Transportation - Street Maintenance Follow-up Review

C i t y  o f  M e s a  A u d i t o r  |  A u g u s t  2 1 ,  2 0 2 5  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Street Maintenance Program  
Follow-up Review 
Department of Transportation

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n  –  S t r e e t  M a i n t e n a n c e  F o l l o w - u p  R e v i e w  
OBJECTIVES 
The objective of this follow-up review was to determine whether the Department of Transportation 
effectively implemented the action plans based on the recommendations from the March 2023 Street 
Maintenance Program audit report.  
 
BACKGROUND 
On March 13, 2023, we issued a report on our audit of the Department of Transportation’s street 
maintenance program. The objective of the audit was to determine whether effective controls are in place 
to ensure proper street maintenance of City streets in accordance with applicable policies, statutes, and 
other requirements. The audit report included five recommendations that would strengthen controls to 
help ensure compliance with third-party contracts, improve the process for pavement management 
forecasting, ensure the accuracy and completeness of its pavement condition data, and ensure equitable 
distribution of resources. The department agreed with the recommendations and developed action plans 
to implement the recommended changes.  
CONCLUSION 
Of the five recommendations, two have been fully implemented and three are currently in progress. We 
will conduct a second follow-up review in approximately one year. The status of the recommendations is 
summarized below: 
Recommendations 
Status 
1-1:  To help ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of third-
party contracts, the department should develop and implement 
written policies and procedures to address the following: 
o The process for monitoring third-party contractors to 
ensure it collects the required documentation, such as 
independent material test results, temperature gauge 
calibration certificates, and citizen notifications. 
o Retaining documentation of its inspections to demonstrate 
that the quality of work performed by third-party 
contractors and repeated incidents of unsatisfactory 
performance are monitored. 
 


T r a n s p o r t a t i o n  –  S t r e e t  M a i n t e n a n c e  F o l l o w - u p  R e v i e w  
o Periodically reviewing the terms and conditions to ensure 
the requirements are still valid and applicable. 
1-2:  The department should enforce or modify the terms and conditions 
of its third-party contracts.  
2-1:  The department should develop and implement written policies and 
procedures to address how City streets are prioritized for pavement 
treatments, such as:  
o The forecasting process for identifying and selecting City 
streets that require treatment, including documenting the 
criteria used in the selection process.  
o Retaining documentation of its selection process, including 
adjustments made to the forecast schedule.  
o Review and approval of the City streets selected for 
pavement treatment, including any adjustments made to 
the forecast schedule.  
o Periodically reviewing the forecasting process to ensure 
the criteria being used is still relevant and appropriate.  
 
3-1:  To help ensure accuracy and completeness of pavement condition 
data, the department should develop and implement:  
o The process for performing pavement condition surveys, 
including the frequency and criteria for when streets 
should be surveyed, to ensure surveys are performed 
properly and on a consistent basis.  
o Retaining documentation to support the pavement 
condition data entered into the pavement management 
software.  
o Periodically reviewing the pavement condition data 
entered into the pavement management software to 
ensure it accurately reflects the distresses identified 
during the pavement condition surveys, including retaining 
documentation of this review process.  
3-2:  To help prevent or detect inappropriate or unintended changes to 
pavement condition data in the pavement management software, 
the department should ensure user activity is logged and determine 
whether its software can be configured to generate logs that can be 
periodically monitored.  
In Progress 
4-1:  The department should perform monitoring and review procedures 
to ensure that the pavement condition data provided by its third-
party contractor is accurate and reliable, including: 
In Progress

T r a n s p o r t a t i o n  –  S t r e e t  M a i n t e n a n c e  F o l l o w - u p  R e v i e w  
o Retaining documentation of its procedures performed to 
demonstrate the pavement condition data was reviewed.  
o Verifying the pavement condition data was properly 
uploaded into the department’s pavement management 
software to identify any errors or duplicate entries.  
o Requesting documentation of its quality control process 
and procedures performed.  
5-1:  To ensure resources are distributed equitably throughout the City, 
the department should review its annual forecasting process, 
including the criteria used to prioritize which streets receive 
pavement treatment. In addition, the department should also review 
its budgeting process to ensure funding is allocated equitably for 
projects throughout the City.  
In Progress

The City Auditor’s office provides audit, consulting, and investigative 
services to identify and minimize risk, maximize efficiencies, improve 
internal controls, and strengthen accountability to Mesa’s citizens. We 
serve as an independent resource to City Management and the City 
Council, to provide them with timely, accurate, and objective information, 
assurances, and recommendations pertaining to City of Mesa programs 
and activities. 
Audit Team 
Michelle Hute, Senior Internal Auditor 
City Auditor 
Joseph Lisitano, CPA, CIA 
Mesa City Auditor’s Office 
Phone: 480-644-5059 
Email: auditor.info@mesaaz.gov 
Website: https://www.mesaaz.gov/government/city-auditor 
Copies of our audit reports are available at: 
https://www.mesaaz.gov/government/city-auditor/audits