FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2014 

Contact: Mindy Linetzky, 415-554-4829

SAN FRANCISCO ROLLS OUT 400-BLOCK ROAD RESURFACING PROJECT 

Making City streets safer for people who bike, drive, walk and take transit

San Francisco, CA -- Today marks the start of an ambitious project to resurface more than 400 blocks over the next two months to make the City’s roads smoother for all users. 

San Francisco Public Works’ contractors will be applying a thin layer on top of the existing asphalt pavement to prolong the life of the streets. The work on each block typically takes two days. 

Micro-surfacing, as the process is known, protects the existing surface from the effects of natural aging, rain and sun. An important component of the City’s overall paving strategy, the $3.5 million upgrade project is funded with gas tax proceeds.

“These street upgrades will take place in neighborhoods across San Francisco,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “By making these investments in our infrastructure now, we protect the streets from more significant deterioration, reduce the need for more costly repairs and save taxpayer dollars. Improving the condition of our City’s streets benefits all users whether you’re a cyclist, pedestrian, driver or Muni rider.”

Last year the City repaved 854 blocks, due in large part to funding from the 2011 voter-approved $248 million Road Repaving and Street Safety Bond.

“Once this resurfacing project is complete, we will be on our way of reaching our goal of repaving 900 blocks this year – a new record high,” said San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. “Approval of the bond showed that safe and smooth roads are a high priority for San Franciscans.”

The condition of the pavement is tracked by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a regional funding and planning agency. The Pavement Condition Index assigns blocks a score from a low of zero for the most deteriorated streets to a high of 100 for a freshly paved block. Each of the City’s 12,884 blocks is evaluated based on ride quality, cracking and signs of deterioration. San Francisco, which has a citywide average rating of 66, has shown steady improvement in the past several years.

A Pavement Condition Index score of 85-100 is rated as “excellent,” 64-84 “good,” 50-63 “fair,” and 0-49 “poor.” About half of San Francisco’s blocks are rated at good or excellent condition.

More details on the micro-surfacing project, including parking and traffic restrictions, work hours and the micro-surfacing process, can be found at www.sfdpw.org/microsurfacing.

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