Committee hears utility-undergrounding status, staff to return after consultant contract

San Francisco Public Works briefed the Land Use Committee on progress toward a citywide utility-undergrounding master plan and the committee asked staff to return after the next steps in contracting and funding analysis.

Supervisor Feuer, sponsor of the hearing, framed undergrounding as a neighborhood-safety priority and cited a recent small fire that left live wires on the ground. "Having our wires underground, it to me is about safety in our neighborhoods," Feuer said. Deborah Lutzky of Public Works described work to refine undergrounding data, develop a mapping interface, and coordinate with utilities and consultants to build a comprehensive master plan.

Lutzky said staff will assess other cities’ programs (including San Diego), identify data gaps, and research funding opportunities, staffing and budgets, and prioritization strategies. She reported the city has about 4.58 miles of undergrounded utilities to date and warned that Rule 20 funding is effectively exhausted for roughly the next 17 years; staff said they will return with details on funding prospects once they execute a contract with a consultant.

Committee members raised cost concerns; Chair Tang said prior research showed undergrounding can be "millions of dollars per block or per mile," and asked how planning can proceed without dedicated dollars. Lutzky acknowledged the funding challenge and promised follow-up. Supervisor Feuer asked to continue the item to the call of the chair for staff to proceed; the continuance was adopted without objection.

Next steps: Public Works will execute a consultant contract, continue data QA/QC and mapping work, pursue funding options, and provide updates to the committee.