Poway council hears $69 million capital improvement update, including 5 million sq ft of road resurfacing and new pickleball courts

Principal Civil Engineer Jonathan Schabel presented the City of Poway’s capital improvement program to the council on March 3, describing 78 active projects with a multi-year funding allocation of nearly $69,000,000 across streets, drainage, public facilities, water and sewer. "The city's current capital improvement program was approved in June and includes 78 total projects with a multi-year funding allocation of nearly $69,000,000," Schabel said.

Schabel highlighted the 2025 annual street maintenance and overlay program, which resurfaced roughly 5,000,000 square feet in Maintenance Zone 8 using crack seal, slurry seal, cape seal and hot-mix asphalt patching. He said the city’s average pavement condition index rose from 76 to 78, allowing staff to use more cost-effective treatments rather than full-depth reconstruction.

The presentation listed several near-term construction items: traffic-signal upgrades beginning in April to add hardware and video detection cameras at Twin Peaks Road/Community Road and Pomerado Road/Meadowbrook Road, completion of ADA barrier removal at Buckley Street with a new accessible path to Community Park, and a flashing-light system at Espola Road/Westland Court to alert drivers when emergency vehicles exit Fire Station 2.

On drainage, Schabel described a channel rehabilitation approach for Rattlesnake Creek near Community Park that would remove deteriorated concrete swales, install three drop structures to manage flows, and stabilize banks with boulders and native vegetation. He said staff will request approval of a consultant agreement at an upcoming council meeting to move the work into engineering design and permitting.

Public-facility work includes a standalone restroom at Community Park (50% design expected in April), and a proposal to construct six to eight dedicated public pickleball courts at a preferred site at the corner of Stowe Drive and Crosswayte Circle; the park and recreation advisory committee will review the project in April before staff solicits design proposals.

Schabel also summarized maintenance projects at the Poway Center for Performing Arts, an 11-valve water replacement project that is complete, and sewer work including the Butterfield Trail Sewer Project — at about 90% design — to upsize sewer pipe between Butterfield Trail and Cloudcroft Drive due to capacity constraints.

Council members praised the breadth of work. "Great presentation, Jonathan," Council member Dauph said, and suggested protective screening for pickleball courts near ball fields. Council member Pikes asked whether the 5,000,000-square-foot resurfacing figure applied to the city or a single maintenance zone; Schabel clarified it referred to Maintenance Zone 8.

Schabel closed the update and said he was happy to take additional questions. Staff noted some items will return to council for consultant agreements, final design approvals and public bidding in coming months.