While “exciting” may not be the first word that comes to mind when describing road repair, the final product is always a welcome sight. That’s why Mayor Todd Gloria started his “Sexy Streets” initiative back in 2021.

The goal of the $40 million initiative is to repair 54 miles of roads in historically underserved neighborhoods across San Diego. We’re proud to say the work is over halfway completed and all “Sexy Streets” are expected to be repaired by the end of fiscal year (FY) 2024.

Along with repairing the designated "Sexy Streets," $104 million was allocated for the Citywide asphalt overlay program in FY2024. We are utilizing this funding to pave an additional 60 miles of roadways this fiscal year and 75 miles in FY2025.

Note: Not every road in need of repair is included in these packages. If you notice potholes or a street in need of improvement in your neighborhood, please download the City’s Get It Done app and file a report.

In August, the City showcased the beauty of San Diego to hundreds of engineers from around the world at the Public Works Expo hosted by the American Public Works Association. The event was held at the San Diego Convention Center. Every year, this dynamic conference brings together the greatest minds from over a dozen countries for the chance to network, teach and share how they are improving their communities.

This event was a valuable opportunity to learn new techniques to improve citywide infrastructure projects, but it was also a chance to showcase the remarkable achievements of City staff. Representatives from Pure Water San Diego – the largest integrated infrastructure program in the City’s history – delivered a presentation about the complexities of the massive project that will provide nearly half of San Diego's water supply locally by the end of 2035. In addition, other team members hosted a panel addressing the City’s commitment to achieving zero emissions by 2035 and highlighted how the City’s Climate Action Plan plays a role in decisions related to the construction and improvement of infrastructure.

This year's event stood out for its unique proximity to another participating country: Mexico. The conference collaborated with Mexican officials to arrange a tour of several infrastructure projects in Tijuana. City staff, alongside attendees from Finland and Sweden, crossed the border to visit the site of a stormwater runoff project and the construction of a new four-lane highway. This provided a great opportunity to continue building on our strong CIP by obtaining innovative ideas and strengthening cross-border relationships.

The Ocean Beach Pier is one of the City’s most iconic structures, but it has seen better days since it opened on July 2, 1966. The City has repaired the pier several times through the decades after being damaged by storms and high surf. The pier was closed this year from January to July but reopened just in time for its 57th anniversary. Mother Nature made the reopening short-lived, as the pier was closed again in October due to damage caused by high surf. Now, the pier will remain closed into early 2024 as the City waits for the storm season to pass before reassessing the damage.

Based on a 2018 study of the pier, the City determined the best way to move forward is to replace it. As part of the Ocean Beach Pier Renewal project, the City hosted community workshops to get input from San Diegans on what they want to see as a potential replacement. During these meetings, engineering and architectural consultants unveiled three preliminary design concepts of what a new pier could look like: The Squint Test, The Remora and The Braid. Each concept features ideas for specific amenities previously prioritized by community members, including how the pier meets the land, on-pier viewing areas and public gathering spaces.

San Diegans were encouraged to take an online survey to let the team know their likes and dislikes for each design concept. Results from that survey will help shape the preferred design, which is expected to be presented to the public early next year.

If you would like to learn more about the different design concepts, visit OBPierRenewal.com.

Parks Progress

Cañon Street Pocket Park

A new park is coming to the Peninsula community.

Councilmember Jennifer Campbell and City staff broke ground on Cañon Street Pocket Park in August. This park is being constructed on a three-quarter-acre chunk of unused land. It will feature a playground, picnic areas and a public art piece inspired by the neighborhood’s relationship to the sea and the local history of Portuguese shipping culture.

The park is expected to be completed in the summer of 2024.

Olive Street Park

Olive Street Park is taking shape in Bankers Hill.

Crews have constructed the foundation of the park’s wall, installed lighting posts and started building a deck that will overlook Maple Canyon. Once completed, the park will include a playground, fitness equipment, ADA-compliant pathways and a first-of-its-kind memorial in the city honoring and remembering San Diegans who have lost their lives to AIDS.

The project began in February and is expected to be complete next year.

Salk Neighborhood Park &

Joint-Use Facility

A park designed to serve the Mira Mesa community and San Diego Unified School District students is moving right along.

Construction on the Salk Neighborhood Park & Joint-Use Facility project just crossed the one-year mark. This project also includes upgrades to nearby Maddox Neighborhood Park. Crews recently completed the perimeter fencing and are continuing work on storm drains, underground electrical work and retaining walls. Soon, they will start work on the comfort station and install sewer and water lines throughout the park.

The parks are expected to be open to the public in the spring of 2024.

Tecolote Shores North

A top honor for one of the City’s recently completed park projects.

This October, Tecolote Shores North playground in Mission Bay received an award from the San Diego Architectural Foundation as part of their annual Orchids & Onions fundraising event. The event recognizes the outstanding, and not-so-outstanding, architectural feats across San Diego county. The $3.8 million park, which reopened to the public in November 2022, received the Orchid for landscape architecture, which recognizes outstanding architecture, planning and urban design.

The park features play equipment with access for all users, an adult fitness course, shade structures, improved landscaping and an ADA-compliant pathway.

When new employees join E&CP, they attend an event that is key to their success: New Employee Orientation. This quarterly event welcomes several dozen new employees with a management meet-and-greet, refreshments and department gear. Attendees then learn about E&CP during presentations on the department’s divisions, roles and responsibilities. Staff also go over some of the benefits of working for the City and the department, including rewards, recognition, tuition reimbursement, and standard items for day-to-day operations like payroll, on-the-job safety and the records retention policy. The event ends with a knowledge check and a chance to win prizes.

Join our team!

The City and E&CP are seeking highly skilled candidates to join our team. Currently, the City has more than 11,000 diverse and dedicated employees serving our communities. If you are interested in learning more about the available positions, check out the City's open jobs.

E&CP offers a collaborative and inclusive workplace with opportunities to contribute to our culture through employee-driven committees, a mentoring program and an extensive learning and development program. We invite you to learn more about working for E&CP by visiting our hiring page.

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