The Brief• Kennewick hired a consultant to scan every street using 3D imaging technology that can detect cracks as small as one-sixteenth of an inch• The assessment creates a pavement condition index rating streets from zero to 100, with results expected by late summer• Road repairs are funded by a 0.1% sales tax, generating about $3 million annually for street preservation across 836 lane milesKENNEWICK, Wash. — The city of Kennewick is using advanced 3D imaging technology to evaluate road conditions across the community, providing officials with detailed data to guide future repair investments of millions of dollars.A specialized van equipped with high-tech scanners has been traveling through Kennewick neighborhoods, capturing thousands of images per second to assess pavement conditions. The city hired a consultant to scan every street using technology capable of identifying even minor roadway defects."It can actually pick up cracks within, I think it's a sixteenth of an inch… and it converts the images into data," said Heath Mellot from the City of Kennewick.The scanning technology generates a pavement condition index that rates streets from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating conditions similar to brand-new asphalt. City officials say this represents a significant improvement over previous assessment methods."Before it used to be done with field crews… it was somewhat arbitrary… now we can get a really good inventory on our roads and actual repeatable tests," Mellot said.The comprehensive assessment will provide city planners with objective data to prioritize repair projects and allocate resources more effectively across the city's 836 lane miles of roadway. Results from the scanning will be analyzed and integrated into the city's management system by late summer.However, residents should not expect immediate improvements to road conditions. The data collection and analysis process means actual repair work will not begin until next year."From the assessment for this year… we'll take a look at next year's projects… so probably not until the end of the year on that," Mellot explained.While the high-tech assessment continues, the city has already identified several major infrastructure priorities for 2026. These include the Columbia Center Boulevard widening project between Quinault Avenue and Deschutes Avenue, signal installations at Bob Olson Parkway intersections, and improvements to the 10th Avenue and Morain Street intersection.The city also issued a bid for a 2026 City-Wide Asphalt Overlay project to address pavement maintenance needs identified through current assessment methods.Local business owners have already noticed the deteriorating condition of city streets. Hailey Conant, a Kennewick business owner, experiences the impact of poor road conditions daily."I have noticed a lot of potholes and even with sidewalks, a lot of tripping hazards," Conant said.The rough road conditions affect more than just driver comfort, according to Conant, who says the poor infrastructure also impacts local businesses."I'm always dodging everything on the roads, it's not like a smooth, straight line," she said.Conant hopes city officials will move quickly once repair priorities are established through the new assessment data."I feel like the construction needs to go a little faster… we're always waiting, and then there's a huge buildup," she said.The road assessment and future repair projects are funded by a 0.1% sales tax, which generates approximately $3 million annually for street preservation efforts. This Transportation Benefit District budget is dedicated to pavement preservation and essential maintenance activities, including road resurfacing, crack sealing, and striping.City leaders say this proactive approach aims to address problems early, before small cracks develop into costly major reconstruction projects. The dedicated funding source ensures the city can maintain its infrastructure despite previous budget shortfalls.Recent pavement improvements have included work on West Clearwater Avenue, North Edison Street, and West Quinault Avenue, involving the removal and replacement of deteriorated pavement sections.The scanning process itself costs about $63,000 this year. City officials plan to make the assessment data available for public viewing on the city's website by the end of summer, providing transparency about road conditions throughout Kennewick.The technology-driven approach represents a shift toward data-based decision-making for infrastructure maintenance, allowing the city to maximize the impact of available funding while addressing the most critical road repair needs first. The city maintains an interactive map of future projects to keep residents informed about upcoming improvements in their neighborhoods. 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