Replacement of the Pickleweed Park play structures is on schedule. By the end of this week, both playground areas at Pickleweed Park will have been filled with engineered wood fiber. This will provide a safe, impact-cushioned play surface. On the week of June 24th, the contractor will be working on adding the final touches, including...
Land Systems Management is the City of San Rafael’s 2019 goat contractor. The goats are currently up on Robert Dollar Hill working (eating) their way towards the Falkirk Center. Afterwards, the goats will be covering other City open space from Terra Linda to Peacock Gap.
Work continues in the Gerstle Park neighborhood as the City and Van Midde and Son Concrete passed the 3,000 square foot milestone in the neighborhood. That's enough new sidewalk in the neighborhood to stretch two football fields long. Over 400 feet of curb and gutter have also been replaced. Work has slowed a little in...
Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area above 1000 feet, which is in effect from 9 PM this evening (Friday) to 5 PM Sunday. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected...
**We are currently not accepting applications to paint utility boxes but will re-evaluate as budgeting and policy changes. Please check back here for any future updates.** The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Leadership Institute Class project wrapped up this week, with the completion of six painted utility boxes downtown. The project was developed to enhance...
The spinning climbing structure at Freitas Park was due for another resurfacing. The Poured-in-Place (PIP) surface previously used was wearing out faster than expected. The Parks Department was able to find a better product with a lifetime warranty! The new tile was installed last week, and the Parks crew put the spinning structure back together...
The City’s contractor, Valentine Corporation, has installed the rebar in the final retaining wall and is almost done securing the forms. They are anticipating pouring concrete early next week. While the concrete is curing, they will work on the new drainage ditch on the other side of the road. Once the new concrete wall has...
On May 28th, Community Playgrounds Inc. began work on the installation of our new playground structures at Pickleweed Park. We see the excitement of the community with several residents stopping by the site to ask questions, reading the posted multi-language banners, and some even bringing their children to watch the construction. The structures themselves should...
The City’s contractor is working towards the completion of the Grand Ave pedestrian bridge project. Remaining work includes removing the mid-block crosswalk in front of Toyota, as well as, installing a bridge deck treatment on the vehicle bridge. Expected completion of the project is June 11th. We anticipate opening the pedestrian bridge to the public...
Your drive across the railroad tracks downtown should be a little less maddening, after the Traffic Engineering division made some changes to the traffic signal timing in the vicinity of the train tracks downtown. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has very strict rules about traffic signal timing around active railroad tracks, and for good...
One of the busiest arterials in Marin was closed last weekend to allow the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) to construct a double track section across 2nd Street. The roadway was closed on Friday night at 8:00 pm and reopened on Sunday afternoon at 5:00 PM. The closure involved multiple stakeholders from Golden Gate...
3rd Street Closure Friday, June 7 at 8:00 p.m. to Monday, June 10 at 4:00 a.m Beginning on Friday, June 7 at 8 p.m. and ending on Monday, June 10 at 4 a.m., Third Street will be closed between Tamalpais Avenue to Hetherton Street. To travel westbound, use the following alternate routes: To travel westbound from...
Street Trees and Sidewalk: As the Sidewalk Repair Program (SRP) moves along, a common theme has played out throughout the City. The sight of trees, and specifically their roots damaging and lifting sidewalks is something most residents have seen firsthand. As a Tree City this presents a challenge, but the City of San Rafael has...
2nd Street Closure Friday, May 31 at 8:00 p.m. to Monday, June 3 at 4:00 a.m Beginning on Friday, May 31 at 8 p.m. and ending on Monday, June 3 at 4 a.m., 2nd Street will be closed between Tamalpais Avenue to Hetherton Street. To travel eastbound, access A Street from Second Street as follows: To...
The Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) construction on the Larkspur rail extension will close 2nd and 3rd Streets on consecutive weekends (5/31-6/3 and 6/7-6/10) and will impact the San Rafael Transit Center. Second Street Closure: Friday, May 31, at 8:00 p.m. through Monday, June 3, at 4:00 a.m. Second Street, between Tamalpais Avenue and Hetherton Street,...
