This week, May 19 to 25, is National Public Works Week (NPWW) and the City of San Diego is joining cities across the country in recognizing thousands of dedicated public works employees who plan, build, manage and operate the critical infrastructure, systems and services that improve the lives of all San Diegans.

NPWW started in 1960 as a public education campaign by the American Public Works Association (APWA) to bring awareness to the importance of public works in community life. It takes place annually during the third week of May.

This year’s theme, “Advancing Quality of Life for All,” highlights the way public works professionals provide essential services that lead to healthier, happier and more vibrant communities.

"We’re making substantial investments to address our City’s aging infrastructure, proposing the largest infrastructure investment in City history for next fiscal year,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “Our dedicated public works employees are essential to this effort, working tirelessly to improve our streets, utilities, and public facilities, helping build a stronger, more resilient San Diego for all of us.”

Mayor Gloria recently released his updated budget for fiscal year (FY) 2025, which includes a $941.5 million budget for the City’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP), the largest investment in infrastructure in the City’s history. The Mayor’s revised Protecting our Progress proposed budget aims to fund a variety of projects across the City with a continued focus on streets. The proposal allocates $104.6 million for street resurfacing construction and design. That investment would increase the number of resurfacing miles to 75 miles in FY2025 and fund the design and planning needed to complete 105 miles in FY2026.

“Making sure each community has the necessary working infrastructure, from things like underground sewer and water lines to fire stations and libraries, is a crucial element of our role as public works employees,” said City Engineer Rania Amen, Director of the Engineering and Capital Projects Department. “While this historic budget proposal for the City’s CIP is a tall task, our team is ready to tackle the challenge and do so with great pride serving San Diegans.”

This past year, several City CIP projects were recognized with industry or professional awards at national, state and local levels, including:

• The West Mission Bay Drive Bridge Project received the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) National Recognition Award. The project replaced the existing four-lane bridge built in the early 1950s with two separate three-lane bridge structures with protected multi-use paths. It is the largest bridge project ever completed in the City of San Diego.
• The Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center Moisture Intrusion Project received the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) San Diego Section Outstanding Community Improvement Project Award. The project mitigated moisture and water intrusion into the facility by rehabilitating the roof drain system, regrading walkways and replacing storm drain piping.
• The Navajo Pump Station Project received the ASCE San Diego Section Outstanding Water Project Award. The project replaced an existing pump station with a new facility and included the installation of 1.8 miles of new water mains.
• The AC Overlay Group 2110 Project received the ASCE San Diego Section Outstanding Roadway and Highway Project Award. The project resurfaced nearly 11 miles of roadways across Council Districts 1, 4, 6, 7 and 8.
• The Tecolote Shores North Playground Project received a San Diego Architectural Foundation Orchid Award for landscape architecture. The project renovated the existing park with play equipment accessible to all users, an adult fitness course, shade structures, improved landscaping and an ADA-compliant pathway.

As one of the largest employers in the region, the City of San Diego employs hundreds of engineers and thousands of public works professionals. The City is currently recruiting for a variety of positions.

For more information on CIP projects, visit the CIP website or search for projects throughout the City using the CIP Project Map Viewer.