Some of San Diego’s worst roads are going to get a complete makeover. Others will merely get a little lipstick.
Thursday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria held a news conference to outline how much city crews have already repaired and what they’re adding to the “to do” list.
Mayor Gloria said the city has filled more than 17,000 potholes since the beginning of January and there are at least 550 more to go. He said it would be “all hands on deck” with extra crews until they catch up.
Gloria also said the city is looking to repair roughly 260 miles of city streets. That includes more than 60 miles of complete overlay where the street is ground down and then repaved. The remaining roads will get a fresh slurry seal.
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“Think of it like an oil change for your car. It’s preventative maintenance,” Gloria explained.
He said roads like Division Street through Valencia Park need a whole new engine.
“We will not lose focus on the fact that we have miles of roads that need full repaving,” he added.
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“Be patient with us because this will not happen overnight,” pleaded San Diego’s new Chief Operating Officer Eric Dargan. “This is not going to be a cheap or inexpensive process. This is going to take resources. It’s going to take funding.”
Mayor Gloria said the city will also use private contractors to help repair some of the 5,900 streetlights that currently do not work. The city will also begin repairing 175,000 square feet of sidewalks.