Irving Street and Lincoln Way Water Improvements Project: Frequently Asked Questions

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission provides reliable, high-quality water to the residents of San Francisco that meets or exceeds all state and Federal standards. We allocate the revenues raised from water rates to ensure that our 1200 miles of water mains within San Francisco are maintained and upgraded to keep this critical network operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We replace about 10 miles of water mains each year based on age, material, soil conditions, and other factors which warrant this work.

The blocks within the project area were designated as high priority for replacement as most of the water infrastructure is over 100 years old and at risk of failure.

To ensure continued reliable delivery of water to the neighborhood, these aging pipes must be upgraded to improve system performance, strengthen infrastructure, and help maintain consistent water service for residents and businesses.

The project spans from 19th Avenue to Sunset Boulevard on both Lincoln Way and Irving Street, as well as along all cross streets starting at 20th Avenue. The project is estimated to take approximately two years to complete, beginning in Spring 2027 and reaching final completion tentatively in Spring 2029.

Following completion of this work, the blocks west of Sunset Boulevard along Lincoln Way and Irving Street will receive similar infrastructure upgrades. Construction on the western portion is anticipated to begin in Spring 2029.

Water main installation requires several steps to complete, and construction activity will appear to be intermittent. Work will vary week to week as crews move through the various stages of work, returning as needed to complete different steps, including testing and connections. Some of these activities will not be visible and may appear that no work is taking place, but work is actually still in progress. To learn more about the water main installation process, visit sfpuc.gov/NewWaterMains.

In addition to water main installation, new curb ramps will also be constructed at select corners. This work is completed by separate crews and typically occurs closer to final paving. 

Once all work on the project is complete, crews will return for final street restoration. This generally takes place towards the end of the project, although it may be completed sooner if the contractor identifies an opportunity to do so.

This phased approach has been determined to be the fastest and most efficient way to complete the project.  

With this type of work schedule, it is difficult to pinpoint an exact timeframe of how long we will be working on a block as there will be construction happening at multiple different times. Some work can be completed faster than others. Depending on what aspect of work is being performed, construction duration can range from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Local access for residents will be provided at all times during work hours, though there may be some slight delay to enter or exit your property/driveway to allow for crews to create a safe path of travel.  

Sidewalk access should be maintained during most of construction however a modified walkway may be necessary during any work that needs to occur in the sidewalk area.  

Vehicle and bus traffic will be maintained in both directions, though modified driving lanes may be necessary. 
In active construction zones, there will be noise, dust, vibrations, and parking restrictions. The contractor will abide by the San Francisco Noise Ordinance and will be responsible for keeping construction zones clean and orderly at the end of each workday.  

Work hours will typically be 7AM – 5PM, with some weekend or night work which will be noticed in advance.  

Yes, temporary parking restrictions will be necessary in active work areas. To provide a safe work zone and travel lanes in each direction, we usually need to utilize the parking strip adjacent to the work zone. Most parking restrictions will be during construction working hours only, allowing for parking at all other times.  

Some parking spots will be used to stage materials and equipment while work is occurring in the area. Some staging of equipment and materials will also occur offsite, away from the project corridor.    

The traffic control plans developed by the contractor will stipulate where parking restrictions will be implemented during active construction. This plan will be reviewed and approved by the SFMTA. 

There will be no impacts to sewer service, and only minimal impacts to water service during construction. Planned water service interruptions are temporary and will occur when crews are making connections to the new water main. This work usually lasts up to 4 hours and may be performed at night to accommodate neighborhood businesses that rely on water during the day. Addresses that will be impacted will receive advance notice via a doorhanger at least 24 hours prior.

While we will make every effort to notify residents in advance, unforeseen circumstances may result in some residences being impacted without prior notice.

Tree removals are not anticipated as part of the project. However, some trees may require trimming or pruning to allow crews to safely complete their work.  

Tree protection will be placed around trees in the work area prior to the start of construction on a block.

While the water infrastructure work being performed will be similar (i.e. installing new pipelines in the ground), there are some differences that should benefit this project.

The main difference is that the L Taraval Improvement Project included light rail track work, which requires a larger area of excavation in the street. There are no rail tracks on any of the blocks where work is planned so excavation will be contained to a much smaller footprint.  

The smaller footprint will also provide more room for crews to work, allowing them to keep a travel lane open in both directions during construction.  

Our project teams have learned from all the major projects that we have done and are using those lessons learned to develop ways to improve the overall construction process. We have evaluated what has worked and what hasn’t and will apply these takeaways to this project to minimize impacts and disruption to the neighborhood.