The Infrastructure Bill and the SFMTA

The Infrastructure Bill and the SFMTA
By

What the infrastructure bill means for the SFMTA

On December 20, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi joined Mayor London Breed and US Representative Mark DeSaulnier to promote the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law in November. They held an event at the corner of Second and Howard Streets to explain how the bill will benefit California and show the type of street improvements it can pay for to improve pedestrian safety. These include things like wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, transit boarding islands and ADA-compliant curb ramps. It’s through these types of improvements that San Francisco will be able to reach its goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), which coordinates Bay Area transportation financing, estimates that the infrastructure bill will provide about $4.5 billion in funding to the region over the next five years via formula funds that the MTC allocates. This is $1.1 billion more than was available than during the last five-year funding cycle.

The MTC will decide how to divide up the infrastructure bill formula funds among Bay Area transit agencies. It can go toward State of Good Repair needs such as fleet replacement and rehabilitating cable cars and historic streetcars. It can also be used to fund “guideway” needs like replacing rails and overhead cables. If the MTC follows its historic pattern of formula funding distribution, the SFMTA can expect 27% more in additional funds for Fleet Replacement and 49% more in additional funds for Fixed Guideways than during the last funding period.

The infrastructure bill also includes about $140 billion in competitive grant funding that will be administered throughout the country by the U.S. Department of Transportation. The SFMTA is in a good position to compete for these funds, which are available for capital investments; low-emission and no-emission vehicles and infrastructure; and safe streets projects like the one that was highlighted at Speaker Pelosi’s Dec. 20 event. But, since these funds are available through a competitive process, nothing is guaranteed. For example, the safe streets funding is the first nationally competitive program of its size, so we anticipate that competition for it will be strong.

As great as it is that the SFMTA and other transit agencies will receive extra funding through the infrastructure bill, it’s not enough money to eliminate all the agency’s financial needs. The infrastructure bill doesn’t provide any funding at all for operating expenses, which increase every year because the cost of parts, labor, fuel and living in the Bay Area just keep going up. It also doesn’t make a sizeable dent in our State of Good Repair needs and our funding needs for major capital projects.

Additionally, almost every source of federal funding requires a match of 20% from local sources, and in many cases, it requires more than that. The federal government wants to see that local policymakers prioritize the transportation needs the feds are being asked to support. This is where the Muni Reliability and Street Safety General Obligation Bond proposed for the ballot in June 2022 comes in. It could be a source of local matching funds for some of the federal funding the SFMTA is going to apply for. GO Bond funding could also support projects that the infrastructure bill is less likely to fully fund, such as facility replacement.

While funding facilities may not be as exciting as funding zero-emissions buses, the two are inextricably linked. Several SFMTA facilities will need to be fully replaced to be able to store and charge the new buses once we transition completely to battery-electric buses. Upgrading our facilities is also essential to providing a safe and healthy working environment to our staff. Some of our facilities are so old that they don’t have heat and aren’t ready for a major earthquake. Providing our staff with safe working conditions is crucial for the functioning of transportation in San Francisco.

Published December 30, 2021 at 08:30AM
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Muni Highlights in 2021: More Service to More Destinations

Muni Highlights in 2021: More Service to More Destinations
By Jonathan Streeter

Our goal for Muni in 2021 was to match the service we offer with the changing travel patterns of an unpredictable era, as San Franciscans grappled with a second year of the COVID-19 pandemic.  To achieve this, we expanded on the core routes that formed the nucleus of our early 2020 pandemic network by adding and improving service in key areas throughout San Francisco. We focused on access in neighborhoods where essential workers live, as well as on adding service in busy corridors and even creating new lines.

At the beginning of the year, even with our reduced schedule, 91% of San Franciscans were within two or three blocks of a Muni stop. This included 100% of residents in San Francisco’s neighborhoods identified by the Muni Service Equity Strategy. By summer 2021, we added enough additional service so that 98% of San Franciscans were within two or three blocks of a Muni stop.

To the relief of many, and as an early sign of the city’s return to some sense of normalcy, we brought back Muni Metro service in the subway in May 2021, with access to all stations from Embarcadero through to West Portal. The SFMTA worked to address longstanding subway congestion issues that were a major cause of delay pre-pandemic by exclusively running two-car trains in the subway, including a combined KT Ingleside Third, and as-needed shuttle service. In doing so, we were able to increase capacity and improve on-time performance over the course of the year. The J Church is scheduled to return to the subway in February 2022 while efforts to address longtime subway service challenges continue.

To help support the economic recovery of the city, local tourism and small businesses we also brought cable cars back to the hills of San Francisco in September 2021 after extensive maintenance and testing. These iconic cars not only serve as a symbol of our city, they also provide an important link on steep streets between downtown and Fisherman's Wharf, as well as to Cathedral Hill.

On the street, San Francisco traffic returned to near pre-pandemic levels. To keep transit service fast and reliable for essential workers and those with the fewest transportation choices, we implemented temporary emergency transit lanes (TETLs). These lanes are dedicated to Muni vehicles to help keep our customers moving, as well as helping other buses and, in most cases, taxis.

Of the nearly 10 miles of lanes initially implemented, almost six miles of these transit lanes have been made permanent because of their success in protecting transit travel-time savings. That’s the fastest expansion of transit lanes in the city’s history! These transit lanes give nearly two-thirds of Muni riders priority on congested streets and improve the speed and reliability of bus service; getting you to your destination faster.

A significant aspect of transportation in 2021 was the continued shift by Muni riders toward using buses and trains for essential trips and to stores, appointments, schools and recreational destinations rather than to downtown for office work. We responded to these changes by modifying routes.

For example, we launched the temporarily combined route —the 36/52 Special — which served the hilltop neighborhoods of Forest Hill, Miraloma and Sunnyside in a loop between Forest Hill Muni Station and Glen Park BART Station before service was restored to the 36 Teresita and 52 Excelsior in August. As travel patterns shifted over the year, SFMTA’s transit planners developed creative solutions to meet San Francisco’s evolving transportation needs with available resources.

The SFMTA continued to face resource limitations in 2021 that curtailed our ability to bring service back to our original network. Without enough operators and other key staff, we had to make tough choices about which lines to serve and how much frequency to provide. Muni ridership has also not fully recovered. As of December 2021, ridership throughout the network is still at about only half of pre-pandemic levels.

We asked San Franciscans in fall 2021 what we should prioritize when we’re able to add more Muni service in 2022. Based on feedback from meetings, emails, phone conversations and more than 4,500 survey responses, we developed a plan that focuses on restoring connections and meeting the needs of all San Franciscans, especially people with disabilities and seniors. We also heard a call for increased frequency to reduce crowding and wait times on high ridership Muni lines.  That proposal was approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors on December 7, 2021. 

