Engineering and Captial Projects Department Highlight
When you notice improvements to a library or recreation center, water and sewer lines being replaced or traffic-calming measures in your neighborhood, you might not associate the projects with any specific City division. Yet there’s a good chance that the Engineering and Capital Projects (E&CP) Department is involved in this effort to improve and enhance your neighborhood.
E&CP provides a wide range of engineering services in order to invest in, and maintain the City’s capital investments. This includes all capital improvement projects such as libraries, fire, lifeguard and police stations, recreation centers, drainage and flood control facilities, rebuilding and expanding water and sewer pipelines and undergrounding utilities. Although this is a broad listing of the department’s areas of responsibility, it is easy to see these works when you drive around San Diego.
If you find yourself enjoying a sunny afternoon in Mission Bay, you might notice the project to divert urban runoff into the sanitary sewer system, rather than allowing it to flow directly into the Bay. Also, if you’re in Southeastern San Diego, you will see the Dorothy Petway Neighborhood Park which provides almost 6 acres of park land for the Southcrest neighborhood and the linking pedestrian bridge to make it easier for neighbors to access the park.
The department also provides traffic engineering services which include maintaining the City’s traffic signals, transportation system forecasting and responding to traffic requests from the community. E&CP encourages citizens to submit a request to report a faded, missing or incorrect traffic sign, to ask for street striping or curb color painting or to request a stop sign, traffic signal or other traffic safety measures in your neighborhood. To do so, simply go to www.sandiego.gov/engineering-cip/services/public/request.shtml and complete the form.
With such a vast and diverse array of responsibilities, it is no wonder that the department is made up of well over 500 employees. This is a group of hard working individuals who have been working in E&CP for an average of 15 years! With a staff that clearly has a firm foundation of institutional knowledge, a commitment to the community and a dedication to their department’s responsibilities, it is no wonder that so many E&CP employees receive praise for a job well done. One of many examples came from a San Diegan who wrote, “I just wanted to pass along how much I appreciated the courtesy and respect from the trenching crew. They did a great job of keeping us informed and being patient to work around our needs when necessary. I am not sure of their supervisor’s name but I witnessed him on several occasions go above and beyond what most construction supervisors would do. They all worked their butts off and did a fantastic job on restoring our yard and driveway to how it was prior to them beginning construction.”
Although E&CP employees are alike in sharing a commitment to maintain a high level of customer service and productivity, differences in the department are also celebrated. E&CP has a highly successful diversity program which has been recognized at the national level with the Diversity Distinction Award from the American Public Works Association. The program not only focuses on celebrating the different cultures and customs that make up the E&CP Department, but it also organizes and facilitates a wide range of activities and events to allow employees to get to know one another on a more personal level. Past activities have included Padres games, Del Mar Track days, ping pong and chess tournaments and volleyball games. The department also has a committee that identifies volunteer opportunities that have included E&CP staff donating their time to beach clean-ups, Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Tots and Meals on Wheels.
MEA is proud to represent a group of employees who work collaboratively to serve San Diegans with projects that improve and enhance the communities we live in. Your hard work, commitment to each project’s success and dedication to our community does not go unnoticed. Thank you for all you do!
Special thanks to the E&CP Public Information Office, Diversity Committee, and Training Coordinator for their assistance.