San Francisco Department of Public Works

San Francisco Public Works is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and infrastructure. The department designs, builds, resurfaces and cleans streets; plants and maintains trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; conducts sidewalk and roadway inspections, constructs curb ramps, provides mechanical and manual street cleaning, removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco. Public Works serves San Francisco residents, merchants and visitors 24 hours a day and seven days a week with a workforce of approximately 1,200 employees.

San Francisco Public Works was officially created on January 8, 1900 with the name of Board of Public Works. Its first task was to organize and regulate street construction and paving projects throughout the city. The original four bureaus were: Streets, Lighting, Building, and Light & Water Services. Over the next century and nearly two decades later, the roles have shifted and expanded dramatically.

In 2014, after a year-long rebranding process, the department switched its name from the San Francisco Department of Public Works, or DPW, to San Francisco Public Works. The budget for the first year of operations was $637,194.00. Today, the operating budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 is approximately $256 million.

1969

- The Gateway Arch to Chinatown, San Francisco was completed in September at a project cost of $76,790.

- DPW Annual Report dubbed the increase in litter as “a modern phenomenon”, blaming it on “unsolicited advertising leaflets, handbills and so-called newspapers for which no charge is made…paper and plastic in the form of product containers or wrappings.”

1974
- DPW implemented the Controlled Parking Program, which enacted scheduled parking prohibitions on streets during certain hours to clear the way for mechanical street sweepers. It began as a pilot program in the Richmond District. The Board of Supervisors approved $56,700 for 2,200 signs to be posted throughout the neighborhoods. The program eventually expanded to a new district each year after.

1976
- San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center opens. This $30 million construction project was awarded in 1971. After many construction difficulties the medical facility eventually opens.

1980

- Bureau of Engineering completes a $726,382 contract to develop and rehabilitate the music concourse in Golden Gate Park.

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