Throughout the year, Muni customers have shown that they are increasingly ready to return to riding buses and trains and are eager for our network to serve all their desired destinations in San Francisco. We are grateful for the cooperation of the public with revised schedules, mask mandates and other changes that the pandemic has necessitated. We are also incredibly grateful to the people who drive our vehicles through city streets with professionalism, courtesy and safety every single day.

To read more about how we “met the moment” review our 2021 Annual Report.

Published December 29, 2021 at 02:45PM
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Free Muni for New Year’s Eve

Free Muni for New Year’s Eve
By Stephen Chun

2021 marks the 22nd consecutive year that we will offer free rides on New Year’s Eve. Starting at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 31 and going through 5 a.m. on Saturday, January 1, all trips on Muni will be free. This program supports San Francisco’s Vision Zero goals to eliminate all traffic fatalities and serious injuries as well as promotes safe and responsible transit during the New Year’s festivities.  

Please note that face masks are still required by federal law while riding Muni, in Muni stations, on paratransit and in taxis. Violations can result in denial of boarding or removal from Muni and may carry federal penalties. 

Ride Muni Free New Year’s Eve includes all Muni lines and routes. Clipper Card customers should NOT tap their cards to make sure they don’t get charged a fare. Muni Mobile passes will not be necessary. Metro fare gates will be open that night. 

New Year’s Eve Muni Service:  

• Complimentary Muni service from 8 p.m. Friday, December 31 to 5 a.m. Saturday, January 1. 

• Please do not tag your Clipper® card. If you tag it, you will be charged. 

• Please do not activate a Muni Mobile ticket. Metro fare gates will be open. 

• Extra Muni Metro service: 

• Between West Portal Station and 4th & King from 9 p.m. until 1:45 a.m. 

• Between West Portal and Embarcadero stations from 1:45 to 2:15 a.m. 

• Extra service on the OWL Network, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.: 

• 5 Fulton 

• 14 Mission 

• 22 Fillmore 

• 24 Divisadero 

• 25 Treasure Island 

• 38 Geary 

• 44 O’Shaughnessy 

• 48 Quintara/24th  

• 90 Owl 

• 91 Owl 

• L Owl 

• N Owl 

• Bus Substitutions 

• Service on the F Market & Wharves historic streetcar line is provided by buses all day 

• For reroutes, please visit New Year's Eve Free Muni and Extra Service 

At midnight on New Year’s Eve, a city-sponsored fireworks show from a barge off The Embarcadero, south of the Ferry Building, will take place. Motorists should anticipate delays in the area from approximately 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Beginning around 10 p.m., Muni will reroute around the Ferry Building area due to the anticipated crowd. For reroutes, please visit New Year's Eve Free Muni and Extra Service. Service will return to normal once the streets are clear.  

BART, with full fare pricing still in effect, will run standard Friday service, but with an extended closing time to allow people to enjoy fireworks in San Francisco or other festivities ringing in the New Year. For those celebrating in downtown San Francisco, the last East Bay bound train running through Downtown San Francisco will be at around 1:30am and the last Southbound train heading toward Millbrae will run through Downtown San Francisco at 2:10am. See the full details about New Year's Eve service.   

Caltrain service will be free after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until the last special post-event train departs San Francisco. Trains will run past midnight until 1:30 am or until full.  

SamTrans will offer free rides on all buses beginning at 8 p.m. on December 31 until 5 a.m. on January 1.  

 

Published December 27, 2021 at 09:20AM
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Central Subway Revenue Service Update

Central Subway Revenue Service Update
By Enrique Aguilar

Central Subway Finishes Year on a High Note

As we say goodbye to 2021 and bring in the new year, construction crews for the Central Subway remain laser-focused on the finish line and are working towards completing items in our substantial punch list. It includes testing and certifying elevators and escalators, installing all ticket vending machines and completing small tasks that need to be addressed before the start of service, anticipated for October 2022.

Early next year, construction work will continue on the surface near 4th and King streets to install overhead wire and support systems connecting the Central Subway to the existing Metro system. Train and traffic signaling work and installation of new street lighting between Bryant and Townsend will also resume on 4th Street.

Now that station elevators and escalators are fully functional and tested, equipment must be certified to meet local and federal safety requirements. Fare gates have been installed at all stations and we expect to complete the installation and testing of ticket vending machines In January. With train testing in full gear since August, we anticipate concluding operational testing in the summer of 2022.

Artwork by Yumei Hou is being installed in Chinatown/Rose Pak Station. The artwork consists of two large-scale metal installations based on Yang Ge (Sprout Dance), a folk dance originating in Northeastern provinces in China. Artwork installation in the mezzanine landing is complete and we hope to have artwork in the ticketing hall in full display by the end of the month.

We will continue to bring you updates and share the good news as we prepare for Central Subway’s grand opening and celebrate this historic moment for San Francisco. For project updates, please visit https://www.sfmta.com/projects/central-subway-project.

Recently installed fare gates at Chinatown/Rose Pak station

Artwork by Yumei Hou at Chinatown/Rose Pak Station

Platform at Yerba Buena Moscone station

Published December 23, 2021 at 10:26AM
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Year-End Review of History Uncovered in 2021

Year-End Review of History Uncovered in 2021
By Jeremy Menzies

As the year comes to an end, we are excited to present a selection of historic photos that were preserved in the SFMTA Photo Archive this year. Archive staff have been scanning and cataloguing archival Muni photos that date back 100+ years for over a decade now. Read more about our work in the 10 year milestone blog from 2018.  

The images below are a set of richly colored slides, some of which were originally used in presentations by Muni staff in the 1970s.  These photos have a wide range of subject matter from everyday street activity to scenic vistas, project documentation and important Muni milestones. 

A typical day in the life of a Muni Operator.  This shot was taken near Market and 5th Streets in the early 1970s

Here, customers board a 38 Geary bus painted for the 1976 Bicentennial in a striking red, white, and blue paint job.

A rare snowfall is captured blanketing parts of Twin Peaks in this February 1976 photo.

This shot gives a peek inside the operations of Muni, showing Planning Dept. staff reviewing a map of bus lines.

BART and Market Street Subway construction is underway in this early 1970s photo. During construction, Market Street was closed to all vehicles except for transit and local deliveries.

In addition to the color slides, Archive staff performed selective scanning of photos from the 1970s and 80s this year. These photos bring more recent history to view and shed light on life in the city during this time.

On April 2, 1979, the newly rebuilt West Portal Station opened with a ribbon cutting by the mayor, streetcar parade, and hundreds of citizens touring the station. Just a couple of weeks later, LRV service began on the K Line between Balboa Park and West Portal in advance of the full opening of Muni Metro the following year.

This 1981 shot, taken inside Muni Central Control, shows an electronic board indicating the position of streetcars within the Market Street Subway. At that time, this state-of-the-art tool was critical to monitoring rail traffic in the subway after it opened in 1980.

Between 1982 and 84, the Cable Car system was shut down for a complete rebuild.  This 1983 photo shows the powerhouse and underground cable infrastructure under construction at Mason and Washington Streets.