The Falkirk Mansion re-roof is complete. The contractor was able to complete the project a few days early and it was a good thing they did, as the last bout of rain started the day after they finished. Although the exact wood shake shingles were not replaced in-kind due to Fire Code requirements, the fiberglass...
The contractor has completed the majority of concrete work on the project with only minor sidewalk work remaining. Next steps on the project include asphalt work within the Toyota Marin parking lot, as well as, on the north side of the canal where the City purchased the former Marin Motors parcel. During the second week...
After over two years of anticipation, and more than a decade in the making, we are all very excited to present this facility to the public. It was a joyous occasion for the San Rafael residents, city officials and firefighters that attended Fire Station 52 grand opening and dedication ceremony. Mayor Phillips and Fire Chief...
The MUP Phase-1 is nearly completed. The last phase is to install the SMART tracks next to the MUP before they close-in the security fence between the MUP and the tracks. SMART anticipates completing the track installation in the first or second week of June. Once that is completed, they will be able to finish...
The final work on the Francisco Blvd West realignment is completed and Francisco Blvd West at Rice Street has reopened. There was a bit of a delay from signaling issues, but it’s finally taking traffic!
The San Rafael Sanitation District will be advertising the Forbes Avenue Sewer Improvement Project, which includes El Cerrito Avenue and 21 to 141 Fairhills Drive, on May 13, 2019. The project consists of replacing close to 3,000 lineal feet of sanitary sewer pipeline. The Engineers will perform a Public Outreach Meeting at the project site...
The Cayes Pump Station is a small drainage pump station that manages the drainage in the Spinnaker and Baypoint neighborhoods in the Canal. This pump station also manages the water levels in the adjacent pond which fronts both neighborhoods. Over the last winter, which was wetter than normal, a significant leak in the pipe outfall...
The first STOP sign appeared in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. There were a variety of colors used for STOP signs until the late 1920s, when the background color was standardized on yellow for maximum day and night visibility. Remember that this was several years before the invention of glass-bead retro-reflectorization for sign faces, so a...
UPDATE: After hearing concerns from our residents, the Traffic Engineering division completed an analysis for an All Way STOP at Merrydale Road and US 101 South Ramps and got approval from Caltrans to do the work. Streets Maintenance Crews painted STOP legends and limit lines, refreshed striping, and installed STOP signs and advanced warning signs....
**We are currently not accepting applications to paint utility boxes but will re-evaluate as budgeting and policy changes. Please check back here for any future updates.** You might have noticed some painting of public property downtown this week. Don’t worry, these street artists have a permit! The 2019 San Rafael Leadership Institute (SRLI) class project...
The Department of Public Works is pleased to announce that Encroachment Permit applications and payments will now be accepted online at www.cityofsanrafael.org/epapply. Property owners and contractors will now be able to apply for all types of encroachment permits and make payment via credit card. Once applied for staff will review the permit and send the...
The Park-A-Month Volunteer Program has begun! This fun family-friendly volunteer program helps keep our San Rafael Parks in great shape! The events take place on the third Saturday of each month. On April 20th, Parks personnel and neighborhood volunteers worked together to help clean up the Terra Linda Community Center. The next event is at...
Work continues to replace the upper deck bridge joints on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Caltrans is providing weekly progress updates and the work is expected to be complete in July. During this activity, motorists can expect nightly lane closures and steel plates at various locations on the bridge roadway surface.
Public Works has received the new playground equipment for Pickleweed Park. The purchase of the equipment was funded by a Community Development Block Grant administered by Marin County. DPW is obtaining the services of a certified playground installer as well as a specialty firm to install the equipment and engineered wood fiber surface. The playground...
With great weather to work, Van Midde and Son Concrete has been busy and working hard to replace sidewalk, curb and gutter in Gerstle Park. A program high, 12 properties are currently in the midst of getting their sidewalk repaired with 7 more properties expected to break ground within the next two weeks. Last week,...
