The City’s Public Works department delivers critical services that keep the people and city moving forward, overseeing traffic and street lights, parking, road maintenance, recycling and solid waste, the City’s urban forest and more.
The department’s more than 740 employees work daily to improve the quality of life for Sacramento residents.
As part of National Public Works Week, City Express checked in with Ryan Moore, the City’s director of Public Works, and asked what work has been like for his department during the pandemic.
“The last 14 months have been met with so many unprecedented challenges,” Moore said. “I applaud each and every one of the Public Works team members for continuing to make the city a great place to live. This department makes a direct impact to the community since we touch almost every corner of the city, every day.”
While Public Works is involved in hundreds of acts of service for the community, below is a highlight of accomplishments from the past six months:
- In early 2021, Public Works responded to 1,300 calls due to a significant storm that resulted in widespread damage to public and private trees. Urban Forestry crews and a contractor immediately collected and disposed of damaged vegetation and worked until completion in mid-March.
- Public Works has responded to more than 9,000 Recycling and Solid Waste calls for illegal dumping and more than 850 street-maintenance services calls in 2021.
- The Slow and Active Streets Pilot Program was implemented to prioritize walking and biking by limiting through traffic on residential streets. Tools such as temporary signs and cones will be used to divert through traffic and slow drivers on these streets.
- The Vision Zero Top 5 Corridors Plan/School Safety Study was adopted by City Council. These studies are used to identify corridors with serious crashes and key safety improvements needed for students at 20 schools throughout the City.
- Public Works applied and received $39.2 million in grant funding from Sacramento Area Council of Governments. These funds will allow for new capital projects to maintain and modernize existing infrastructure which include bikeways, corridors and more.
Learn more about how Public Works services the city on their website.