 Muni purchased its first extra-long articulated buses in the 1980s to meet demand on high ridership lines like the 38L Geary Limited pictured here at Geary and Presidio in 1985.

Advocacy groups and federal law brought improvements to the accessibility of the Muni system in the 1980s. With the construction of boarding ramps on rail lines, elevators in subway stations, and the arrival of buses equipped with lifts, more people were able to ride public transit.

June 23, 1983 marked the first “Trolley Festival”, a celebration of the city’s long and unique transit history carried on today in the Muni Heritage festival. The open-air Boat Car, pictured here, has always been a popular attraction at the festivals.

Muni Operator of the Month Marshall Lacewell poses in Woods Division bus yard for this January 1989 shot. Employee award photos are a common subject among the files currently being archived.

On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake struck with devastating consequences across the region. Muni staff worked through the night to restore transit service and an estimated 65% of vehicles were running by the following morning to provide essential transportation following the disaster.

One quirky “sign of the times” shot scanned this year was this photo of Muni bus painted with Christmas decorations and a fireplace. The bus, an old Marmon Herrington trolley coach, saw limited special service in December ’89.

To finish off the list, a shot of a huge cake and streetcar model from Muni's 75th birthday on December 28, 1987.  As we look ahead to celebrating our 109th birthday this year, we thank our riders, supporters and leaders for their commitment as we strive to provide the most safe, frequent and reliable service.

Closing out the year with over a decade of new photos from 1978-1990 scanned, staff will continue this work into 2022. We hope you’ve enjoyed this look back in time at some of the latest images to be archived this year.  To see more of these and thousands other historic photos dating back to 1903, check out our Photo Archive web page. 

Published December 22, 2021 at 07:14AM
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Happy Holidays from the SFMTA

Happy Holidays from the SFMTA
By Jeffrey Tumlin

As the year comes to a close, we are grateful for our riders, customers, city partners and neighbors, whose support this past year has been invaluable. We want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a joyous holiday season and a happy new year. 

As 2021 ends, we are taking a moment to reflect on the challenges of the last year and the ways our agency was able to respond to them with courage, commitment and compassion. Our dedicated employees are the heart and soul of our agency, and we hope you’ll join us in celebrating them and the ways they’ve supported San Francisco’s recovery. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the changes it’s provoked in the San Francisco Bay Area have required the SFMTA to rethink street design and transit operations, as well as expedite processes and practices that have traditionally taken much longer. At every step of the way, we’ve prioritized the health and safety of our customers and our workforce.  

We know it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. Even as we adjusted Muni routes to meet the needs of the community, we struggled with significant financial and staffing challenges. But, as the pandemic and people’s needs evolved, we adjusted and increased our service, making changes as we could and improving the speed and reliability of our most popular bus lines to keep public transit on schedule and traffic flowing. 

We are proud to share this and other achievements we’ve made in the new 2021 annual report. We’ve named it “Meeting the Moment,” as it captures the changes we have made, the efforts we have pioneered and the projects and programs we are leading in preparation for the transportation system of tomorrow. This report reflects the importance of our work to create a safe, reliable, equitable and low-carbon transportation system. You can find it at SFMTA.com/Annual. 

We look forward to the next year as we continue to rebuild service and develop new revenue streams that will allow us to build the first-class transportation network our city deserves. We thank you for your collaboration during these difficult times and look forward to working with you in 2022 to support the diverse and vibrant neighborhoods and people of San Francisco. 

Happy Holidays! 

Published December 21, 2021 at 06:03PM
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Safe Driver Awards 2021

Safe Driver Awards 2021
By Pamela Johnson

Navigating any type of vehicle, no matter the size, through miles of hilly San Francisco terrain and sharing the roadway with others is no easy feat. Add Ubers, private and commercial vehicles, taxis, bicycles, scooters and pedestrians into the mix and the challenge escalates quickly.  

But what is even more truly remarkable is that we have 282 Muni transit operators who've managed this safe driving record with no avoidable safety incidents year after year for more than 15 years. Some for several decades!  

This year, the Muni operators named as honorees for the annual Safe Driver Award Program have met that challenge to be called a Safe Driver. Additionally, 20 new operators were welcomed to this elite club of which three have at least 35 years of safe driving: 

• Oliverio Valle, Cable Car Division, 47 Years Safe Driving 

• Lonnie Moore Jr, Green Division, 44 Years Safe Driving 

• Jason Lao, Green Division, 37 Years Safe Driving 

Typically, we hold a banquet dinner to formally honor these operators who have proven to be the best of the best and the safest of the safe, but as you know, like the previous year, 2020 was anything but typical. While we cannot celebrate in person again this year, the accomplishment does not go unnoticed. A special recognition will take place during the Tuesday, January 18th Board of Director’s meeting at 1 pm. Director of Transportation, Jeff Tumlin and Transit Workers Union Local 250A will be presenting the awards. The meeting will be streamed live through SFGovTV.  

What are the criteria for being a Safe Driver? 

Simply put, operators who have driven a minimum of 1,952 qualifying hours* each fiscal year with no avoidable safety incidents on record. Safe drivers are also recognized with belt buckles, patches and certificates at various points. 

Qualifying hours are defined as the sum of actual hours spent operating a transit vehicle (platform hours, including both regular and overtime) plus hours of vacation taken and holiday hours granted (including floating days) within the qualifying period. Due to COVID-19, qualifying hours for FY2021 also include COVID Sick and Furlough. The qualifying period of the fiscal year is July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. 

It goes without saying that receiving a Safe Drivers Award is a career milestone achievement for transit drivers everywhere. Muni operators who exemplify the term "safe driver" have clearly demonstrated excellence in service and have furthered the SFMTA's ongoing commitment being a transit first city. 

This year the 282 transit operators being honored with the Safe Driver distinction have at least 15 years of Safe Driving experience and will receive a commemorative 2021 token, belt buckles, patches to wear on their uniform shirt or jacket, and a certificate.  

We thank all our drivers for their exemplary work moving San Francisco regardless of the number of years involved. The following list honors those with 15 years or more of safe driving who have earned the coveted distinction of being called a Safe Driver.​  

Published December 20, 2021 at 03:11PM
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Livable Streets Look Back 2021

Livable Streets Look Back 2021
By Eillie Anzilotti

How We Made San Francisco Streets Safer In 2021

As 2021 comes to an end, we're reflecting on everything SFMTA has done to make San Francisco streets safer for all.

But first, let’s wind back 50 years ago to 1971: the year the first bike lanes went in in San Francisco! The city’s first bike lanes on Lake Street came out of a community effort to calm traffic and make the neighborhood safer.

