VOTE YES on SOS
Save Our Streets
Our tree-lined streets are where South Pasadena comes to life — kids biking to school, neighbors stopping to talk, seniors heading to appointments, families running errands around town. Safe roads make this possible.
Today, however, our roads are sending an S.O.S. Independent engineers rate more than 63% of South Pasadena's streets as "Fair," "Poor," or "Very Poor."
The signal is clear to anyone who drives, bikes, or walks these streets. This November, South Pasadena voters decide how to answer it: approve Measure SOS to fix the problem citywide, or accept that repairs and City services will compete for the same limited budget as streets continue to deteriorate.
Measure SOS makes good financial sense too. A street that can be preserved and maintained today for approximately $50,000 per mile may cost $1,000,000 per mile or more if repairs are delayed — and up to $2,500,000 per mile if deterioration requires complete reconstruction. That's why Measure SOS focuses on repairing streets before they fail. Every $1 invested in maintenance can avoid $6-$10 in future reconstruction. The right repair at the right time saves us millions.
Measure SOS, South Pasadena's street improvement measure, is a critical step toward stopping our streets' decline. Prior to placing Measure SOS on the ballot, the City developed two key plans:
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A 10-year resurfacing plan the City's new leadership is confident it can deliver.
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A budget forecast that invests $8.4M over 10 years from the City’s operating budget to maintain those improved streets going forward.
These key plans and the cost of doing nothing make voting YES on Measure SOS the responsible choice:
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45% of our streets urgently need reconstruction or significant repair. The remainder continue to deteriorate without adequate investment.
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Every $1 spent on preventative maintenance saves $6-10 in future reconstruction costs.
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The City's current annual budget can support less than $1 million a year for street and sidewalk repairs.
$80M is what the City can responsibly spend over the next 10 years and reliably maintain going forward. This amount is fiscally sustainable and logistically feasible for City staff and residents.
Voting YES on Measure SOS is a fiscally responsible choice — it is a smart investment that fixes the streets that keep our community safe and connected.
