Tom Ammiano Position Paper: Transportation

November 25, 1999

San Franciscans want reliable and convenient transit service, relief from unreasonable traffic congestion, and city streets that are safe for everyone. But transportation projects are expensive and have very long lead times.

A unified, coherent program is crucial to fully provide for the changing needs of the public.
As Mayor, I will:

1. Restore Confidence in Day-to-Day MUNI Service and Improve Connections with Regional Transit

Slightly under 700,000 riders board MUNI every day, the highest transit patronage west of the Mississippi. When San Franciscans lose confidence in the reliability of MUNI, they resort to driving. Even a 5% decline in overall MUNI ridership can spell disaster for the City's transportation system. Imagine 35,000 more cars on the street every day, vying for parking!

As a daily MUNI rider, I know there is no substitute for reliable and frequent bus service. Earlier this year, I was approached by representatives of Mayor Brown's MUNI Task Force, Rescue MUNI, and the transit unions to help broker Proposition E. Prop E takes the politics out of running MUNI while demanding it meet published performance standards. MUNI management will now have the flexibility and funding to get the system running the way it used to.

To make Prop E effective, I will:

Appoint Strong Municipal Transportation Agency Directors
I will hire knowledgeable and well-respected transportation professionals to run the new Municipal Transportation Agency. In order to meet objective performance goals, these policymakers will work with MUNI management and staff to institute such system improvements as increasing the number of street supervisors, to keep buses moving; cutting transit travel time by improving traffic flow; implementing innovative measures like proof of payment, to allow faster boarding by using all bus doors; expanding the bus bike-rack program; accelerating needed track replacement; and upgrading system maintenance.

Use the Influence of the Mayor's Office to Get Funding for MUNI Projects
My administration will effectively advocate for accelerated state and federal funds to complete key projects like the replacement of the MUNI fleet and the renovation of maintenance shops, so that equipment availability is no longer an issue in providing dependable service.

Expand Rapid Transit in San Francisco
I will aggressively pursue funding for new rail and bus rapid transit MUNI lines along key corridors, including 3rd Street to Visitation Valley, the Central Subway to Chinatown and North Beach, and the Geary and Van Ness corridors. In conjunction with park advocates and neighborhood representatives, my administration will also study the feasibility of extending a new G-line, from the Emarcadero and along the N-Judah route, into Golden Gate Park.

Explore the feasibility of a transit academy at City College
I will explore the development of a transit academy, expanding on existing training programs at City College, to train drivers and mechanics to fill jobs at MUNI and other regional transit operators and provide high-paying, skilled work opportunities for San Francisco residents.

Pursue Improvements to the BART and CalTrain Stations in San Francisco
My administration will work closely with BART to expedite improvements to the 16th Street and 24th Street stations and coordinate them with proposed neighborhood improvement plans, MUNI service enhancements, and new housing proposals. Mayor Ammiano will work with the CalTrain Joint Powers Board to relocate or create new stations in Bayview and Visitation Valley, to better connect residents to jobs downtown and on the Peninsula.

Expand the availability of the taxi fleet and improve coordination with transit
I will work to expand taxi service, with more reliable coverage throughout the city. Taxis will help to give people added confidence that they will indeed be able to get around when they leave their cars at home and take transit. I will consider expanding the use of taxis to complement late night (owl) transit service and look at demand-responsive (dial-a-ride) service in neighborhoods with deficient bus service. I will also consider the feasibility of a centralized dispatching system to cover the entire city.

Tom’s Track Record

At the request of the Mayor's MUNI Task Force, Rescue MUNI and the Transport Workers Union, Tom led negotiations on the proposed MUNI reform legislation for two months, with representatives from the Mayor's Office in attendance. Two weeks before the Charter Amendment deadline, the negotiations moved to their proper home in the Mayor's Office, where Tom continued to play an active role. Without Tom's in-depth work to get the various sides talking, voters wouldn't have had the opportunity to vote on Prop E this fall.

Tom fought to save the use of the Fast Pass for BART trips starting and ending in the City, when Emilio Cruz proposed a more expensive pass for use on BART in the City.
Tom wrote the local legislation that arranges for the transfer of up to $30 million of excess Central Freeway parcels to the City in order to construct new housing and improve east-west and north-south access to the Central Freeway ramps.

