Measure T1: Infrastructure and Facilities Bond

Measure T1 provides funding for improvements to City infrastructure and facilities.

about measure t1

Measure T1 provides $100 million of funding from bond revenue to pay for improvements to City infrastructure and facilities. Berkeley voters passed Measure T1 in November 2016 with 86.5% approval. The original ballot question read:

Shall the City of Berkeley issue general obligation bonds not exceeding $100,000,000 to repair, renovate, replace, or reconstruct the City’s aging infrastructure and facilities, including sidewalks, storm drains, parks, streets, senior and recreation centers, and other important City facilities and buildings? Financial Implications: The average annual cost over the 40-year period the bonds are outstanding would be approximately $21, $90, and $128, respectively, for homes with assessed valuations of $100,000, $425,000 and $600,000.

STATUS

The City is using funding from T1 bonds to improve sidewalks, storm drains, streets, parks, community centers, and other key infrastructure and facilities.

View list of T1 projects

Phase One Projects

During the first phase of T1 projects, from 2017-2022, the City spent $42.7 million on 40 different projects. Combined with funding from grants and special funds, the City was able to invest $65.7 million in infrastructure improvements. Staff costs represented only 11.8% of Phase One expenditures.

Learn about the Phase One projects in our T1 Update brochure. Highlights include:

Facility improvements: upgraded community buildings to be seismically safe and accessible, including the Live Oak Community Center, North Berkeley Senior Center, Adult Mental Health Clinic, among others
Park improvements: brought new life to an aging Rose Garden, made our diverse tennis community happy with nine renovated courts and cleaned out the tide tubes in Aquatic Park for greatly improved water quality in the lagoon
Green infrastructure: built infrastructure to absorb storm water, improving our City’s resilience during wet weather
Street paving: repaved some of the most neglected streets in Berkeley, including portions of Adeline Street, University Ave, and Marina Blvd

Phase Two Projects

During the second phase of T1 projects, from 2021-2026, the City plans to spend $60 million on 30 different projects.

Get an overview of Phase Two selected projects. Highlights include:

Facility improvements: upgrades to South Berkeley facilities, including the African American Holistic Resource Center, Martin Luther King Youth Services Center, Willard Clubhouse, and the South Berkeley Senior Center
Park improvements: repaired the King Pool tile and plaster, improved the John Hinkle Playground and Amphitheater; with projects in progress for Aquatic Park, the Marina, Ohlone Park, and Grove Park
Public restrooms: nine new restrooms in various locations around the city

Management and oversight

The Departments of Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront and Public Works manage the infrastructure projects funded by Measure T1. The Measure T1 Bond Policies and Procedures Manual guides all decisions about how the funds are managed.

The Parks, Recreation, and Waterfront Commission, Public Works Commission, and City Council provide oversight for Measure T1 projects and management.

Independent audits verify that T1 funds are being spent appropriately. Read the audit reports: