UTC endorses maintenance funding priorities and hears TPW operating budget briefing

Director Mendoza (Transportation & Public Works) briefed the Urban Transportation Commission on TPW's annual operating budget, outlining the department's service areas and revenue sources. Mendoza said the transportation user fee generated around "$156,000,000" in FY26, and staff presented other revenue lines including temporary right‑of‑way fees (~$14,400,000), parking revenue (~$20,500,000) and other revenues (~$31,000,000). TPW presented a FY26 operating plan of roughly $213,000,000 for transportation operations and maintenance and described major expense buckets (asset and facilities management; sidewalk infrastructure; street preventative maintenance; signals and operations).

Following the briefing, Vice Chair Spencer Schumacher moved that the commission approve a draft recommendation on budget priorities for FY26–27. The recommendation asks that any increase in the transportation user fee be prioritized toward active-transportation maintenance, specifically by increasing sidewalk rehabilitation funding from $7.7 million to $15.4 million, raising urban trails maintenance from $0.4 million to $1.0 million, and establishing a dedicated vertical‑safety maintenance crew to replace and maintain delineators and other flexible safety devices. Schumacher said the combined incremental ask above FY26 baseline is approximately $8.8 million.

Commissioners discussed the math and reporting details, whether vertical delineator replacement should be a separate tracked line item, and long-term options such as slip-form concrete curbs to reduce repetitive replacement. Director Mendoza said the department can track expenditures and that some project salaries are charged to capital projects or consultants when appropriate; he also noted that TPW drew down fund balance in FY26 to cover some one-time needs.

The commission voted to approve the draft recommendation by a 7–0 vote. The approved recommendation will be communicated to City Council and incorporated into the commission's input on FY26–27 budget deliberations.

Public comment at the meeting raised equity and safety concerns about North Lamar and other corridors. Zenobia Joseph urged prioritizing North Lamar and cited past fatalities and a claim of disinvestment; staff did not take immediate formal action in response but acknowledged the public comment and said staff would provide clarifying follow-up where appropriate.

Next steps: TPW will continue budget development, provide requested clarifying numbers to the commission, and the UTC will forward its recommendation to City Council as part of the FY26–27 discussion.