After years of watching cracks spread and puddles grow, Lemon Grove's battered streets, patchy sidewalks, and aging storm drains are finally on the repair list. City officials say work crews are expected to hit the ground in early spring 2026.
The current city budget allocates $5.3 million from newly collected local sales tax revenue to initiate the first round of infrastructure projects. That includes roughly $2 million for street repaving and about $750,000 allocated for sidewalk and storm drain upgrades, along with pilot funding for community-oriented policing and additional funds set aside in reserves. City staff and councilmembers have mapped out priority stretches for phase one and say they plan to tackle the worst blocks first, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Measure T Made The Work Possible
The repairs are powered by Measure T, a one-cent local sales tax increase that voters approved in November 2024. The measure increased the city's sales tax rate and established a dedicated revenue stream that city officials estimate will generate approximately $5.9 million annually. Lemon Grove reports that it is responsible for maintaining about 70 miles of streets and 25 miles of storm drains, with an infrastructure repair backlog pegged at roughly $171 million. The city details these needs and the purpose of the tax on the City of Lemon Grove website.
Council Process And Oversight
Under the ordinance approved by voters, the city is required to provide line-item accounting, annual spending plans, and a citizens' oversight committee that reviews Measure T spending before the city council adopts the budget. Those accountability rules are written into local law. They are outlined in the Lemon Grove Municipal Code (Ord. 466).
What Residents Will See First
Residents can expect to see targeted patch and fill street work, upgraded curb ramps, and focused storm drain fixes on key corridors initially, with larger reconstruction projects to follow as designs are finalized and contracts are bid out. City Manager Lydia Romero told the The San Diego Union-Tribune that the tax only started collecting revenue this summer, so the city is still building up funds and beginning to spend them. Staff also began reviewing which sidewalks might be repaired during recent council meetings. Meeting notices and supporting documents are posted through the City of Lemon Grove public notices.
Timeline And Next Steps
Construction is expected to roll out in early spring 2026, starting with the items staff consider most urgent, then widening to more projects as Measure T dollars arrive and individual jobs clear the permitting process. The Measure T spending plan and the municipal code both require public reporting and independent audits. Residents can track how the money is used through city council agendas and updates from the oversight committee. Details on these oversight and reporting rules are available in the Lemon Grove Municipal Code (Ord. 466).
