We all use our streets. Whether it is through public transit, biking, driving, or walking on the sidewalk, if we leave our house, we use our streets. But, San Francisco's roads, sidewalks, bridges, and overpasses have been deteriorating for decades. That's why the mayor and nine supervisors – including our own Supervisors Scott Wiener and David Campos – placed Proposition B, the 2011 Road Repair and Street Safety Bond, on the ballot. We urge you to vote yes on Prop B on November 8.
While the city has been spending money on routine maintenance, it has not been enough to prevent potholes or to keep our streets and sidewalks from crumbling. Nearly half of the city's 850 miles of streets have deteriorated to the point where they can no longer be repaired with regular maintenance. Instead, the underlying problem must be addressed. We need to resurface or reconstruct these streets. Resurfacing or reconstructing is properly considered capital improvements with a 20- to 30-year life span. That's why this bond is recommended in the city's 2012-2022 capital plan and is the city's top capital priority.
Under this bond, approximately 1,390 street segments will be repaved over the next three years – improving the current street condition index score from a current 64 to a 66. The bond will invest $65.5 million in repaving for the next three years.
Street resurfacing projects will be distributed equitably across the city, consistent with the city's five-year paving plan. We want to ensure that the streets that get the most use and are used as emergency routes get done first.
The longer we wait to conduct these vital improvements, the more the repairs will cost in the future – the estimate is five times more over the course of the next 70 years. Plus, interest rates are low right now, so this is an optimal time to make these capital investments.
Prop B also provides important funding to improve the safety and accessibility of our city. We have over 5,000 corners with no curb ramp at all. We need more accessible pedestrian signals for people who are blind and low vision; and we need sidewalks with fewer tripping hazards caused by tree roots and cracks.
People in our community are living longer and healthier with HIV and AIDS. But the disease still takes its toll, with mobility, vision, and endurance limitations. The access improvements that Prop B will fund are critical for people with disabilities. Indeed, as we all age, and if we want to keep the LGBT community in San Francisco, we need to invest in the infrastructure that will make walking around and getting around our city safer and easier.
In the last decade, over 200 pedestrians have been killed in our city – many of them seniors. Prop B will improve the safety of our streets and sidewalks for our most vulnerable – the elderly, children and families, and those with disabilities, especially at intersections near schools.
Prop B also will create over 1,000 jobs providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.
All the benefits of Prop B will occur without raising property tax rates. By complying with the city policy of only issuing new bonds as old ones are paid off, this measure's full costs can be funded at current tax rates with no increase.
Both the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club and the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club have endorsed Prop B. For all these reasons, we ask that you join them and us in voting yes on Prop B.
Scott Wiener represents District 8 on the Board of Supervisors. Amy Brown is acting city administrator, the first LGBT person to hold that position. Susan Mizner is the director of the Mayor's Office on Disability.