Starting in 2025, residents can look forward to quieter drives and fewer potholes after the Redwood City Council on Monday unanimously gave the green light to a series of road repairs funded by $2.16 million in Senate Bill 1 funds.
Tanisha Warner, the city’s new director of engineering and transportation, presented details of the road management system and strategic use of SB1 funds during the council meeting. Warner said maintaining the city’s Pavement Condition Index (PCI), currently at 71, is essential to cost-effective maintenance.
The projects, funded by the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017, were a direct response to community feedback from recent surveys and emphasized that road conditions are a top priority for residents.
The streets slated for resurfacing include major arteries such as Broadway, Jefferson Avenue and Farm Hill Boulevard.
Council members expressed general support for the plan.
Council member Diane Howard expressed her hope that repairs would be prioritized for roads in poor condition to ensure that roads with a lower PCI, particularly in the 60s, would be addressed more quickly than roads in better condition.
Vice Mayor Lissette Espinoza Garnica recognized the inclusion of roads in equity priority areas or underserved communities, which represent 28% of proposed projects by mileage.
Council member Alicia Aguirre raised safety concerns, particularly near schools and parks, and cited the need for possible re-marking of crosswalks and bike lanes.
The budget for the program is set at $5 million, with approximately $2.16 million coming from SB1 funds and the remainder from other sources, including a $2 million allocation from the General Fund.
However, the city acknowledged that the current budget is insufficient to provide the $9.6 million annually needed to maintain a PCI of 70 or higher on all city streets.
The city has a limited budget, Warner said
“We’re really trying to stretch those funds as far as we can by taking advantage of different grant opportunities and really trying to extend the life of our pavements that are in good condition,” she said. “Our resources have slowly declined over the years as we’ve realigned our public works services, our road management team and our engineering staff.”
Warner said resources had been gradually reduced, both financially and in terms of personnel.
Despite the community’s feedback and expectations – “and expectations are being expressed – part of the trade-off is that we can’t repave every single street every year. That’s impossible,” Warner added.
Mayor Jeff Gee stressed that new sources of funding must be found to cover the rising costs of road repairs and said the city’s Finance Committee will play a key role in addressing this challenge in the coming years.
Following completion of the tender process and award of the contract by the City Council, construction is expected to begin in late summer 2025. Residents can expect updates once the final street list is refined and specific project details are confirmed.
