Mission Statement:
Working Together to Grow, Maintain, and Protect our Community Through Reliable Service and Sustainable Infrastructure.
Purpose:
The Public Works Department is a multi-faceted department tasked with providing the foundation our community is built on. From providing necessary utility services like water, water reclamation and garbage, to creating and maintaining complex systems like public transportation, street and traffic operations, GIS mapping databases, and engineering services, Public Works is leading the way to create a vibrant future for our community.
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.
Stormwater Drainage Utility
On October 21, 2013, the City Council approved the ordinance and resolutions necessary for the implementation of a Stormwater Drainage Utility. The annual Stormwater Drainage Utility fee is assessed and collected with property taxes. The fee is calculated based on the size of the property and type of land use. Funds collected are used in conjunction with CIP funding to maintain and improve the stormwater drainage system, which consists of more than 167 miles of pipe and 7,103 catch basins, operated by the Water Reclamation division.
