INC NEWS - Durham Debuts New Bonds Web Page

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Beverly B. Thompson

Public Affairs Director

(919) 560-4123 x 229

(919) 475-2362 (cell)

Beverly.Thompson at durhamnc.gov <mailto:Beverly.Thompson at durhamnc.gov> 

 

For Immediate Release:   October 22, 2007

 


City of Durham's New "BondsForDurham.org" Web Page 


Organizes 2005 Bond Project Updates


Web Page Also Provides Information on City's 2007 Street and Sidewalk
Referendum

 

Durham, N.C. - Almost two years ago, City of Durham voters approved
financing $110 million in public improvements through bonds. That voter
approval came with a strong message to City leaders - spend the money
efficiently and keep us informed. 

 

Following through with the public's demand, the City immediately formed
a Capital Program Advisory Committee, comprised of Durham citizens, to
scrutinize the work.  The City also began airing updates through its
television programming, while City Manager Patrick W. Baker and his top
executives presented updates to community groups and the City Council.
Meanwhile, project managers posted detailed information on the City's
Web site at www.durhamnc.gov/cip, with bi-monthly updates on the status
of each project.

 

Now, to make all of that information even easier to browse, the City has
collected all of this vast information into a new bond project Web page
at www.bondsfordurham.org <http://www.bondsfordurham.org/> .  Included
on this new Web page is also information on the City's 2007 street and
sidewalk improvements bond referendum to be placed on the November 6
ballot. 

 

"I stress to my department directors and project managers that this is
the public's money, which we must spend carefully to meet these crucial
needs," Baker said. "We are committed to transparency and to being
excellent stewards of citizens' funds. That communication is especially
important now, as voters consider whether to finance another $20 million
for street and sidewalk improvements since the street projects voters
funded in 2005 are nearly finished."

 

Also included on the Web page is a link to the latest information on the
condition of City-maintained streets with the release of the 2007
Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) Pavement
Condition Survey. 

 

The 2007 survey, the fourth commissioned by the City since 1995, shows
where the City stands in meeting its road repair needs.  The condition
of more than 7,000 segments of City-maintained streets was evaluated and
each is listed with a pavement condition rating and the type of repair
needed.  The City uses these figures to prioritize which streets will be
paved first.  To access the survey, click on the "Pavement Condition
Survey" link on www.bondsfordurham.org <http://www.bondsfordurham.org/>
. 

 

According to Baker, the City has enlisted the expertise of an outside
firm to ensure that the remaining bond projects are completed as quickly
and cost-effectively as possible. Some of the progress on building
renovation projects so far has been behind the scenes, as City project
managers work with those experts, architects and engineers to develop
the most efficient design and find low-cost contractors. 

 

To bring more awareness to bond-funded projects, signs reading, "Your
Bonds = A Better Durham" have been installed at many 2005 bond project
sites to remind citizens that hardhat work will begin soon. 

 

For more information regarding 2005 bond progress or the 2007 street and
sidewalk bond referendum, visit the City's Web site at 
www.bondsfordurham.org <http://www.bondsfordurham.org/>  or contact
Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200.

 

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