There’s an often-quoted expression that “change happens slowly, then all at once.” For San Francisco safe streets, 2021 is certainly in the “all at once” phase. Fifty years after the first bike lanes were installed in the city, we’re continuing to push the boundaries of what safe streets can look like in San Francisco. Here’s a look at some key progress from this past year:

Transforming the Tenderloin: In a neighborhood where every street is on the city’s Vision Zero High-Injury Network, we implemented a suite of projects to make the whole area safer. Some highlights:

• Two Vision Zero Quick-Build projects: On Golden Gate Avenue, a new protected bike lane was added along with improved curb access for businesses, and Leavenworth was reduced from three travel lanes to two to promote safer speeds.
• Pedestrian scrambles—which stop traffic in all directions to make it safer for everyone to cross—were implemented at 10 intersections
• In a San Francisco first, 20 mph speed limits and No Turn on Red restrictions were implemented neighborhood-wide to improve safety.
• Several COVID-19 response projects have evolved into permanent community features. A physical distancing lane on Jones Street, implemented to give people more space to walk during the pandemic, was turned into a permanent travel lane reduction on the street to calm traffic. A weekly block closure on Turk Street to provide place for gathering and recreating is now Turk Street Safe Passage Park, a full-time street closure that welcomes nearly 100 visitors a day and provides a new public space for the community. These street transformations in the Tenderloin were implemented with collaboration and support from local partners, like Code Tenderloin and the Tenderloin Community Benefit District Safe Passage Program.

Adding Quick-Builds in the Bayview: After the Bayview Community-Based Transportation Plan was approved by the SMFTA Board in 2020, the first projects were installed this year. Two quick-build projects to improve safety conditions in the Bayview–one on Williams Avenue and one on Evans/Hunters Point/Innes–were completed, along with spot improvements like continental crosswalks. The Quick-Build on Hunters Point Boulevard features concrete barriers painted with murals by local artists.

Expanding San Francisco’s bike network: Over 12 miles of new bike facilities, including 7 miles of new protected bike lanes, were added across the city. Some highlights include a new two-way bikeway on Alemany Boulevard, and a protected bike lane as part of the Folsom Street Quick-Build in SOMA. Nearly five miles of Anza Street have been updated with bikeway markings, speed cushions, and a travel-lane reduction to encourage safer speeds and create an important east-west bike route through the Richmond. You can read more about (and see!) how much San Francisco’s bike network has grown in the last several years in this blog post.

Evolving Slow Streets: Slow Streets have evolved from an emergency response to COVID-19 to one of the SFMTA’s most efficient ways to transform city streets to promote walking, biking, and rolling. In August, the first four post-pandemic Slow Streets–Sanchez, Shotwell, Lake, and Golden Gate–were approved to be extended beyond the pandemic. Sanchez and Shotwell are fully implemented with unique designs informed by extensive community outreach.   

Setting records for traffic calming: The traffic-calming program installed over 233 traffic calming devices across the city–the most ever completed in a year. Traffic calming devices like speed humps, speed cushions, and raised crosswalks make any street safer, and the team worked quickly and efficiently to respond to resident requests for safer conditions on their streets.

Thank you to everyone in the community who has advocated for, championed, and made use of these projects across the city. We look forward to continuing to make San Francisco streets safer in 2022!

 

 

Published December 20, 2021 at 07:54AM
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Proposed Bond Introduced to the City’s Capital Planning Committee and the Board of Supervisors

Proposed Bond Introduced to the City’s Capital Planning Committee and the Board of Supervisors
By Benjamin Barnett

The demands on San Francisco’s transportation system have grown and revenues from transit fares and parking fees have not kept up. The COVID-19 pandemic worsened this problem. New revenue sources to fund our system are needed. The first step is a proposed $400 million Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond that would support priority transportation capital investments across San Francisco. On Tuesday, December 7, the SFMTA Board of Directors voted to urge the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to place the Bond on the June 2022 ballot. Additionally, the Bond earlier this week was reviewed by City’s Capital Planning Committee and yesterday introduced to the Board of Supervisors.  

The recommended Bond would provide financial resources to improve the transportation system, increase street safety, and meet the long-term needs of the City. Based on both the agency’s infrastructure needs and priorities identified in the SFMTA community survey, as well as outreach, the proposed Bond is focused on keeping Muni equipment and facilities working efficiently, providing quick and convenient transit access, improving Muni service for communities that depend on transit, ensuring Muni service is inclusive and accessible to all, making street safety improvements for people walking and biking.  

The proposed Bond would fund repairs and upgrades to aging bus yards and equipment. This will allow the SFMTA have more modern facilities, maintenance bays and equipment to repair the Muni bus fleet, reducing vehicle breakdowns and supporting reliable Muni service. Additionally, funding on-street infrastructure improvements for public transit will support faster, more reliable, and more frequent Muni service. The proposed Bond would fund improvements to reduce congestion for transit, such as traffic signals that get buses through intersections quickly, wider sidewalks at bus stops for easier, more accessible boarding, and dedicated transit lanes. Finally, the Bond would provide funding to modernize the 20-year-old Muni train control system and leverage substantial state and federal matching funds for the project to increase subway capacity and reduce delays. 

Bond Components are split across two major programs: 

1. Make the Transportation System Work Better Amount  

• Speed up Muni repairs and keep public transit moving by repairing, upgrading and maintaining aging bus yards, facilities and equipment ($250 million) 

• Enable faster, more reliable, and more frequent Muni service by improving on-street infrastructure for public transit ($26 million) 

• Increase subway capacity, reduce delays, and deliver dependable, high-frequency transit by modernizing the Muni train control system ($10 million) 

2. Improve Street Safety and Traffic Flow  

• Improve safety and visibility at intersections by upgrading traffic signals, signage, and crossings ($42 million) 

• Increase safety for walking and bicycling and access for Muni connections along major corridors by redesigning streets and sidewalks ($42 million) 

• Slow speeds and reduce crashes by implementing traffic calming and speed reduction tools ($30 million) 

Transportation 2050 

The Transportation 2050 effort is based on transportation needs and priorities identified by the community over the last eight years through two Mayoral transportation task forces (T2030 and T2045) with additional input from the city’s Muni Reliability Working Group in 2020. Transportation 2050 evaluates the resources needed to achieve the community’s vision for transportation developed through the city’s ConnectSF planning process, as well as infrastructure needs identified in the SFMTA’s 20-Year Capital Plan. 

The proposed Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond is just one of the community’s recommended strategies to invest in the transportation system and is only one piece of the funding puzzle.  

Under-investment in transportation has been a decades-long trend. Existing transportation funding draws on multiple local, state, and federal sources, each of which can be uncertain. For example, funding from the city’s Proposition K transportation sales tax or local and federal grants make improvements to our streets and public transit but are not enough and are too variable to address the larger need.  

Transportation 2050 considers a package of revenue sources over several years to sustain a more reliable, affordable, and safer transportation system. Through a combination of local ballot measures, continued state and federal grants, and the development of SFMTA properties, we can put our transportation system on firmer financial footing. If you are interested in learning more, please sign up for regular updates. 

