requires a moderate level of improvements to meet current standards.

Upgrading Division Street to meet current Multnomah County standards for a major arterial does not require an extensive effort. The two major improvements are wheelchair ramps and curbs at intersections and construction of sidewalks where they do not currently exist. The requirements to upgrade Division Street to a regional street as described in this document are significantly more extensive. The cost estimate is based on the following major design elements and assumptions:

• sidewalk widths of 8 feet with street trees and grates on both sides of the street

• bicycle lanes on both sides of the street (5 feet wide)

• on-street parking lane 7 feet wide on one side of the street only (to accommodate the design elements within the existing 90-foot right of way)

• a continuous two-way left-turn lane 13 feet in wide

• four 11-foot-wide travel lanes

• curb extensions as necessary to identify the street centerline and lane configurations, and at intersections to meet wheelchair ramp standards

• curb extensions at intersections to reduce crossing distance

• curb extensions at mid-block locations to delineate on street parking, provide for street trees within parking lanes, and increase buffer between vehicles and pedestrians

• all existing sidewalks were assumed to be replaced because irrigation and tree wells impacted too much of the existing sidewalk area

• irrigation and landscape maintenance costs

• signal modifications to accommodate changes in existing lane alignments (relocation of signal heads and new poles and bases).

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“A billion here, a billion there, sooner or later it adds up to real money.”

Everett Dirksen

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Following is a comparison of Division Street modernization costs by major categories.

                                Multnomah Metro Regional

                                County Stds. Street

1. Preparation/miscellaneous     $9,571    $82,830

2. Signalized intersections         $0         $34,220

3. Unsignalized intersections     $39,590  $42,065

4. Street improvements            $19,354 $283,545

5. Storm drainage system         $52,150 $191,950

6. Landscape/maintenance        $0         $318,430

7. Signals and signs                 $0         $166,601

8. Miscellaneous utilities           $0         $4,000

Total                               $120,665   $1,123,641

The comparison shows the cost of upgrading an existing arterial to Metro regional street guidelines can be nearly 10 times as high as the cost to improve the street to current standards. The difference in the level of improvement and reconstruction is significant in this example.

Example new street construction cost estimates

The following example compares the costs of constructing a new street to current Washington County arterial design standards to those for constructing a Metro regional boulevard. This comparison is based on a representative 98-foot right of way along a 1,380-foot (1/4 mile) segment. Cross-sectional elements of the Washington County design standard street include:

• four 12-foot-wide travel lanes

• 14-foot-wide center turn lane (no raised median)

• 6-foot-wide bicycle lanes on each side (no parking)

• 5 1/2-foot-wide sidewalks on each side

• 6 1/2-foot-wide landscape strips on each side (no trees).

Cross-sectional elements of the regional boulevard street design include:

• four 11-foot-wide travel lanes

• 13-foot-wide raised median with landscaping and trees

• 7-foot-wide on-street parking lanes with street trees within extended curbs on each side

• 5-foot-wide bicycle lanes on each side

• 8 1/2-foot-wide sidewalks with trees and grates on each side.

Cross-section and plan view drawings of each example are available from Metro. Following is a comparison of the street construction costs by major categories.

                              Washington Metro Regional

                              County Stds.     Boulevard

1. Preparation/miscellaneous    $90,540   $67,540

2. Signalized intersections        $90,207   $67,964

3. Unsignalized intersections    $45,898   $55,495

4. Restricted intersections        $99,572 $114,622

5. Street construction             $354,702 $359,155

6. Storm drainage system       $133,300 $158,890

7. Landscape/maintenance      $6,306    $239,415

8. Signals and signs               $175,490 $177,704

                              Total  $996,015 $1,240,785

The comparison shows that the cost of constructing a street designed to regional boulevard guidelines is comparable to that for an arterial designed to Washington County  standards. The Washington County design cost example is about 20 percent lower than the regional boulevard example, or roughly equivalent to landscaping cost differences between designs.

While the cost comparisons represent only two possible variations of modernization and new construction scenarios, they indicate two important findings. The first is that the cost of modernizing an existing street to Metro guidelines can be significantly higher than simply improving the street to existing standards.

Page 84 of METRO’s “Creating Livable Streets”  (cls.pdf)

Page 85 of METRO’s “Creating Livable Streets”  (cls.pdf)

Shows how to  spend almost TEN TIMES as much money for little improvement in the actual street.

How METRO Wastes Most Of Our Road Money!