Creating Community in the Russian Hill Neighborhood of San Francisco
Greening of the Broadway Tunnel
Greening of the Broadway Tunnel ProjectProject Update: March 2011 by Judy Junghans, RHN Advisor DPW painted the back walls at the Hyde St overpass. You can note from the photo that the planters are now installed on the Hyde St overpass and the irrigation is hooked up. We are waiting for trees to be planted in place of the current ground cover. One step at a time… Volunteers painted the railings Golden Gate Bridge red! The color adds contrast to the barren walls and brings out the murals that Moose Curtis did in 2010. (above photo by Al Greening)The trees frame the murals. And people even walk through the tunnel now!
Project Update: Oct 2010 by Judy Junghans, RHN Advisor
Aren’t the trees in the median strip on Broadway beautiful? Won’t it really look great when trees are planted up the sides of the tunnel walls? And won’t it be even greater when planters are installed on the Hude Street overpass?
Three YES I presume and now one more…
Won’t it be wonderful when the barren sidewalk area at the southeast corner of Larkin and Broadway is planted? This will continue the greening project and, we hope, discourage graffiti!
This area (South Patch) is a 4’x70′ length of sidewalk next to the building on Larkin which attracts graffiti. The Dept of Public Works (DPW) owns this land. Their estimate to remove the concrete and old soil and replace it with new topsoil, install irrigation, and landscape the area is $15,620.
Armstrong Maple trees have now been planted in the median strip on Broadway between Polk St and the tunnel entrance. Take a look at the pictures below.
View from Polk St looking toward Larkin St
View from Hyde St overpass
Now that the conduit has been corrected and Broadway repaved, the Armstrong Maples have been planted from Polk Street to the tunnel entrance. And just in case you have never seen one, here is a picture. They are fast growing and are upright with a narrow oval shape. The fall colors wil be stunning with orange-red leaves.
Project Update: January 2010
We are pleased to inform you that the Broadway-Hyde Cable Car project will continue when the problem of irrigation is resolved. The tile installation is complete and the planters are on their way. The paving contractor has started work on the median strip between Polk and the tunnel entrance. This area will be planted with Armstrong Maples and ground cover. The estimated date for completion is spring 2010. Project Update: July 2009
We are pleased to inform you that the Broadway-Hyde Cable Car project will begin on Monday, July 20th with the posting of a 72 hour no parking notice. The plan is to take parking on the west side first and to create pedestrian access with barricades. There will be two rows of barricades, one at the edge of the sidewalk and one at the edge of the parking area. It is critical that people stay off the tiles until the barricades are removed. Any assistance you can provide in that regard is much appreciated.
The tile installation project is to be completed on September 25th, 2010. DPW will strive to complete it as soon as possible.
Project Update: August 2008.
Forty-two trees were to be planted on the side walls and median strip from Broadway to Hyde Street with four planter trees on the Hyde Street overpass at the cable car stop. This project would have transformed the barren concrete hole that is the Broadway Tunnel into a beautiful, tree-lined entry through Russian Hill to North Beach, Chinatown, and the City beyond.
GOOD NEWS!
Thanks to all of you who sent postcards to the Mayor. More than 310 yellow postcards were received! Because of your support, funds from the new budget have been allocated to our project.
The Department of Public Works has notified RHN that it has $100,000 in its budget to begin work. They will start with the four planters and pavers on the Hyde Street overpass. RHN will update members on the progress in future e-mails.
In the meantime, we need to think about fund raising for other areas, such as greening the wide sidewalk on the southwest corner of Broadway and Larkin Streets. Because of the current budget situation, doing the work in stages is how we are going to get the project completed.
We also plan to apply for grants. And, we can all solicit donations! Please let us know if you know of any corporate sponsors or donors.
The Original Project:
Greening the Broadway Tunnel-West was a $660k DPW project. The City awarded us $325k, but the funds were retracted because of major budget cuts. Some of that money has now been restored (see above).
Greening: ($299k) — planting twenty-eight trees up the sides of Broadway (just outside of and rising with the tunnel retaining walls), four planter trees on the pedestrian bridge, and fourteen trees in the median strip.
Cable Car Square on Hyde Street ($174k) — A pedestrian pathway will lead from the SE corner of Broadway and Larkin (starting at Helen Wills Park) to an attractive square at the Hyde Street Cable Car stop. The pathway and square would be demarcated by special paving.
Traditional Ornamental Street Lamps ($187k) — will help demarcate Broadway as an historic, grand boulevard.