Published December 15, 2021 at 11:21AM
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Connect SF - A Shared Vision for Transportation in San Francisco

Connect SF - A Shared Vision for Transportation in San Francisco  
By Emmanuel Stamatogiannakis

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, what does an effective, equitable, and resilient transportation system for San Francisco’s future look like? ConnectSF, comprised of staff from the SFMTA, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority and the San Francisco Planning Department, has been envisioning just that. Now, after engaging with residents, community groups, businesses, youth organizations, and other stakeholders to gather feedback, the collaborative has released the ConnectSF Transit Strategy. The strategy details how we can reinvest in the city’s transit system to achieve our shared vision of a growing, diverse and equitable city with transportation options that are accessible and affordable to all.   

The Vision  

The ConnectSF Transit Strategy calls for four key investments to build our bold vision of San Francisco’s transportation system:  

• We will make the current system work better with aggressive renewal and restoration of our current network.   

• With targeted investments in our street infrastructure, we will deliver a Five-Minute Network that provides reliable service every five minutes on key bus and rail lines.  

• By renewing and modernizing our rail system, we will build a Modern Muni Metro with increased speed, reliability and capacity for all riders.  

• We will build more rail to San Francisco’s busiest places to get people quickly and reliably to their destinations. This includes a new subway along Geary and 19th Avenue, an extension of the Central Subway, and a new Caltrain station in the Bayview.  

In order to realize this vision, we will need to invest in creating a system that is better than before – faster, more reliable and more accessible. The ConnectSF Transit Strategy details the big changes we are calling for and where we will need funding to achieve them. Transit is essential to keeping the city moving, and a stable, ongoing funding source will be critical for helping San Francisco manage congestion and rebuild its economy.  

Reshaping Our Transit Network  

Increasing service and making changes that enable new or better transit options are among ConnectSF’s top investment priorities. Our Muni Forward toolkit already includes proven methods for accomplishing this. Bus lanes, transit signal priority, car-free zones and transit queue jumps are just some examples. The ConnectSF Transit Strategy goes beyond these methods and emphasizes the need to prioritize improvements for riders who depend on transit the most.  

The ConnectSF Transit Strategy also calls for reshaping the way we operate transit in San Francisco. San Franciscans need access to a robust network of frequent buses and trains that take them all throughout the city-- rather than focusing primarily on trips downtown. This will require changes along streets and at intersections so that the only time your bus has to stop is to pick you up and drop you off, not to sit in traffic and wait at lights.  

Delivering a modern Muni Metro that residents can rely on also requires catching up with our backlog of deferred maintenance and enhancing our light rail system – for example, upgrading Muni Metro with a new train control system. In the future, in those areas of the city where no amount of bus improvements will be able to meet the demand, long-term planning will also include major new rail projects.  

The ConnectSF Transit Strategy, along with the Streets and Freeways Study, serve to identify projects and policies to be included in the San Francisco Transportation Plan and the updated Transportation Element of the San Francisco General Plan. Rebuilding and advancing our transportation system will take the commitment and involvement of city staff and community stakeholders.  

For more information, please visit www.connectsf.org. 

Published December 14, 2021 at 10:25AM
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Approved: 2022 Muni Service Plan

Approved: 2022 Muni Service Plan
By Mariana Maguire

The Muni Service Network proposal for early 2022, and the next steps for the J Church and 48 Quintara, were unanimously approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors on Tuesday December 7, 2021. On Tuesday December 21, SFMTA staff will return to the Board of Directors to outline a phased service change implementation schedule currently slated to begin in February 2022.

SFMTA will restore five routes in full – 6 Haight/Parnassus, 8AX Bayshore A Express, 8BX Bayshore B Express, 28R 19th Avenue and the 43 Masonic – and four routes with some changes – the 2 Clement, 10 Townsend, 21 Hayes and 31 Balboa. Two routes will remain temporarily suspended – the 47 Van Ness and the 3 Jackson. These routes largely overlap other routes that are or will be in service. Instead, improvements that were approved December 7 will help to reduce crowding and wait times on high ridership Muni lines in the same neighborhoods.

The 2022 Muni Service Plan was developed in part through an extensive outreach process. Meetings, open houses, office hours, community pop up events, emails and phone calls with community members helped identify the need to prioritize connections to food hubs and groceries, hospitals and services, and essential jobs for people with disabilities, seniors and lower income communities.

The 8AX Bayshore A Express and 8BX Bayshore B Express were not initially slated for restoration because the 8 Bayshore was already in service. But staff added the 8AX/BX to replace the 8 Bayshore during peak periods after engagement from communities in Visitacion Valley and Potrero neighborhoods. The 8 Bayshore will run less frequently along the Geneva and San Bruno corridors, but Visitacion Valley and Potrero communities will have much needed express service downtown, which will also help reducing crowding on the 8 Bayshore.

Throughout the COVID-19 emergency and recovery, the SFMTA prioritized restoring service to these, and other neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Plan.

Additional route changes will be implemented as recommended on routes like the 5 Fulton, 12 Folsom/Pacific, 23 Monterey, 57 Parkmerced and others. Many of these changes will increase capacity, reduce wait times and crowding, restore service and prior connections and provide new connections.

Next Steps for the J Church

The J Church will go back into the subway, with some caveats to preserve subway efficiency and avoid the logjams that notoriously plagued the subway pre-pandemic.

J Church frequency will be reduced to every 15 minutes and the Board asked SFMTA to monitor subway capacity as usage increases to reevaluate J Church Metro tunnel service if a threshold of delays is reached.

Accessibility upgrades at the intersection of Market and Church streets will also move forward and staff will study the possible use of historic street cars to provide one-seat service on the J Church to Embarcadero using existing surface tracks as an alternative to running the J Church in the subway tunnel.

Next Steps for the 48 Quintara

Near-term, the 48 Quintara will stay on its current route via Clipper Street. However, SFMTA will move forward with construction necessary to accommodate buses on Douglas Street and then reroute the 48 Quintara to Douglas in the outbound direction (the inbound direction will stay on Clipper Street).

For details of the approved 2022 Muni Service Network proposal, please visit the 2022 Muni Service Network webpage.

Published December 10, 2021 at 11:08AM
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L Taraval Improvement Project “Segment B” Geared Up for Early 2022

L Taraval Improvement Project “Segment B” Geared Up for Early 2022
By Stephen Chun

Over the summer, we shared the good news that the first segment of the L Taraval Improvement Project was completed on schedule and within budget. A notice to proceed for the next phase of work, Segment B was issued last week to NTK Construction. Project staff is now gearing up for work slated to begin in January 2022.  

What is the L Taraval Improvement Project? 

The L Taraval Improvement Project is a multi-agency collaboration partnered with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Public Works to improve and upgrade the aging infrastructure. The project will make pedestrian crossing safer, increase accessibility, improve transit reliability, rehabilitate water and sewer infrastructure, enhance landscaping and replace road pavement along the L Taraval line. To lessen the impact to the community, the project was split into two segments: Segment A and Segment B.  

