In the middle of summer, the number of active street construction projects in Lawrence can be a bit annoying, but everyone realizes the work is necessary to maintain the quality and safety of city streets.

City street maintenance is so important to Lawrence residents that, in 2008, they approved a 0.3 percent sales tax levy specifically for infrastructure projects. Voters were told at the time that the sales tax revenue would “enhance rather than supplant” funding for infrastructure projects. For that reason, many local residents likely are both surprised and disappointed to learn that less city money is being dedicated to contracted street maintenance than before the sales tax was approved.

According to figures supplied by the city, the program received $5.7 million in 2012. That amount dropped to $4.4 million in 2013, $4.3 million in 2014 and $3.6 million in 2015. The program hit a low of $2.8 million for 2016, and the city currently is considering a budget that allocates $3.14 million for next year. If that amount is approved, about $2.86 million worth of requested maintenance projects will go unfunded.

City commissioners appear to be reconsidering several other items that went unfunded in City Manager Tom Markus’ budget proposal, but not street maintenance. However, despite limited funding for maintenance, the city does plan to invest in several large street projects, including the reconstruction of Kasold Drive from Sixth Street to Bob Billings Parkway and Wakarusa Drive from Inverness to Sixth Street.

That priority raises some questions about the city’s street strategy. A large part of the argument for a street sales tax was to provide funding for a backlog of projects that were needed to slow street deterioration and reduce the need for major reconstruction projects. But now the city is spending money on reconstruction projects while spending less than the expected $6 million a year to maintain streets in a way that avoids major reconstruction. Over the long haul, that seems like a losing proposition.

In an effort to balance the city budget without dipping into reserves or significantly increasing the property tax levy, commissioners may not have many options on street maintenance this year, but eroding funding for maintenance projects isn’t a good long-range strategy for the city.