Business

Revised Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Lighting Moves Forward

The completed $18 million Upgrade the Drake project was the most significant improvement effort in 25 years for Drake Boulevard between Highway 101 and the Town of Ross. In addition to repairing and paving the heavily used 2.2-mile stretch of roadway and implementing improvements such as revised lane configurations and drainage, the work also included numerous safety upgrades and long-term underground utility updates.

Published

4 years ago

April 24, 2022

Oakland Post

A selection of streetlight poles and fixtures along approximately one third of a 2.2-mile stretch of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard will be replaced with shorter, decorative poles and dimmer fixtures.

Dimmer light fixtures and decorative poles planned due to community feedback

Courtesy of Marin County

The Marin County Department of Public Works (DPW) is in the process of revising the street lighting along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard between the Town of Ross and Highway 101. The lighting update project would address the enhanced street lighting that was installed during the Upgrade the Drake project, which was completed in November 2021.

In response to community concerns, the proposed lighting project is intended to reduce light dispersal on adjacent properties, decrease light intensity and improve aesthetics while still maintaining the lighting uniformity levels necessary for public safety along Drake Boulevard. Statistically, uniform nighttime street lighting improves safety for all modes of transportation.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors will consider approving the project to replace median light poles between Eliseo Drive and Manor Road at the April 19 public meeting at the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, Suite 330, in San Rafael. The Board will consider moving forward with purchasing decorative light poles, which would cost an estimated $300,000, as well as putting the construction contract out to bid for the lighting update installation project.

To keep the cost as low as possible, the decorative poles would be ordered directly from the distributor and DPW plans to reuse the pole foundations already installed wherever possible. The streetlight revisions are being funded by the remaining budget of the Upgrade the Drake project and the Marin County Street Light Fund. To further offset the cost, DPW plans to explore resell opportunities for the currently installed street light poles, which are a standard pole design used across California.

The new median lighting would replace light poles and fixtures along approximately one third of the 2.2-mile corridor with shorter, decorative poles and dimmer fixtures. It should be noted that the shorter, decorative poles with the dimmer fixtures will require closer spacing to achieve sufficient light levels and uniformity on the roadway, resulting in a net increase in total lights.

The proposed pole replacements are expected to begin construction before the end of 2022, but the timing hinges on when the new decorative poles are available. The poles require significant manufacturing lead time, taking approximately six months to be fabricated and delivered. Pending the Board decision at the April 19 meeting, moving forward with placing the pole order in advance of awarding a construction contract will help expedite the potential future project.

In January 2022, DPW replaced lighting fixtures at intersections and added backshields to help block light dispersal outside of the roadway and sidewalks. In June, the County will replace all of the remaining light fixtures on existing poles throughout the 2.2-mile corridor. The existing fixtures have a brightness of 12,000 lumens and the replacement fixtures will typically have brightness of 5,000 to 8,000 lumens. Additional backshields will be added to reduce light dispersal outside the roadway when appropriate.

In response to the community reaction in February 2021, when the lighting improvements constructed during the Upgrade the Drake project were initially illuminated, DPW turned off the new median street lighting and began the process of reevaluating the design. Lights at the eight intersections along the project corridor have remained illuminated for safety reasons.

Community members interested in learning more about the proposed lighting project, as well as the separate landscaping project along the corridor, can find the information on DPW’s projects webpage.

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Oakland Post: Week of May 6 – 12, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of may 6 – 12, 2026

Published

3 days ago

May 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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Up to the Job: How San Francisco’s PRC Is Providing Work Opportunities That Turn Into Lasting Stability

Each year, PRC serves more than 5,000 clients through a wide range of programs. These include housing navigation, legal advocacy to ensure access to health and public benefits, supportive housing, job and life-skills training, and residential treatment programs.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Black Leadership Council (BLC) Advocacy Day in Sacramento. BLC works to advance meaningful change through policy engagement to unlock the full potential of Black and low-income communities. Photo courtesy of PRC.

By Joe Kocurek, California Black Media

Seville Christian arrived in San Francisco in the 1990s from Kansas City, Mo., a transgender woman coming from a time and place still hostile to who she was.

San Francisco offered a deeper LGBTQ+ history and a more visible community of people like her, but even in a city known for acceptance, building a stable life from scratch was no small task.

