City of San Diego Transportation Department releases improvement plan for roads

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The Transportation Department for the City of San Diego has released a pavement management plan using the most recent pavement condition assessment conducted by the department in 2023.

The Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is the method used to report pavement conditions. The PCI scoring scale ranges from zero (being the worst) to 100 (being the best). The city uses the score to decide how to best maintain and repair each street.

During the 2023 assessment the City of San Diego found the average street network PCI is 63 – a decrease from 71 the previous year – putting the average network PCI in the "fair" category. The city states their goal moving forward is to be at a PCI of 70 or above. But increasing that average by seven points is going to take significant funding, approximately $1.9 billion, over the next ten years.

With the current projected funding for the department the city’s average network PCI would drop to 45 over the next ten years, putting it in the "poor" category and highlighting the urgent need for funding.

“As we’ve heard recently at rules committee councilmember Campio as well as the Mayor put forward an option for this November’s election that could close the funding gap significantly for street infrastructure and for other infrastructure across the city,” said Bethany Bezak, director of the City of San Diego Transportation Department.

At this afternoon’s city council meeting, Bezak presented the Pavement Management Plan.

“Ultimately our goal is to make sure that we are transparent as possible about the roads network and the needs that we have long term,” Bezak said.

In addition to the Pavement Management Plan, the department has released a five-year plan showing the streets that would be paved throughout the next five fiscal years if funding is secured for the project – though the city says the five-year plan is subject to change with funding and conflicts with other projects.