Segment A included 46th Ave. to Sunset Blvd. and was completed in July 2021.   

Segment B will begin in January 2022 and take place along the L Taraval line from Sunset Blvd. to 15th Ave., and on Ulloa St. near West Portal. Work is expected to last through 2024. 

Permanent stop changes will be added to improve safety and reliability:  

• Taraval St. and 17th Ave. (eastbound) will be relocated from the near side to the far side of the intersection once the new island is constructed  

• 15th Ave. and Taraval St. (eastbound) will be removed once the boarding island at 17th Ave. is constructed 

• Ulloa St. and Forest Side Blvd. (westbound and eastbound) will be relocated to Ulloa St. and 14th Ave. 

What to Expect During Segment B Construction  

• Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2022 and will occur in phases to minimize long-term disruptions 

• Work hours are scheduled for Monday – Friday, 7 a.m.- 5 p.m. with occasional weekend work*  

• Substitution of Muni rail service with bus shuttles during portions of the project* 

* subject to change based on construction or operational needs 

Using community input, equipment staging locations were identified: 

• Santiago St. between 22nd and 24th avenues 

• 20th Ave. between Ulloa and Wawona streets 

• Wawona St. between 21st and 23rd avenues 

• 36th Ave. between Taraval and Ulloa streets 

• Taraval St. between 12th and 15th avenues 

• Additional temporary staging locations will be identified over the course of the project 

The project team will be hosting three open houses in the coming weeks. Please join us:  

1. Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, Virtual Meeting at 6:00 p.m.  

2. Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, In-person Meeting, Taraval Police Station Community Room, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 

3. Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, In-person Meeting, West Portal Clubhouse (Lenox and Ulloa), 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 

The nearly five-mile-long corridor from West Portal to the Zoo will boast new transit priority traffic signals, bulb outs to make pedestrian crossing safer, new trees, high visibility crosswalks, safety boarding islands and increased accessibility. Once completed in 2024, the Taraval corridor will be more inviting and welcoming for all residents and visitors. 

To follow the progress of this project as we move into the next phase, please visit the project webpage and sign up for updates.  

For questions or comments, please email LTaravalProject@SFMTA.com or call 415.646.4771. 

Published December 09, 2021 at 11:14AM
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Fulton Street Sees Transit and Safety Improvements

Fulton Street Sees Transit and Safety Improvements
By Shalon Rogers

A temporary transit bulb was recently installed at 8th Avenue and Fulton, reducing travel time for the 5 Fulton and 5R Fulton Rapid and making boarding safer.

For those who ride the 5 Fulton or 5R Fulton Rapid in the Richmond District, you may have recently noticed something new about the bus stops on Fulton Street at 6th and 8th avenues. And perhaps you noticed that your bus ride seemed to go slightly faster or with less disruption.

Two new temporary transit bulbs installed at 6th Avenue eastbound and 8th Avenue westbound bring safety and transit benefits to Fulton Street in advance of the planned construction of permanent bulbs and are part of the Fulton Street Safety and Transit Project.

Six permanent transit bulbs between Arguello and 10th Avenue are ultimately planned, which will save time and improve reliability for riders on the 5 Fulton and 5R Fulton Rapid by reducing the time it takes for buses to pull in and out of traffic. The planned bulbs are all located at major entrances to Golden Gate Park, as well as on a stretch of Fulton Street that is part of San Francisco’s High Injury Network, the 13% of city streets that account for 75% of severe and fatal injuries. Both Muni riders and people who walk will benefit as the bulbs will expand the waiting area for riders, improve access for people with mobility needs and improve visibility for people walking.

With the installation of these temporary bulbs, we will have completed Muni Forward transit reliability upgrades along the entire route of the 5 Fulton and 5R Fulton Rapid – the first Muni lines to achieve this distinction. The bulbs add to over a decade of improvements to these lines, including:

• Installed bus bulbs, traffic signals that stay green longer for buses, and other Muni Forward reliability upgrades on McAllister and outer Fulton (2017-2018)
• Introduced 60’ buses on the 5 Fulton and 5R Fulton Rapid to reduce crowding that will be returning to service soon (2016-2017)
• Upgraded and expanded transit lanes on Market, Fremont and Beale streets (2014-2021)
• Launched the 5R Fulton Rapid, reducing travel times from the Outer Richmond by up to seven minutes (2013)
• Made McAllister a two-way street, saving three minutes per trip (2011)
• Extended evening service to Transbay Terminal (2009)

Additional safety improvements that have recently been completed on Fulton Street include daylighting (removing parking) at 34 intersections between Stanyan and La Playa streets and the installation of 13 painted safety zones. These enhancements improve visibility for drivers and make it safer for people walking. Soon we expect to install speed radar signs between 38th and 39th avenues and 40th and 41st avenues which will help reduce speeding and improve safety.

The project recently received additional funding with the help of Assemblymember Phil Ting, who secured $1.6 million from the state budget to be used on improvements along Fulton Street. Combined with a Caltrans Low Carbon Transit Operations Program allocation and Proposition K sales tax funds from the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, this funding will allow for improvements that will benefit tens of thousands of Muni riders and make Fulton Street a safer place for people walking.  

Published December 03, 2021 at 08:43AM
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A Green Light for Muni Customers

A Green Light for Muni Customers
By Stephen Chun

Have you ever been on a Muni vehicle and realized that if the light had only stayed green for just a few more seconds you wouldn’t have been trapped at a red light? SFMTA’s Connected Corridor Pilot approached this problem with a new state of the art solution.  

Most signals in San Francisco do not have sensors to detect vehicles at an intersection. However, through a grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, our project team was able to test an advanced technology for signal timing based on who is present at an intersection. In this way, transit platform and traffic signal sensor data can be used to activate signal timing adjustments, responding to traffic conditions in real time. These adjustments provide more opportunities for transit vehicles to make it through intersections on a green light.   

The project team turned on the adaptive signal timing program during several days in July and August 2021, with traffic engineers and traffic signal electricians monitoring intersections both in-person and by observing traffic cameras. Our priority was to reduce transit vehicle travel times. Once in place, we compared travel times for trains both before and after the new technology was implemented.  

We found that with our pilot project, the average light rail vehicle (LRV) travel time along the 1-mile corridor was reduced by 66 seconds, resulting in an average travel speed increase of 21% from 8.2 miles per hour (MPH) to 9.9 MPH. With this system, the chance that a train will reach an intersection on a green light improved from 62.1% to 85.8%, meaning almost no red-light delay.     

Figure 1. Pilot Corridor Performance, Before and After Comparisons 

During the pilot, 60% of LRV corridor trips had 10 seconds or less of red-light delay, compared to only 5% previously.  In fact, 20% of trains saw no red-light delay at all on the corridor, compared to the previous study period when not a single train avoided red light delay entirely.   

