PAVING DIRT STREETS TO COST MILLIONS

Committee approves policy changes that would allow city to boost equity

A new analysis shows San Diego would need to spend $300 million to $900 million to pave all its dirt streets and alleys, which have become a social equity issue because they are located mostly in low-income neighborhoods.

The analysis, conducted by city staff after Councilwoman Vivian Moreno proposed the idea in July, also found that San Diego has more than 60 miles of dirt streets — 50 percent more than the 40 miles Moreno had estimated.

Moreno was correct that the lion’s share of dirt streets are in lowincome neighborhoods south of Interstate 8, where community leaders have lacked the political clout to effectively lobby for infrastructure upgrades. There are nearly 13 miles in Council District 8 in the South Bay, and there are more than 10 miles in Council District 4 in southeastern San Diego. No other council district has more than 3 miles of dirt streets.

The council’s infrastructure committee voted unanimously this week to amend policies that prohibit the city from paving the dirt streets and that prevent the city from agreeing to take over longterm maintenance costs of streets.

Changing the two policies, which date back to 1952 and 1979, still needs approval from the full City Council, which is expected in coming weeks.

Committee members said the city obviously can’t immediately pay to have all of the dirt streets paved, especially not during a budget crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is sharply decreasing hotel tax and sales tax revenue.

But, they said, changing the policies would allow the dirt streets to be considered each