This week, the Parks Crew removed an old water tank from near the playground at Bret Harte Park. Also, the pump and paving crew pulled and repaired a clogged pump at the N. Francisco pump station. They also buttoned up a couple of sidewalk repair pave backs in the Peacock Gap area so that there...
The Engineering group is continuing to work hard (while sheltering in place at their homes) on multiple essential public works design and construction projects. We have implemented several ways to stay on track and check in with each other. The team has followed management's recommendation to track time through a Telework tracking spreadsheet. In addition,...
Public Works Staff is working with the Public Information Office to help with translating the outreach messages that the City has posted at our parks as well as the city website and social media. Here is an example of a translated message: APARCAMIENTO SOLO PARA RESIDENTES LOCALES Para proteger la salud y seguridad pública mientras...
Effective March 31st, all parks, sports fields and open space are closed to motorized access. Playgrounds, basketball courts and picnic and barbeque amenities are completely closed. Parking lots serving parks and open space are also closed. Community members may walk or bike to nearby parks and pathways for necessary exercise, while maintaining social distancing. In...
Crews are making steady progress as the end of construction comes into sight for the City's new Public Safety Center building. The Public Safety Center is an essential project, therefore exempt from the March 17 Shelter-in-Place order. The contractor has been taking the coronavirus pandemic very seriously. They have been diligently enforcing the COVID-19 Exposure...
DESPLAZARSE HACIO ABAJO PARA ESPAÑOL On March 16, 2020 PG&E released the following press release regarding their work and efforts to continue providing gas and power service to its customers: PG&E is Committed to Providing Safe, Reliable Energy and Ensuring Business Continuity in These Challenging Times Unwavering Focus of Company’s 23,000 Employees, Many of Them...
Gerstle Park The 2018 Sidewalk Repair Program completed work in Gerstle Park this last week. The City completed 11,000 square feet of new sidewalk and 1,200 feet of new curb and gutter at 88 properties in Gerstle Park. That’s the equivalent of over a ½ mile of new sidewalk in the area or enough sidewalk...
In 2017, the City applied for a grant to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA grant for the restoration of Spinnaker Marsh and Shoreline Flood Protection measures. The project would restore tidal marsh, wetland-upland transition habitat, and adjacent upland habitats – while simultaneously reinforcing natural protections against future shoreline erosion and sea level...
Are you Street Smart? San Rafael is participating Street Smarts - an educational campaign to promote safe driving, biking, and walking here in San Rafael and Marin County. Look for the Street Smarts banners around San Rafael in the near future. Please visit http://www.streetsmartsmarin.org for more information and educational materials. Street Smarts is funded by...
With all the development and movement in and around the Bettini Transit Center, we realized we were missing one thing: the bike connection! Public Works is applying for a Housing Incentive Pool (HIP) grant that provides $300,000 to transportation projects within a Priority Development Area (PDA) and adjacent to high frequency transit and/or affordable housing....
Development activity has skyrocketed in recent years in San Rafael and, as a result, we’ve had a backlog of encroachment permits still awaiting inspection. We recently re-organized to lend support to our amazing permits team and we are beginning to chip away at the backlog. We are using a systematic approach by taking small sections...
The Solar panel installation is well underway in the lower parking lot at City Hall. SolarCraft Services will be starting the roof mounted system at City Hall on Monday, March 9 and should be done with the roof mounted system by the end of March. The system is set to start augmenting PG&E power by...
Due to active construction at 815 B Street, lane closures and a detour will be required on the night of March 5, 2020. Starting at 7:00 PM lane closures will occur on 2nd Street between B Street and C Street. From 9:00 PM to 5:00 AM, the area will go into a full closure and...
We are proud to announce that the Fire Station 57 project has received LEED® Gold certification. This is now our second City-owned building to obtain this green building honor. This follows Fire Station 52 which also received LEED® Gold certification last year. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system was developed by...
With the Spring-like weather, Public Works crews have been able to get a jump on some much needed preventive maintenance this month. The Parks Division was able to take care of a few safety concerns such as, a line of sight issue at the Mission and Alice Street crosswalk located behind San Rafael High School....
