Cayuga / Alemany Greening

Rain gardens, new trees, and traffic calming at five intersections in the Outer Mission neighborhoods — an SFMTA Livable Streets and SFPUC Transform the Storm collaboration in the Upper Islais Creek watershed.

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📍 Location

Intersections (5 sites):

Capistrano & Santa Ysabel
Cayuga & Ocean
Cayuga & Oneida
Alemany & Ottawa
San Jose & Oneida

District: Supervisor Chyanne Chen (District 11)
Watershed: Upper Islais Creek
Context: Close to schools, transit, and key commercial corridors

🌱 Project Overview

Five intersections in the Outer Mission (Mission Terrace and Excelsior neighborhoods) are slated for rain gardens, new street trees, and traffic calming improvements through a joint effort between SFMTA's Livable Streets program and SFPUC's Transform the Storm program. The project combines traffic safety and stormwater management into coordinated, multi-benefit improvements for the neighborhood.

The five sites were identified as high-priority locations in the Upper Islais Creek watershed after a year of technical watershed assessment.

🤝 Supporters & Advocates

Lead Agencies:
• SFMTA Livable Streets (traffic safety components)
• SFPUC Transform the Storm (green infrastructure)
Project Steward: Friends of Slowyuga and Friends of Balboa Park
Supervisor: Chyanne Chen (District 11)

🏗️ Planned Improvements

Rain Gardens: Sidewalk rain gardens at all five intersections for stormwater capture and filtration
Trees: New street tree plantings to increase canopy coverage and improve neighborhood livability
Traffic Calming: Concrete islands, signage, traffic diverters, daylighting (red zones for visibility), wider sidewalks, and shorter crossings
Community Integration: Enhanced public space compatible with existing annual block party tradition

🗺️ Site Location Map

Location: Five intersections in Mission Terrace / Excelsior, District 11
Context: Upper Islais Creek watershed, SFPUC's next Green Infrastructure Capital project

Interactive map showing the Cayuga / Alemany Greening location in the Mission Terrace / Excelsior area.

🎯 Project Goals

Stormwater Management: Capture and filter stormwater runoff through sidewalk raingardens in the Upper Islais Creek watershed
Traffic Safety: Improve pedestrian safety near schools and transit with daylighting, traffic diverters, wider sidewalks, and shorter crossings
Community Space: Create enhanced public space that supports and strengthens the neighborhood's existing block party tradition and community gathering culture
Inter-Agency Coordination: Demonstrate how SFMTA and SFPUC collaboration produces better outcomes than single-agency approaches
Climate Resilience: Build neighborhood resilience through green infrastructure that manages stormwater while creating greener, more livable streets

📈 Current Status & Next Steps

Status: Technical Analysis Complete, Community Engagement Beginning
Official Timeline: Spring/Summer 2026 community engagement phase
Long-term Timeline: 3–4 years for full implementation