Despite Mayor Brown's announcement in his state of the city address that Caltrain would not come downtown, Tom kept alive the vision for a multi-modal station connecting MUNI, Caltrain, high speed rail, buses, and BART. He voted to override the mayoral veto of the resolution to complete the project EIS/EIR and recently introduced the resolution establishing the Downtown Extension Project Office (DEPO) to coordinate City department work to develop an environmental clearance and financing strategy.

2. Address Traffic, Parking, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety as a Single, Well-Coordinated Effort

At a time when MUNI is not performing adequately, an expanding economy and increased development have resulted in more San Franciscans driving to downtown employment from their homes.

Next year CalTrans will start work on a seven-year project to replace the freeway from the Bay Bridge all the way to 7th Street. The Giants' 42,000-seat ballpark opens April 2000. No coordinated plan exists for dealing with the impacts that construction work will have on South of Market traffic. In other neighborhoods, much-needed roadway projects like the replacement of the Central Freeway and Doyle Drive languish for lack of leadership.

As Mayor, I will:

Improve Pedestrian Safety
San Francisco's rate of pedestrian deaths and injuries is totally unacceptable. In August, September and October of this year, eleven pedestrians died on San Francisco streets -- almost one a week. Four children have been killed by cars this year -- three of them as they crossed in a crosswalk with the green light.

The only way to substantially increase pedestrian safety in the City is through an aggressive enforcement program coupled with street redesign projects. First, I will ensure that the SFPD traffic division is fully staffed and that protecting pedestrians from aggressive drivers becomes a priority.

I will also champion Pedestrian Safety Street Design by encouraging the Department of Public Works to spend a higher percentage of street reconstruction funds on pedestrian safety measures like corner bulb outs and safer crosswalks. Using funds from an expanded red light camera program, I will provide schools, neighborhoods and commercial districts with the infrastructure that they need to make walking in our city easy instead of a hazardous activity.

Develop a Comprehensive Transportation Strategy for the South of Market
I will appoint well-qualified transportation experts to develop a comprehensive transportation strategy for the South of Market, coordinated with San Francisco's General Plan and neighborhood planning documents. I will hold high-level negotiations with CalTrans to ensure that the City gets substantial funding to mitigate the traffic disruption caused by freeway construction and will use these funds for transit, traffic management, and improved pedestrian and bicycle safety.

Develop a Comprehensive Parking Policy
My administration will develop comprehensive parking policies tailored to each neighborhood, taking into account parking supply, subsidy levels, and the availability of travel options and transit service. I would consider neighborhood proposals for parking that include ground floor retail, office space or housing.

We must also analyze each proposal to determine whether a parking entrance on a corridor will significantly increase neighborhood congestion. I would also promote adding carsharing services to neighborhood garages or more neighborhood based car rental services so that residents could own one car and/or rely on MUNI for commuting purposes.

Fast-Track Completion of the Octavia Boulevard Project
I will move expeditiously to complete the construction of Octavia Boulevard, as approved by the voters with Proposition I. My administration will develop a plan directing the money generated from the sale of surplus freeway land to transportation projects, including much-needed improvements improve north-south and east-west access to the elevated freeway. I will ensure that the State quickly completes the new freeway ramps South of Market.
What’s Wrong

According to the Surface Transportation Policy Project's "Caught in the Crosswalk," San Francisco has the highest pedestrian death rate per capita of any county in California.

In the last four years, MUNI carried 50% of the transit trips in the region but only received 30% of the funding.

The large transportation projects that are being implemented today were conceived during the Feinstein and Agnos administrations. There have been virtually no resources expended to develop and begin advocating for the next generation of transportation projects that will be vying for funding over the next decade.
Caltrans has only earmarked $5-6 million to mitigate traffic and parking impacts of construction of the new West Approach to the Bay Bridge. The City has failed to effectively negotiate for proper mitigation money for this project. Essentially, we should be receiving almost 10 times this amount.