With the help of interns and maintenance crews, the Traffic Engineering division is making huge headway with improvements at uncontrolled crossings throughout the City. An uncontrolled crossing is any marked crosswalk that is not controlled by a traffic signal or STOP sign. Improvements include painting red curb for visibility, installing signs in advance, and at,...
The City is one step closer in securing battery back-up (BBS) units at signalized intersections along major arterials. After selecting the equipment last year, Public Works recently procured three units and tested them in real conditions. The test at Second Street at Lindaro Street, Third Street at Lindaro Street, and Andersen Drive at Bellam Boulevard...
San Rafael’s new Public Safety Center (PSC) is nearing completion and we plan to open this summer. The contractor, Alten Construction, is working on the sidewalks around the building and a sidewalk “bulb-out” is required to create a safer crosswalk between the City Hall and the new PSC. In order to accomplish that work, the...
In 2019, the Department of Public Works completed reviews for approximately twice as many building permits than in 2017 and 2018. The increase in demand was accommodated by existing staff working with applicants directly whenever possible to ensure that projects met the necessary standards. We also provided positive recommendations on improvements. Even though there were...
Up until last week, the intersection of Park Street and Belle Avenue was a two-way stop controlled on Park Street. The Traffic Engineering Division determined that an All Way Stop was warranted at the intersection, so Public Works maintenance crews freshened up the paint on the intersections and added STOP signs to Belle Avenue. Notifications...
The Sidewalk Repair Program is nearly complete for residents who signed up for the 2018 program in the Gerstle Park and the Bret Harte neighborhoods. The last of the nearly 90 properties will completed in the next two weeks. 13,000 square feet of new sidewalk were poured during this round, which would be enough to...
In collaboration with Andrew Hening and PD, Public Works installed new signage encouraging residents to donate to local charities and nonprofits that offer services for the homeless, rather than donating to panhandlers. The Marin IJ covered this story, as well!
Construction of the Public Safety Center continues to progress. The exterior brick installation is well underway, despite the recent rainstorm. The City’s contractor, Alten Construction, is currently working on the interior finishes. Painting of the interior walls, as well as, installation of T-bar ceilings and lighting is around 90% complete. In addition, the first and...
With the recent break in the rainy weather, Public Works Streets and Parks crews have been able to get a jump on some much-needed maintenance, including the City storm drain systems on Gold Hill Grade and Main Drive. City crews removed deteriorating metal drainage pipes in both locations and replaced it with high density plastic...
Ever biked to the San Rafael Theater and had nowhere to lock your treasured two-wheeled steed? Well, that should no longer be an issue because Public Works has been busy installing 20 additional bike racks downtown! There are at least four racks per block of Fourth Street, from Lincoln Avenue to D Street. Additionally, Public...
The project was presented to the California Transportation Commission on December 5th and was approved for federal funding allocation. Once we receive clearance from Caltrans to proceed with the project, we will be advertising for bids, which is anticipated by mid-January 2020. The project is on schedule with a proposed construction start time of early summer...
As we cross the one year anniversary of the commencement of the Sidewalk Repair Program I want to take the time to let you know where we stand and how we intend to move forward. Some of you signed up for the 2018 program and already have contracts in hand, others are part of the...
For over one year, City staff and the design team have coordinated with impacted utilities on the Southern Heights Bridge replacement project. In late October, PG&E gas crews began the process of installing a new gas main on both approaches to the bridge and deactivating the gas line currently attached to the old bridge. Work...
The City's contractors are putting the finishing touches on the newly remodeled bathrooms at the B Street Community Center. All new tile and fixtures were installed, and the project was designed to ensure both bathrooms were fully complaint with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, baby changing tables were installed in both bathrooms...
Construction of the Public Safety Center is currently on schedule for completion in Spring 2020. The gypsum board (drywall) is to be complete this week with tapping and plastering to follow. Final painting of the interior walls is ongoing. The T-Bar Ceiling is currently being installed along the first floor and lighting is being installed...
