San Francisco is sticking with its waterfront fixer. Jacobs will remain program manager for the Port of San Francisco’s Waterfront Resilience Program, the multibillion-dollar effort to shore up roughly 7.5 miles of the city’s bayside shoreline against earthquakes, coastal storms and sea-level rise. A new advisory agreement that took effect in March puts the company in charge of steering planning, design and coordination as the program moves from study work toward permit-ready designs and phased construction.
As first reported by The Eagle‑Tribune, Jacobs announced in a Business Wire release that it will remain program manager for the Port’s Waterfront Resilience Program. City contract documents show the Port approved a $40 million program advisory agreement with Jacobs for a five‑year term running March 2, 2026, through March 1, 2031, a deal the Port Commission signed off on in December, according to City and County of San Francisco records. Those records note the contract includes program and technical advisory services and local‑business participation requirements.
What the program covers
The Waterfront Resilience Program covers the Port’s 7.5‑mile jurisdiction between Aquatic Park and Heron’s Head Park and is designed to protect the shoreline from both near‑term flood and earthquake risk and longer‑term sea‑level rise. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Port have released a Draft Plan that is being refined with public input ahead of an expected 2026 completion. Materials from the Port of San Francisco note that planners are weighing a range of coastal defenses and adaptation approaches across the Embarcadero, South Beach, Mission Bay and Islais Creek areas.
Jacobs' role and what's included
Under the advisory agreement, Jacobs will provide program management, environmental and engineering support, coordination with the Army Corps, communications, finance, and workforce and small‑business outreach, among other services detailed in the contract. The company has supported the program in prior phases and says it will lead a team of subconsultants to help translate the Draft Plan into design packages and procurement strategies, according to Jacobs.
Why now and what to watch
The timing lines up with the refinement of the Army Corps’ Draft Plan and a flurry of public outreach, including a South Beach open house on Tuesday at the Ferry Building, that will help shape final design choices and permitting timelines. Funding, permitting and phasing are expected to dominate the next 12 to 24 months as the Port, federal partners and city agencies turn plan recommendations into construction‑ready projects. Notices from the Port of San Francisco list upcoming community meetings and outline steps toward finalizing the plan.
For waterfront businesses and commuters, the advisory deal is more of an administrative milestone than a sign that heavy construction is about to start, but it does mark a clearer path toward the multibillion‑dollar investments needed to protect the Embarcadero and adjacent neighborhoods. Residents and local leaders will be watching whether Jacobs’ program guidance speeds up permitting or reshapes phasing for the most vulnerable stretches of shoreline.
