It's National Public Works Week!

 

What does the Urbana’s Public Works Department do?

The primary function of the public works department is to effectively manage, operate, and maintain the City’s public infrastructure to maximize functionality and minimize public health and safety risks.  Public infrastructure in Urbana is defined as:

⦁Public Facilities 

⦁Public Parking Lots

⦁Roadways

⦁Bridges

⦁Sidewalks

⦁Traffic Signals

⦁Signage

⦁Street Lighting

⦁Storm Sewers

⦁Stormwater Management Facilities

⦁Sanitary Sewers

⦁Urban Forestry & Public Landscaping

⦁Parking Meters

To effectively demonstrate the scale of this responsibility, did you know what Urbana’s public infrastructure is currently valued at?

  …Technically $1,026,700,000

We also provide a number of other critical services including:

⦁Responding to public request for information

⦁Snow and Ice Control

⦁Special Events Assistance (Illinois Marathon, Sweetcorn Festival, Candlestick Lane, Parades, etc.) 

⦁5-Year Capital Improvement Planning

⦁Design and construction management of public capital improvement projects

⦁Land Development Plan Review

⦁Management of the Landscape Recycling Center (LRC)

⦁City-wide Fleet Management & Maintenance

⦁Management of the Ucycle Program (and other special recycling events)

⦁Management of multiple Energy and Climate Programs 

⦁Geothermal Bulk Purchase Program

⦁Solar Bulk Purchase Program

⦁Municipal Electric Aggregation

⦁And many more 

⦁Management of Nature and Urban Biodiversity Programs

⦁Continuity and Resilience Planning to Ensure a stable and sustainable operations

Staff members from our department also participate in a number of important public groups including:

⦁Tree Commission

⦁Traffic Commission 

⦁Sustainability Advisory Commission

⦁Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee

⦁Champaign Urbana Urbanized Area Transportation Study

⦁Campus Transportation Advisory Committee

⦁Intergovernmental Joint Sanitary Sewer Technical Committee

⦁Champaign County Stormwater Partnership

⦁Urbana Stormwater Working Group 

⦁Champaign County Sustainability Network

⦁University of Illinois Climate Action Plan Working Groups

⦁Champaign County Climate Coalition

⦁Any many more

URBANA PUBLIC WORKS – WORKING FOR YOU

We are working together to solve problems in our community to make a difference and ensure the same community where we all work, live, and love has a sustainable future.

For more information please see the Public Works Council Training Presentation provided at the City’s April 5, 2021 Committee of the Whole Meeting here:  

https://urbanaillinois.us/sites/default/files/attachments/Presentation_P...