After Repeated Delays, Gough Street Construction Finally Wrapping Up

After Repeated Delays, Gough Street Construction Finally Wrapping UpPhoto: Lynn Friedman/Flickr
Nuala Sawyer
Published on March 04, 2016

Work to replace Gough Street's aging sewer and water pipes, as well as re-pave the street, is finally coming to an end this spring, after more than a year of construction. 

The project broke ground in 2014, and was originally set to have been completed last summer. But water main breaks, inspection delays and weather have pushed the project well past its expected year-long duration. 

Last summer was a particularly painful stretch for Hayes businesses and residents, as three water main breaks related to the construction snarled traffic and forced some shops to close. The first break took place on Gough and Page during the morning rush hour on August 12th, shutting down traffic to one lane. The second happened two weeks later, on August 31st, at Gough and Ivy streets. The thirdat Gough and Lily on September 8th, had water shooting into the air. 

Water main break at Gough and Page on August 12th. (Photo: Beau D./Hoodline)

We highlighted the struggles of Gough Street businesses and residents in an article last September, after the third water main break took place. "Not all of Hayes Valley is 'on fire,'" Shannon Kitchen-Juarez of Gough Street's FLiP Salon told us at the time. "We are only managing to hang on by a thread, because of this road work."  

Inconveniences aside, replacing aging infrastructure is a necessary part of living in an old city. And in addition to healthier sewer and water lines, the construction has led to some improvements at the street level for pedestrians. Four intersections have received new bulb-outs, and one has added a crosswalk. 

Last December, the awkward three-way intersection at Gough and Fell finally received an upgrade, with a large bulb-out installed on the southwest corner and a fourth crosswalk striped across Fell Street. 

New bulb-out and crosswalk at Fell and Gough.

Bulb-outs were also installed at Gough and Turk, Gough and Grove, and Gough and Hayes, with the goal of reducing pedestrian crossing times and increasing visibility for drivers. 

The four improved intersections are part of the Gough Street Pedestrian Safety Project, a joint venture of the SFMTA and SF Public Works. District 5 Supervisor London Breed allocated the funds for the project, putting $450,000 in MTA bond money towards making Gough Street safer.

"Supervisor Breed is working with the MTA and the community on about 20 different safety and Vision Zero projects throughout D5," Breed's aide Conor Johnson told us. "Pedestrian safety is paramount to her."

According to SF Public Works, the major delays on the Gough Street project had to do with the Water Department, which needed to perform inspections on the project as it progressed. Given the plethora of construction happening around San Francisco, Water Department inspectors were severely backed up, delaying the eventual paving and bulb-out construction.

But there's good news for businesses and residents who have been suffering amidst the construction on Gough: all work on the street should be wrapped up this month. "We should be finished paving by the end of the month, pending there are no weather delays," SF Public Works' Dadisi Najib told us via email. Given the current El Niño rains, however, work could potentially extend into April.