Strengthening our community’s foundation — literally

By Todd Gloria
Several neighbors in North Park have commented to me recently aboutthe ongoing street repair work in North Park. The work that began this summer will improve the conditions of 60 miles of streets in Council District 3 by October 2010. I share your excitement about this much needed progress.
According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, more than half the roads in San Diego are in poor condition. Most locals would probably suggest that the percentage of bad roads is much higher in our council district.
I consistently advocate for improved infrastructure and understand its importance, especially in the older urban neighborhoods. This slurry sealing and overlay work is an important investment; it costs approximately seven times more to reconstruct failing roads than it does to maintain decent roads.
Using funds from the city’s $103 million infrastructure bond, State Proposition 42, State Proposition 1B and trenching fees, San Diego is accelerating its progress on addressing its growing deferred maintenance list. San Diego’s streets are part of an expansive infrastructure network, including water and wastewater pipes, much of which is literally crumbling beneath us. These systems are essentially the foundation for some our most crucial public services. With economic conditions as tight as they are, protecting our current assets is among the smartest moves we can make.
In addition to maintaining our streets, ensuring they are safe for cars and pedestrians is key for strong neighborhoods. The North Park neighborhood of Altadena will soon be made safer with the completion of the Thorn Street median.
A raised center median will be employed as a traffic calming measure on this heavily traveled street. By narrowing the street along the commercial corridor between Felton Street and 33rd Street, the median will cause traffic to slow down and create a safer environment for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians. In addition to calming traffic, the median will be landscaped with drought tolerant plants, providing a model of water conservation to all of North Park.
This project has been shovel ready and partially funded since 2004, but has been subject to repeated delays. I am proud that I was able to work with Mayor Jerry Sanders and staff in the Engineering and Capital Projects Department to move the project forward to construction. We are using $210,000 from federal economic stimulus funds for the last portion of financing, and the residents and businesses of Altadena and surrounding neighborhoods will finally see this long-ago promised project completed.
Challenging times force us to make difficult decisions, and putting our infrastructure and public safety first remain my priorities for Council District 3 and for all of San Diego.
Councilman Todd Gloria can be reached at the District 3 office at (619)236-6633; Fax (619) 595-1481; email: toddgloria@sandiego.gov