Mission Statement:
Protect the Public’s Health
Purpose:
Provide for safe and reliable drinking water, wastewater treatment, drainage, solid waste disposal, public transit, and transportation systems.
Funding Sources:
General Fund: 16%
Enterprise Funds: 75%
Other Funding: 9%
What We Do:
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The Public Work Department provides a broad range of services to the community that are essential to the welfare and quality of life for our citizens. Public Works includes six divisions responsible for providing services and maintaining infrastructure to protect the health, safety, and environment of Rapid City. Three divisions operate within the general fund budget. Three divisions operate as self-supporting enterprise funds. Additional special revenue funding is also included in the Public Works budget.
General Fund
Street Division: Provide the public with safe, clean & well maintained street and pedestrian systems for the convenience and safety of the public. To accomplish this end in an efficient, safe, economical and environmentally conscience manner.
- Operate and maintain our 400+ mile transportation system.
- Perform winter snow removal, including plowing and treating streets, to maintain safe road conditions in winter weather.
- Perform year round street maintenance, including pothole repair, crack sealing, and paving.
- Perform street sweeping activities to remove more than 3,800 tons of dirt, dust, and debris from streets to improve air and water quality, and road conditions.
- Provide vehicle and equipment maintenance and repair on approximately 600 units for various City departments.
Engineering Services: Plan, organize, and direct the engineering services related to the master planning, development, maintenance and improvement of City infrastructure.
- Maintain traffic control systems through the Traffic Operations Group.
- Maintain multi-layered mapping resources through the Geographic Information Group.
- Review development plans to ensure adherence to City specifications and design criteria.
- Design and manage capital improvement projects for the City’s street, storm sewer, water production and distribution, and water reclamation infrastructure systems.
- Provide construction inspection and oversight for all public and private infrastructure projects.
Rapid Transit: Provide local residents and visitors with a safe, affordable, and reliable public transportation service.
- Provides a Youth Ride Free program for all Rapid City school-aged children.
- Provide more than 400,000 passenger trips annually, through the RapidRide, Dial-A-Ride, and City View Trolley services..
Enterprise Fund
Solid Waste Division: Provide for the orderly, efficient and safe collection, recycling and disposal of waste.
- Provide Solid Waste collection services to more than 21,500 accounts weekly.
- Recycled over 3,105 tons of material.
- Received nearly 170,000 tons of material.
Water Division: Provide adequate and safe water for domestic, industrial and fire protection purposes.
- Treat and distribute nearly 3.6 billion gallons of water.
- Provide utility billing and account services to more than 26,000 utility accounts.
Water Reclamation Division: Protect the public health by providing for efficient and economical collection and treatment of wastewater.
- Collect and treat nearly 3.5 billion gallons of wastewater annually.
- Provide for a safe and well maintained storm water drainage system containing 167 miles of pipe with 7103 catch basins
Special Revenue Funds
Public Works manages the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The CIP evaluates the competing demands for resources based on prioritization to reflect our long-term goals and objectives. The plan contains individual capital projects, purchases, and major studies for the City; in conjunction with construction and completion schedules, and in consort with financing plans. The plan provides a working blueprint for sustaining and improving our community’s infrastructures. It coordinates strategic planning, financial capacity, and physical development. This function is primarily managed by the Engineering Services division.
