FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 3, 2014 

Rachel Gordon (415) 554-6045

CITY RESURFACES A RECORD 913 BLOCKS IN ONE YEAR 

Voter-approved general obligation bond funding puts San Francisco on track to eclipse state and national pavement condition average score

San Francisco, CA – Mayor Ed Lee and Public Works announced today that the City resurfaced 913 blocks in the last fiscal year, the most ever in San Francisco for a one-year period.

The fiscal year ended June 30. The previous record was set the prior year, when 854 blocks were treated.

The bulk of the City’s roadway improvements over the last three years have been funded by the voter-approved $248 million Road Repaving and Street Safety Bond Program, which by the end of 2015 will have resurfaced 20 percent of San Francisco’s 12,855 blocks. Previous to the passage of the 2011 measure, the City spent about $40 million each year on paving, compared to the last three years, which averaged around $70 million.

“One of the City’s most vital transportation assets is our streets, and our City streets are showing marked improvements due to the voter-approved road repaving bond, which is exceeding its goals, making streets smoother and safer and creating jobs – all without raising property taxes,” said Mayor Lee. “This general obligation bond has allowed us to repave our streets and improve the City’s road quality. This November, we will ask voters again to continue this necessary investment in our City’s transportation infrastructure with a $500 million general obligation bond, again, not raising property taxes.”

Public Works is currently managing more than four dozen paving contracts to improve hundreds more City blocks from the Western Addition and the Sunset to the Mission and the Portola. Prior to passage of the three-year Streets Bond, San Francisco paved and resurfaced about 400 blocks a year.

The $83.5 million proposed by Mayor Lee and backed by the Board of Supervisors’ Budget & Finance Committee to be spent over the next two years, coupled with other state and local funds, will allow the City to continue its progress in getting closer to a citywide average Pavement Condition Index (PCI) score of 70. 

Street conditions and road quality are measured on a nationally standardized scale known as the Pavement Condition Index (PCI). Public Works reported a citywide PCI average score of 66 for calendar year 2013, up from 65 the previous year and 64 over the 10 years prior.

If current funding levels and the pace of repaving efforts are maintained, the citywide average Pavement Condition Index can improve to 70 in less than 10 years – the goal promised San Francisco voters. The average for California and the nation as a whole is 66.

“Our residents and City leadership have made clear that paving is critical -- for cyclists, drivers, pedestrians and Muni,” said San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. “It is great news for everyone when we can announce that we have resurfaced a record number of blocks and have plans in place to continue the improvements.”

The Pavement Condition Index assigns City blocks a score from a low of zero for the worst pothole-riddled deteriorating streets to a high of 100 for a freshly paved block. A Pavement Condition Index score of 85-100 is rated as “excellent,” 64-84 “good,” 50-63 “fair,” and 0-49 “poor.”

The Streets Bond also is funding curb-ramp construction, sidewalk and bridge repairs, streetscape improvements and traffic-signal upgrades. Major bond-funded streetscape upgrades to revitalize neighborhoods are under way along Potrero, Fulton, Castro, Taraval, Irving, Fell and Oak streets. More information on the Streets Bond, including a listing of streetscape projects and an interactive map of each block in the Streets Bond paving and resurfacing program, can be found at streetsbondsf.org.

Transportation 2030 -- the next phase of transportation infrastructure improvement funding -- is being proposed for the November 2014 ballot. It is a measure that calls for the sale of bonds in the amount of $500 million to improve the streets and safety for all users and fund Muni upgrades for more reliable operations, meeting head-on these critical needs for a 21st century San Francisco. 

About San Francisco Public Works: The 24/7 City agency cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and nurtures City-maintained street trees; designs, constructs and maintains City-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; builds curb ramps; eradicates graffiti; partners with neighborhoods; trains people for jobs; greens the right-of-way; and educates our communities.

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