Sunset Boulevard Beautification Update

By Supervisor Joel Engardio

Sunset Boulevard should be a gem of the Sunset. The greenbelt on both sides of the two-mile boulevard has the potential to become San Francisco's "emerald necklace" connecting Lake Merced and Golden Gate Park.

But for many years, Sunset Boulevard has not been green enough. A combination of drought, deferred maintenance, and broken irrigation pipes have resulted in a boulevard far less green and vibrant as longtime residents remember.

Sunset Boulevard should receive the same level of care, staffing, and investment as other notable areas such as Park Presidio, Lake Merced, and Golden Gate Park. We deserve a well-maintained and beautiful thoroughfare that highlights the best of the Sunset. 

Sunset Boulevard’s caretaker
Many are surprised to learn that the greenbelt and median along Sunset Boulevard is not under the direction of San Francisco’s Recreation and Park Department. It's overseen by the Department of Public Works (DPW). The land along Sunset Boulevard is clearly parkland, but there is a complicated history as to why it's owned by DPW.

Residents formed a group called Friends of Sunset Boulevard, which is advocating for a jurisdictional transfer of the land from DPW to Rec and Park. It’s not as simple a solution as it sounds. Such a transfer would require mayoral action and approval by the Board of Supervisors. Discussions are ongoing about how to improve Sunset Boulevard using the best combination of expertise and resources between DPW and Rec and Park.

Meanwhile, DPW has a Bureau of Urban Forestry that is dedicated to Sunset Boulevard. DPW mainly works with concrete and asphalt fixing San Francisco’s streets, sidewalks, and physical infrastructure. DPW led the recent repaving of Sunset Boulevard. DPW is also rebuilding the irrigation system along the beltway as its Bureau of Urban Forestry maintains the trees and green areas.

Maintenance updates
DPW recently created a newsletter called the Sunset Greenbelt Connection to give residents “regular updates on the greening, maintenance and infrastructure work we’re doing to continue improving the Sunset Boulevard corridor.”

The first issue outlined the mission to “reimagine the corridor to support sustainable, drought-tolerant plantings, a healthy urban forest and a beautiful design to meet present-day and future needs.”

I share the desire to transform the parkland along both sides of Sunset Boulevard into the iconic greenway it deserves to be. 

Here are some updates from DPW’s newsletter:

Irrigation vault dig-out project
Landscape crews are digging out valve boxes to prepare for repairs and new boxes. They are working to complete the eight dig outs from Lawton Street to Pacheco Street. 

Tree pruning
Last summer, arborists in DPW’s Bureau of Urban Forestry assessed the health of large Monterey cypress and Monterey pine trees along Sunset Boulevard. Arborist supervisor Ricardo Lizarraga led the crew to prune hundreds of trees. The strategic pruning is credited with fewer limb failure during this year’s winter storms.

Spring maintenance
Mowing, weeding, litter removal, weeding, pruning shrubs, and graffiti abatement inspection are all part of a monthly maintenance plan that began this spring. DPW is also performing young tree care maintenance, center median maintenance, and gopher abatement. Specialized hand tools are used in areas that can't be mowed — including around benches and the weeding of tree basins.

Paving project completed
DPW’s street resurfacing program finished repaving the entirety of Sunset Boulevard. Lane stripping and crosswalk painting is one of the final touches. 

New bus pads, curb ramps, and electrical conduits for new bus stops were also installed. This effort aims to relocate bus stops to the far side of intersections, allowing drivers to turn right at a green light without waiting behind a bus.

DPW crews also elevated storm drains that were uneven and caused dips in the road. The storm drains are now level with the road surface.