September 1997 RETURN TO HOME PAGE FEEDBACK

Nine streets in Noe Valley have been tagged for road construction this winter. So get ready for the usual round of dust, din, and dumptrucks.

First, the city's Department of Public Works has scheduled three streets for repaving: Fair Oaks Street from 21st to 22nd (set for September); Sanchez from Hill to 22nd Street (December); and Dolores Street between 28th and Valley streets (May).

Starting in March, DPW will also execute ambitious plans to dig up six old sewer lines in the area -- some of which are more than 70 years old -- and replace them with new sewer pipes.

According to DPW project manager James Walsh, the department has inspected about half of the 450 blocks of sewers in Noe Valley. Of the rest, a quarter are newer than 50 years old and as such do not require inspection. The Bureau of Street and Sewer Repair replaces all the old sewer pipes in the city on a rotating basis.

This year's targeted streets are sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, and include sections of 23rd, 26th, and 28th, as well as Church, Dolores, and Douglass streets. The Department of Public Works was kind enough to furnish the Voice with a list (see below).

"We want to make the public more aware of work being done in their neighborhoods," says Alex Mamak, a spokes-person for DPW. "People have a right to the same information that we as a department have."

To achieve this goal, DPW recently launched its own Web site on the Internet. At www.SFDPW.com., the public can access a list of proposed construction projects by street or by zip code. The inventory not only shows DPW work orders, but lists those of PG&E, TCI cable, and the city's Water Department.

"This is part of an overall plan to coordinate activities," notes Mamak. "The various agencies, like DPW, Water, and PG&E, can work together and lessen the number of street openings. This means less disruption for the public."

In mid-August, spokespersons for the Water Department and PG&E said no street construction projects were currently scheduled for Noe Valley.

Upcoming Digs in the Neighborhood

Here's a list of 1997-98 construction projects supplied by the city's Department of Public Works. Residents should note that all dates are tentative and that emergency repairs for street cave-ins and sewer blockages take precedence over ongoing jobs.

Street Repaving

Street                          Starts      Ends
Fair Oaks from 21st to 22nd     9/97        9/97
Sanchez from Hill to 22nd       12/97       12/97
Dolores from 28th to Valley     5/98        5/98

Sewer Replacement

Street                          Starts      Ends
23rd from Castro to Diamond     3/98        5/98
28th from Sanchez to Noe        3/98        5/98
Church from 30th to Randall     3/98        5/98
Dolores from 28th to Valley     3/98        5/98
Douglass from Jersey to 25th    3/98        5/98
26th from Dolores to Church     4/98        6/98