The City of San Diego’s field crews have implemented over 5,000 neighborhood repairs in the six months since the City Council approved Mayor Todd Gloria’s plan to allocate parking meter revenue for immediate fixes to streetlights, sidewalks and potholes.

The action shifted $1.8 million in parking meter revenue from four parking meter zones (Downtown, Mid-City, Pacific Beach and Uptown) to the Transportation Department for neighborhood improvements.

“When San Diegans pay into parking meters, they should see that money come back to their communities,” said Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera, who represents District 9 which includes Mid-City. “These repairs are exactly the kind of practical, neighborhood-level investment residents deserve — safer crossings, smoother streets, repaired sidewalks and working streetlights. I was proud to support this effort because making San Diego work for San Diegans means putting public dollars toward the needs people feel every day.”

“Residents in District 3 expect safe, well-lit streets and this program is delivering,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who represents Council District 3 which includes Downtown. “By reinvesting parking meter revenue back into much needed street repairs, we’re fixing potholes, restoring streetlights, improving sidewalks and making targeted safety upgrades. It’s a smart, accountable approach, and I’m proud to support it.”

Since the Oct. 27 Council vote, crews have patched over 3,000 potholes, turned on nearly 2,000 streetlights, implemented traffic safety upgrades at over 80 locations, fixed some of the worst sidewalks in Downtown and Uptown, and paved a popular corridor for downtown visitors and residents.

Parking meter revenue also paid for the following traffic safety improvements at 81 locations in Downtown, Mid-City and Uptown:

• 35,379 linear feet of crosswalks installed or refreshed.
• 253 pavement legends to safely guide drivers.
• 197 traffic signs installed or replaced.
• 12,600 linear feet of red curb painted to comply with California’s daylighting law (AB 413).
• 2,134 linear feet of traffic striping.

With this funding available, crews were able to address some of the most damaged sidewalk locations in Downtown and Uptown. Sidewalk replacement projects completed so far include: Third Avenue and University Avenue, Seventh Avenue and B Street, 1625 University Ave., Fifth Avenue and Ivy Lane, and at three locations along West Washington Street.

In addition, paving improvements were completed at the intersection of 16th Street and Imperial Avenue and along 16th Street from Imperial Avenue to Commercial Street in Downtown.

“Feeding parking meters is feeding neighborhood repairs,” said Naomi Chavez, interim Director of the City’s Transportation Department. “The money going into meters is being invested in thousands of repairs and safety improvements in our busiest neighborhoods. We’re making good on our promise to deliver real results in the same communities where the funding is collected.”

According to the City’s budget survey, which has more than 13,000 responses to date, street and sidewalk conditions and traffic safety are among the top concerns for San Diegans.

By law, parking meter revenue must be spent within the zones where it is collected and only on transportation-related uses. Using these funds to support neighborhood infrastructure maintenance and improvements ensures the money is being spent on resident priorities.

Since the late 1990s, the City has worked with nonprofit community organizations to manage the Community Parking District program. Under Council Policy 100-18, parking revenues were split between the City and these nonprofit entities established to help provide parking management solutions for areas impacted by high parking demand.

In June 2025, the City Council approved a comprehensive package of parking reforms and, as part of those reforms, the City implemented changes to Council Policy 100-18 and the Community Parking District program in an effort to improve efficiency and transparency.

In October 2025, the City Council approved a reallocation of the funding to address growing maintenance backlogs and community infrastructure priorities through the City’s Transportation Department. City crews began making repairs immediately across the four parking meter zones.

To make requests for infrastructure repairs, both inside and outside of parking district areas, residents are encouraged to use Get it Done.