Downey buys $295,751 crane truck for Public Works

A Downey Public Works vehicle in 2024. (City of Downey photo)

DOWNEY — The City Council has approved the purchase of a $295,751 crane truck that Public Works officials say will allow city crews to perform more stormwater and sewer maintenance in-house rather than relying on outside contractors.

The city will purchase a Maintainer Crane Truck built on a Ford F600 4x4 chassis from Nixon-Egli Equipment Company through a competitively bid Sourcewell contract.

Downey’s Utilities Division maintains a variety of stormwater facilities, including open channels, culverts, drywells, bioswales, tree box filters, lift stations and infiltration basins. Those facilities are routinely cleaned to remove debris and sediment and keep the drainage system functioning during rainstorms.

Some of the more difficult cleaning work, particularly at lift stations, has historically been contracted out because specialized equipment is required. According to city staff, individual cleanings can cost $50,000 or more.

Officials said the rear-mounted crane truck will give employees the equipment necessary to perform much of that work themselves, potentially generating long-term savings.

The crane has an extended reach that is expected to allow crews to conduct some maintenance while closing only one traffic lane, reducing traffic disruptions. Its four-wheel-drive chassis will also provide access to a difficult-to-reach lift station where previous equipment has become stuck during emergency operations in bad weather.

The truck will be used to clean and maintain storm and sewer lift stations, remove motors and pumps for repair or replacement and lift one-ton bags of silt and mud during cleaning operations at storm lift stations and infiltration basins.

A commercial driver’s license will not be required to operate the vehicle.

The purchase will be split between the city’s Storm Water and Sewer funds, with $221,813 coming from the Storm Water Fund and $73,938 from the Sewer Fund.