Improving signal timing for just one specific mode or direction can potentially result in negative impacts for others.  To evaluate this, we measured travel impacts to pedestrians and non-Muni vehicles to evaluate the potential effects from prioritizing transit.  Fortunately, our data show that there was a 1% increase in the overall odds that other vehicles would encounter a green light and only a 1% increase in the odds that pedestrians would reach an intersection on a Do Not Walk symbol. 

Vehicles on side streets were generally unaffected unless they were also held to prioritize train through traffic. Heavier volume side streets such as Mariposa Street had increased average wait times of up to 78% for vehicles, from an average wait of 46 seconds previously, to an average wait of 87 seconds during the pilot. Fortunately, the adaptive signal system only increased the average wait time by 4 seconds for pedestrians if they arrived on a Do Not Walk symbol, from 22 seconds to 26 seconds.  Further refinement of the signal timing logic could help address these concerns. 

With detailed information collected through the advanced sensors, our project team was able to make refinements and real-time signal timing adjustments that account for time of day, direction of travel, and the real-time volume of pedestrians, vehicles, and transit vehicles.  

These promising results will lead the SFMTA to consider applying this technology in other locations to better understand how the system could work more widely around the city and any trade-offs that could arise in regard to overall traffic flows. 

Looking forward, we are also exploring other new technologies. For example, the LiDAR (sensors that use lasers to identify objects) used in this project provides a new way to capture and classify objects at intersections, but there may be a need for additional sensors or different mounting locations to improve detection accuracy. Project staff will build upon the lessons learned from the pilot to inform future efforts to optimize the signal timing to make our streets better for all users.   

 

Published November 30, 2021 at 01:01PM
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Watch San Francisco’s Bike Network Bloom

Watch San Francisco’s Bike Network Bloom
By Eillie Anzilotti

From just a few stretches of scattered lanes in 2013, San Francisco’s protected bike network now stretches like a green web connecting more and more of the city. See how much has changed over the last eight years:

 

In just the blink of an eye, San Francisco has become one of the most bike-friendly cities in the U.S. To date, San Francisco has 464 miles of bikeways, including:

• 42 miles of protected bike lanes
• 78 miles of off-street paths and trails
• 21 miles of buffered bike lanes
• 139 miles of striped bike lanes

As we’ve expanded the network of safer bicycle routes through San Francisco, more people are choosing to ride bicycles for recreation and transportation every year. Since 2006, travel by bicycle has grown by 184 percent citywide. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, bike counts hit an all-time high: in 2019, approximately 52,000 bicyclists were observed at 37 locations during peak periods, a 14 percent increase from the previous year.

Creating safe bicycling routes throughout San Francisco is imperative for reaching the city’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths and reducing severe injuries—and also for encouraging more people to choose to travel by bike. In the last several years, the SFMTA dramatically accelerated installation of safe bicycling infrastructure. In 2019, Mayor London Breed committed to doubling the rate of bike lane construction in the city from an average of five miles per year to 20 miles over the following two years. That same year, the SFMTA launched its Vision Zero Quick-Build program to roll out safety improvements, including protected bike lanes, along the city’s High Injury Network. Compared to more intensive capital projects that can take years to complete, quick-build projects can transform a street in a matter of weeks or months. See that jump in bike infrastructure after 2019? Quick-Builds were behind a lot of it.

COVID-19-related street transformations were also part of the reason behind the most recent increases in bike infrastructure. While the pandemic posed a number of challenges for the city, bike route planning, design and construction took off! With the addition of Slow Streets and car-free streets like JFK Drive, the city’s bike network grew by approximately 50 miles and increased connectivity between many of San Francisco’s neighborhoods. While these street transformations were introduced as part of an emergency response, we are exploring ways to establish them as permanent parts of San Francisco’s streetscape and bike network.

Looking to the future, as part of the 2021 Vision Zero Action Strategy, the SFMTA is committing to create a citywide, completely connected Active Transportation Network that includes bike lanes, Slow Streets, and car-free/car-light streets. We’re excited to keep building on last eight year’s bike network progress, adding even more green lines to the San Francisco map.

Published November 29, 2021 at 02:24PM
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From Elkton to Green, the Evolution of Muni’s Oldest Rail Yard

From Elkton to Green, the Evolution of Muni’s Oldest Rail Yard
By Jeremy Menzies

In part two of our two-part series on one of the city’s oldest transit properties, we bring you the history of Muni’s Green Division. Green Division, also known as Muni Metro Center, has served as the primary maintenance and repair facility for our rail fleet for over 40 years.

Construction began on Green Division in 1975. This new rail facility would replace Elkton Shops, which was built in 1907. The new shops were built in two phases, first the shop building then the rail yard.

This 1976 photo shows major excavation and concrete work underway for the main shops building of Green Division.  At far left is Elkton Shops built in 1907 by the United Railroads Company.

In phase one of the project, crews demolished the bus yard occupying the eastern half of the property and built a massive new building that would house repair and maintenance shops for a new fleet of Muni rail vehicles. This phase took about two years to complete.

Construction progress on Muni Metro Center in November 1975 shows the main structure of the building taking shape.

By May 27, 1977, the new shop building was completed and employees finished their last day of work in the 70-year-old Elkton Shops. Just a few days later, they moved into a brand-new building and demolition began on Elkton to make way for construction of a large rail yard in phase two of the project.

This staff group photo was taken on opening day of Muni Metro Center on June 1, 1977.

Work on the rail yard progressed quickly as Muni was anticipating the arrival of the first light rail vehicles or LRVs, a modernized version of the electric streetcars of the past. The new LRVs were designed and built by the Boeing Vertol company in a joint venture between Muni and Boston’s MBTA. The new vehicles would run in the Muni Metro, which combined Muni’s surviving streetcar lines with a subway underneath Market Street to create a more integrated rail system.

Work progresses on the rail yard where Elkton Shops once stood in this August 1977 photo.

The arrival of Boeing LRVs came in October 1977 while the rail yard was still under construction. A small crowd of city officials, staff and press celebrated the arrival of the first two cars outside Green Division. In a short time over 100 LRVs would come to form the backbone of all Muni rail lines.

This October 24, 1977 photo shows Muni’s first two LRVs on display after arrival from the factory.

On July 11, 1979, Muni Metro Center was dedicated and a new fleet of LRVs waited in the yard to start serving the city. Just one year later, the Muni Metro system and Market Street Subway would open and the railyard’s key role in maintaining the new fleet would come into full effect.

This November 1979 aerial shot looking southwest near San Jose and Ocean Avenues shows a newly completed Muni Metro Center and surrounding area.

On May 12, 1987, Muni Metro Center was re-dedicated as the “Curtis E. Green Light Rail Center” in honor of former Muni General Manager Curtis E. Green, who worked his way up from a bus driver to become the first African American appointed head of Muni.

Green Division shop staff work on the truck from a Boeing LRV in this early 1980s photo.