After arriving in the city, she turned to Positive Resource Center (PRC) looking for work — and for a foothold — in a new place.

“PRC gave me my first job,” Christian said. “A simple gig — passing out magazines at the San Francisco Pride Parade.”

That first opportunity marked the beginning of a decades-long relationship with PRC, one that has seen Christian grow from client to valued employee, and eventually to policy fellow.

“Today, I’ve been with PRC for 27 years, going on 28,” she said.

Seville Christian’s decades-long relationship with PRC includes as a client, fellow and beloved employee. Photo courtesy of PRC.

Helping people access employment and build sustainable careers has been a cornerstone of PRC’s mission since its inception nearly four decades ago. In its most recent annual impact report, PRC served 443 clients through workforce development services, including career counseling, educational programs, hands-on training, and job search assistance. The average wage earned by PRC clients is $26.48 per hour — approximately 38% above San Francisco’s minimum wage.

To advance this work, organizations like PRC have benefited from funding through California’s Stop the Hate Program, which provides direct support to community-based organizations leading anti-hate initiatives.

Christian’s path was not without challenges. During some rocky years, she experienced periods of housing instability and struggled with addiction. Through PRC, she enrolled in a life-skills program that emphasized using her own lived experience as a means of helping others. The program helped set her on a path toward completing an associate’s degree and ultimately launching a career in case management.

“Today, whether someone is new to the city or has lived here their whole life, I know how to help them navigate to where they need to be,” Christian said.

Members of PRC’s Black Leadership Council meet with a lawmaker in Sacramento. Photo courtesy of PRC.

While PRC was founded to serve people living with HIV, its mission has expanded over the decades to meet the needs of people with disabilities, individuals experiencing homelessness, and those facing mental health and substance use challenges.

According to PRC’s Chief of Public Policy and Public Affairs, Tasha Henneman, some of the organization’s earliest programs remain as vital today as they were at the start.

“Our emergency financial assistance program helped more than 1,200 people this year pay rent, cover medical bills, and keep the lights on,” Henneman said. “And over 1,400 people reached out for legal advocacy, resulting in more than $2.5 million in retroactive benefits unlocked.”

Beyond direct services, PRC is deeply committed to community empowerment and policy change. Programs such as the Black Leadership Council support community leaders in advocating for systemic reform, while the Black Trans Initiative focuses on addressing the unique challenges faced by Black transgender individuals.

A recent study from the Williams Institute highlighted findings that 71% of transgender homicide victims in the U.S. between 2010 and 2021 were Black and that nearly a third of the transgender homicides during that period were confirmed or suspected hate crimes.

PRC’s direct and indirect services can be a lifeline for people experiencing hate and are an example of the resources people can get connected with through the state’s CA vs Hate hotline.

PRC is now also producing a film project that centers the lived experiences of Black trans clients, including individuals like Christian.

PRC welcomed guests to their annual Open House in April, an evening dedicated to connection, reflection, and learning more about the programs and people working every day to support San Franciscans experiencing housing instability, unemployment, and behavioral health challenges. Photo courtesy of PRC.

“Our film highlights the health journeys and lived experiences of some of PRC’s Black trans clients,” Henneman said. “Our goal is to give voice, visibility, and agency to the participants — and to bring their stories, both harrowing and inspirational, to policymakers and the broader public.”

The film, expected to be released later this year, is directed by Yule Caise, with assistant director Zarina Codes, a Black transgender San Francisco resident.

Today, Christian continues her relationship with PRC as an ambassador, reflecting on a journey that began with a single job opportunity and grew into a lifelong commitment to service.

“Sometimes I’ll be riding the bus or standing in a grocery store, and someone will come up to me from a women’s shelter,” she said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, Miss Seville, I just want to thank you. You really helped me with what I was dealing with.’”

She paused, smiling.

“And in those moments,” Christian said, “I think to myself, “Well!.”

A single word that sums up pride in a journey to find the best in herself.

Get Support After Hate:

California vs Hate is a non-emergency, multilingual hotline and online portal offering confidential support for hate crimes and incidents. Victims and witnesses can get help anonymously by calling 833-8-NO-HATE (833-866-4283), Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. PT, or online at any time. Anonymous. Confidential. No Police. No ICE.

This story was produced in partnership with CA vs Hate. Join them for the first-ever CA Civil Rights Summit on May 11, 2026. More information at www.cavshate.org/summit.