Each year, during the third full week of May, the nation celebrates National Public Works Week. The theme of this year's campaign, held May 20-26, is "The Power of Public Works" and is meant to highlight to the importance of public works by calling attention of the value of the contributions of the men and women who provide and maintain a community's infrastructure. But if you are like so many, what public works means and does can be confusing.

Public works is defined as the building of things by the government for the community. Within the City of Arlington, the Public Works and Transportation Department does this and so much more. Comprising 17 divisions, the department is responsible for the following:

• Citywide Fleet Administration
• Construction Inspection and Survey Services
• Drainage Infrastructure Maintenance and Repair
• Environmental Compliance and Education
• Facility Maintenance and Repair
• Flood Mitigation
• Pavement Marking Installation and Maintenance
• Public Facility Construction
• Roadway Capital Improvement Program
• School Crossing Guards
• Solid Waste and Recycling
• Street Pavement Maintenance
• Traffic Safety and Flow Engineering
• Traffic Sign Installation and Maintenance
• Traffic Signal Operation and Maintenance

Some of department's major accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2017 include:

• Replaced 3,456 existing and installed 523 new traffic signs to ensure compliance with national standards
• Excavated and repaired 34,787 square yards of failed concrete street panels
• Managed the maintenance of approximately 900 fleet vehicles, with a 97% availability rate
• Managed the construction of $40M in new or renovated public buildings
• Repaired 6,489 potholes
• Repaired 3,189 square yards of sidewalks
• Performed crack seal maintenance on 315 lane miles of roadways
• Began $44M in road and drainage infrastructure improvements
• Responded to 1,665 requests for facility maintenance
• Repaired 66 traffic signals and 37 street lights that were knocked down or damaged

In 2010 the department became the third in the state to be recognized by the American Public Works Association as an accredited agency that goes above and beyond nationally established management practices. To maintain this distinction, the department must commit to performing a self-evaluation to ensure that all critical services are being addressed, set goals for improvement, and accomplish increased productivity and effectiveness. The department was reaccredited in 2014 and has spent the last 18 months conducting a self-assessment in advance of reaccreditation in June.

In recognition of the integral role the department's nearly 280 employees have in the health, safety, and comfort of the community, Mayor Jeff Williams will proclaim the week of May 20-26, 2018, as National Public Works Week at tomorrow's City Council meeting.

To learn more about the services provided by the Public Works and Transportation Department, please visit department's web page, email us at [email protected], or call 817-459-6550.