In the Works - Community Newsletter In the Works May 2017 | Page 33

On the Right Road: Funding
Lined Up for Street Paving
Mayor Ed Lee has pledged to
commit nearly $90 million of
the City’s capital budget for
street resurfacing over the next
two years – a critical investment
expected to build on recent
progress made in improving the
condition of San Francisco’s roads.
“San Franciscans deserve streets
that are smooth and easy to
travel on, and won’t result in
wear-and-tear on their vehicles
or create hazards for cyclists and
pedestrians,” the mayor said on
May 15 when he announced his
proposed capital budget. He will
formally submit his budget plan
to the Board of Supervisors on
June 1 for consideration.
Public Works and our contractor
crews have been paving more than
700 blocks a year since passage
of the 2011 Road Repaving and
Street Safety Bond – almost
double the number of blocks
resurfaced prior to the bond. As
a result, the regionally tracked
Pavement Condition Index score
has been climbing steadily, hitting
69 on a scale of 100 last year –
three points higher than the Bay
Area average – and the best it has
been in San Francisco for more
than a decade.
We’re aiming to reach a score of
70, which would land the average
condition of our roads citywide in
the “good” category. Over the past
five years, we’ve treated more than
3,800 of the City’s 12,800 blocks.
As the $248 million bond funding
has been depleted, the mayor
has used other funding sources,
primarily the General Fund,
to keep the momentum going.
Adoption this year of a state
transportation spending bill will
augment the pot to pay for street
resurfacing. That’s good news for
all road users in San Francisco.
May 2017 - San Francisco Public Works Newsletter