First lane in Belvedere's renovation initiative over budget but nearly complete

Steve Silberstein of Belvedere descends the 180 stairs of the newly renovated Golden Gate Lane on Feb. 11, saying he does 12 flights a day for exercise. Formerly called Eucalyptus Lane, it was selected in 2017 as the first of Belvedere’s walking lanes to be renovated under a five-year initiative that’s now on hold amid tighter budgeting due to the pandemic. (Elliot Karlan / For The Ark)

The inaugural project of Belvedere’s now-suspended five-year initiative to revamp its walking lanes is nearly complete, though the city is on the hook for an additional $150,000 after unexpected construction costs put Golden Gate Lane’s renovation well over budget. Construction of the lane wrapped up several months ago and it has been open to the public since, but its official completion date is slated for this spring once several utility poles are removed from the site as part of an ongoing undergrounding project in the area. After the poles are removed, the final landscaping touches will be added at the top of the lane, according to City Manager Craig Middleton. Golden Gate Lane was originally projected to cost about $300,000, of which the city was responsible for $100,000 and the rest covered through private funds. However, the precipitous site and a last-minute change order during construction caused costs to balloon by 50 percent, putting the final cost of the renovations at about $450,000.

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