FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2014 

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

SAN FRANCISCO REPAVES 500TH BLOCK WITH STREETS BOND FUNDING 

Voter-backed investment on track to make 20 percent of City streets safer and smoother

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Public Works announced today that crews paved the 500th block of City roadway funded by the voter-approved $248 million Road Repaving and Street Safety Bond -- marking significant progress toward reaching the target of resurfacing 20 percent of San Francisco’s 12,855 blocks by the end of 2015.

“The road repaving bond is delivering on the promise we made to our residents that we would rebuild and rehabilitate our streets and deliver these paving projects on time and on budget without raising property taxes,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “Neighborhoods across our City are benefiting from this smart and much needed investment that is improving our roads for pedestrians, automobiles, bicyclists and our own transit system.”

The milestone 500th block was paved on 20th Avenue, between Ortega and Pacheco streets in the Sunset.

The repaving of the next set of blocks will continue today along Carnelian Way at Diamond Heights Boulevard, and on Friday at Liberty Street between Noe and Castro streets. The work started at approximately 9 a.m. and is expected to be completed around 2 p.m.

“The voter-supported general obligation bond has proven to be a sound investment that benefits not just our generation, but our children and grandchildren,” said District 4 Supervisor Katy Tang, who represents the Sunset and Parkside neighborhoods. “The people of San Francisco who depend on reliable, quality transportation infrastructure to get them around the City every day are reaping the rewards of the Streets Bond, but there is much to do in building on the momentum to repave and smooth the remaining roads in need of maintenance.”

Long stretches of roadways repaved under the bond include the Great Highway, Fulton Street, Balboa Street, and 24th Street, Bayshore Boulevard, Alemany Boulevard and San Bruno Avenue, with other streets, including Franklin, Gough, Pine and Silver, under way now.

Prior to passage of the three-year Streets Bond, San Francisco paved and resurfaced about 400 blocks a year. Now, with the funding boost from the bond proceeds, the annual number exceeds 800. Last year the City resurfaced a record high 854 blocks and this year is on pace to surpass that number.

“We are paving more blocks each year than we ever had the capacity to pave historically, thanks to the support of San Francisco voters who value investing in our roads and transportation infrastructure,” said San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. “With the progress made in the last two years, there are better roads throughout the City, which translates into safer conditions along these newly paved stretches for pedestrians, bicyclists, Muni riders and motorists.”

Public Works reported a citywide Pavement Condition Index 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 can be maintained, the citywide average Pavement Condition Index can improve to 70 in less than a decade, higher than the current California statewide average of 66.

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. The assessment is based on visual surveys performed by Public Works engineers. Each block is evaluated for ride quality, cracking and signs that the roadway may be crumbling.

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 – calls for increased investments in San Francisco’s transportation system to ensure all neighborhoods benefit from smoother roads, faster and more reliable transit and safer streets. As a start, Mayor Lee and all 11 members of the Board of Supervisors are backing a $500 transportation infrastructure bond for the November 2014 ballot.

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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