Street Paving 101

How are streets prioritized for paving?

The Public Works Department surveys every public street to measure the condition of the pavement and gives each street a rating according to the Pavement Condition Index (PCI). This PCI rating in considered alongside other factors including equity, evacuation needs, upcoming road diet, transit, and bicycle pedestrian improvments to determine what streets should be prioritized for repaving. Read more about the City’s most recent road repaving and rehabilitation policy.

How do I know if my street is going to be repaved?

The City website provides a list of planned street repairs for 2023/2024. You can see the projects that are in progress for 2022 here.

Berkeley’s street rehabilitation and repair policy

The City has a 5-year plan adopted in early 2022 to construct environmentally sustainable, safe, and economically efficient street infrastructure. Funds for street repair will come from gas taxes, sales taxes, and other federal, state, and local funds appropriated for this purpose. Priority will be given to streets with utility, sewer, and water contamination issues, then long-term cost effectiveness, heavy street use, and high visibility areas will be factored in, as well as equity and evacuation considerations.

Each year, the project will be reviewed and updated by City Council, with the help of the Public Works Commission, to ensure that the plan remains consistent with the policy guidelines. Furthermore, there is a City policy that will require an annual Utility Trench and Pothole Repair Program for the most heavily used streets. Utility companies will repair their respective utility trenches, and Gas Tax subventions, general city funds, and sanitary sewer funds shall be used for these repairs.

How can residents request that their street be paved?

In order to request that your street be paved, or to report a pothole, call 3-1-1, the city service center. You can also complete the online form.