​​​​​​​Today, staff at Green Division carry on an over 100-year-old tradition started in 1907 with the United Railroads’ Elkton Shops. Working daily performing every job from routine maintenance and inspections to overhauling major components, the shops are critical to moving San Francisco.

 

 

Published November 24, 2021 at 09:40AM
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Safer Intersections Project a Traffic Calming Success

Safer Intersections Project a Traffic Calming Success
By Uyen Ngo

This week the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) released “A Turn Toward Safety: The Safer Intersections Project,” a report detailing the impact of the Left Turn Traffic Calming Project and the “Safety—It’s Your Turn” education campaign. The Safer Intersections Project now has tested traffic interventions that can reduce unsafe left turns. Overall, SFMTA found a 17% reduction in average speed (1.7mph slower) and a 71% reduction in the likelihood of a car turning left at higher speeds over 15mph at seven high-crash test intersections.

In 2019, 40% of traffic deaths in San Francisco were caused when drivers made left turns and didn’t see the person in the crosswalk, until it was too late. To combat this trend, also seen in other cities, and encourage safer left turns and adoption of safer left turn behaviors, San Francisco’s multilayered project combined engineering treatments in seven high-crash intersections with an education campaign, which led to promising results.

The Left Turn Traffic Calming Project consisted of installing waist-high vertical delineator posts, small rubber speed bumps, and paint to create enhanced center lane lines and painted safety zones to encourage slower, wider left turns and increase drivers’ awareness of other road users. To measure the impact, SFMTA collected left-turning driver speeds before and after installation and then compared driver speeds at the seven project intersections with four other control intersections. The result of this project showed that these treatments are proven to slow driver speeds and encourage safer left turns for both people in the crosswalks and opposing traffic.

The second part of the Safer Intersections Project was designing and implementing an education and community outreach campaign– “Safety—It’s Your Turn” –funded by a $2 million grant through the California Transportation Commission Active Transportation Program. The campaign presented three safer left turn behaviors (Take it slow—5mph is safest; Make it square—90-degree angles are best; and Stay aware—look out for cars, cyclists, and people) and data suggests the “Safety—It’s Your Turn” campaign extended the speed reductions from the Left Turns Traffic Calming project. Year-to-year survey results also show that public perception of the dangers of speeding is trending in the right direction, indicating a sustained change in attitudes influenced by education campaigns and engineering.

A unique aspect of this project was the use of behavioral science. SFMTA partnered with the Behavioral Insights Team (BIT), a leading behavioral science organization, to analyze how drivers make left turns in order to develop interventions that would prompt safer behaviors. By changing the architecture of intersections, we were able to move people toward making safer left turns in the moment. The combination of these physical changes and SFMTA’s educational campaign encouraged safe driving behaviors and increased awareness of how individual actions have an impact on the community.

 

The education campaign also included working with community-based organizations (CBOs) to broaden and deepen the traffic safety messaging. Through a community grant process, six CBOs were compensated for their time and knowledge, creating additional materials and events supporting the campaign. Many of our grantees were new to Vision Zero and helped us reach additional residents through creative ways such as food delivery, artistic public service announcements, virtual bike rides, and youth poster contests. Finally, we worked with an additional eight CBOs to share educational materials and present the Safety—It’s Your Turn campaign to their members.

In addition to the treatments’ impact on slower speeds, there were two key takeaways from the project:  

1. Well-funded and evidenced-based education campaigns are an important and effective tool in in raising public awareness, encouraging safer driving behaviors, influencing policy discussions, and building community support.  
2. For maximum effectiveness, calming treatments should become a standard engineering tool and applied at locations with existing high left-turn speeds, conducive street geometry, and lots of people walking and biking. 

 

 

Published November 19, 2021 at 08:28AM
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San Francisco Announces Bold Commitment to Safer Streets

San Francisco Announces Bold Commitment to Safer Streets
By Ryan Reeves

This week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed released  the 2021 Vision Zero Action Strategy—our City’s multi-agency framework for eliminating traffic deaths and reducing severe injuries.

The City and County of San Francisco committed to ending traffic fatalities through Vision Zero in 2014. Since then, our approach has continued to evolve – we've incorporated new strategies and expanded on existing and successful programs. In this updated plan, we commit to bold and ambitious strategies to create safer streets. We will double down on redesigns to make streets safer for people, and expand programs like our Vision Zero Quick-Build across the city’s High Injury Network (HIN), the 13% of city streets that account for more than 75% of severe and fatal injuries.

The Vision Zero Action Strategy lays out a clear path for the city towards this ambitious goal over the next three years. The strategy focuses on slowing speeds and safer crossings. More than 80 miles of our city’s High Injury Network have been upgraded or are in construction with core safety improvements. This strategy commits the City to expand the successful Quick-Build initiative to cover the remaining 80 miles in the High-Injury Network. As part of this effort, we are committed to adding daylighting and high-visibility crosswalks to every intersection along the HIN. We will also update all eligible signals to give pedestrians head-starts and more time for crossing the street. The strategy also commits us to updating our City’s Active Transportation Network, connecting car-light/car-free streets to protected bike lanes by 2024. Through these design changes, we can make walking, biking, and taking transit safer and more accessible for San Franciscans.

This strategy shows how policy change can make a significant impact in expanding our tools for safer streets. Under the recently passed AB43, which gives cities the authority to lower speed limits along certain corridors, San Francisco will begin implementing 20 mph zones along key streets as early as next year. We will also develop and implement a comprehensive speed management plan, including education and outreach to advance a culture of traffic safety. Lowering speeds by even 5 mph can make a significant difference for safety: We have seen from peer cities like Seattle that implementing 20 mph zones can decrease collisions by around 20%. We will also continue to push for policies like congestion pricing that incentivize mode shifts away from driving and toward active transportation and public transit.

As we begin to implement the new Vision Zero Action Strategy, we are keeping equity core to our focus. The Vision Zero HIN is disproportionately concentrated in San Francisco’s communities of color, and vulnerable people—including seniors, people with disabilities, unhoused populations, and people of color—face the greatest risks from traffic-related injuries and deaths. Our Action Strategy prioritizes these communities in engagement, education, and implementation of Vision Zero programs. This past year, we rolled out 20 mph speed limits throughout the Tenderloin, where every street is on the High Injury Network. We are also focused on pursuing legislative authority for new strategies, like speed safety cameras, that are effective in reducing crashes and can reduce racial bias and disparities in enforcement.

This updated strategy commits to bold and ambitious action to get us closer to zero traffic deaths. But to achieve Vision Zero for San Francisco, we know we need the full force of comprehensive policy change, political buy-in, and community support. We need a citywide investment toward lasting, monumental change for our streets. Getting to Vision Zero will take sustained, cross-cutting, and continually innovating action. We’re committed to ending traffic deaths and reducing severe injuries in the city—and will work urgently to save lives on our streets.

 

 

Published November 18, 2021 at 02:07PM
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