Two years ago, Pave the Way San Jose set out to make climate-friendly concrete an option for residential sidewalk repairs in our city.

Early support from Vice Mayor Pam Foley's office connected us with the City of San Jose's Trees and Sidewalks team, led by Jose Avalos, Jr., who became an enthusiastic partner. Local contractor Calafia Pacific stepped forward with the same forward-thinking spirit, completing our first pilot sidewalk repair. Central Concrete supplied the lower-carbon concrete, and local residents volunteered their sidewalks to demonstrate that the approach could work.

Together, we showed that climate-friendly concrete could be a practical choice for everyday projects. In August 2026, the City of San Jose included language allowing low-carbon concrete in its sidewalk repair contractor specifications. This was a team effort involving our elected officials, City staff, contractors, suppliers and neighbors, each contributing their expertise, enthusiasm and willingness to make our city a little better.