3. Develop a Comprehensive Vision and Strategy to Keep San Francisco Accessible to the Region

Over the last several years, San Francisco has been largely absent from the regional forum for transportation planning and funding, handicapped by poor representation and a striking lack of coherent policy direction. We need a good transportation plan and a list of strategic projects as the basis to obtain state and federal funding, and we need strong, clear positions on regional transportation issues affecting San Francisco, like freeway congestion and regional rail service.

As Mayor, I will:

Restore San Francisco's Leadership Standing in the Region
I will appoint knowledgeable experts to regional bodies. My administration will be committed to developing well-defined projects, prioritized by cost-effectiveness, to make a compelling case for investing more of the region's transportation dollars in the City.

Address Freeway Congestion and Rail Service Deficiencies
My administration will initiate discussions with CalTrans, San Mateo County, and the region over congestion in the US 101 corridor and promote proposals for traffic management. I will work closely with Alameda and Contra Costa counties, BART, and AC Transit to deal with congestion in the Bay Bridge corridor and enhance transbay transit service, and with San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and the California High Speed Rail Commission to coordinate CalTrain electrification and other improvements and funding and construction of the Downtown Extension.

Pursue a Coordinated Innovative Financing Strategy for "Regional Gateway" Projects
My administration will aggressively pursue long term, low-interest federal loans to complete key projects that serve as gateways to the City, like the replacement of Doyle Drive, putting Crossover Drive (19th Avenue) underground through Golden Gate Park, and replacing the Transbay Terminal. I will support the creation of a Municipal Infrastructure Bank, to extend the benefit of federal loans by re-investing in San Francisco transportation projects that will ensure good access to and from the City well into the 21st Century.



			Position Paper: Transportation

		November 25, 1999 San Franciscans want reliable and convenient transit service, relief from unreasonable traffic congestion, and city streets that are safe for everyone. But transportation projects are expensive and have very long lead times. A unified, coherent program is crucial to fully provide for the changing needs of the public. As Mayor, I will: 1. Restore Confidence in Day-to-Day MUNI Service and Improve Connections with Regional Transit Slightly under 700,000 riders board MUNI every day, the highest transit patronage west of the Mississippi. When San Franciscans lose confidence in the reliability of MUNI, they resort to driving. Even a 5% decline in overall MUNI ridership can spell disaster for the City's transportation system. Imagine 35,000 more cars on the street every day, vying for parking! As a daily MUNI rider, I know there is no substitute for reliable and frequent bus service. Earlier this year, I was approached by representatives of Mayor Brown's MUNI Task Force, Rescue MUNI, and the transit unions to help broker Proposition E. Prop E takes the politics out of running MUNI while demanding it meet published performance standards. MUNI management will now have the flexibility and funding to get the system running the way it used to. To make Prop E effective, I will: Appoint Strong Municipal Transportation Agency Directors I will hire knowledgeable and well-respected transportation professionals to run the new Municipal Transportation Agency. In order to meet objective performance goals, these policymakers will work with MUNI management and staff to institute such system improvements as increasing the number of street supervisors, to keep buses moving; cutting transit travel time by improving traffic flow; implementing innovative measures like proof of payment, to allow faster boarding by using all bus doors; expanding the bus bike-rack program; accelerating needed track replacement; and upgrading system maintenance. Use the Influence of the Mayor's Office to Get Funding for MUNI Projects My administration will effectively advocate for accelerated state and federal funds to complete key projects like the replacement of the MUNI fleet and the renovation of maintenance shops, so that equipment availability is no longer an issue in providing dependable service. Expand Rapid Transit in San Francisco I will aggressively pursue funding for new rail and bus rapid transit MUNI lines along key corridors, including 3rd Street to Visitation Valley, the Central Subway to Chinatown and North Beach, and the Geary and Van Ness corridors. In conjunction with park advocates and neighborhood representatives, my administration will also study the feasibility of extending a new G-line, from the Emarcadero and along the N-Judah route, into Golden Gate Park. Explore the feasibility of a transit academy at City College I will explore the development of a transit academy, expanding on existing training programs at City College, to train drivers and mechanics to fill jobs at MUNI and other regional transit operators and provide high-paying, skilled work opportunities for San Francisco residents. Pursue Improvements to the BART and CalTrain Stations in San Francisco My administration will work closely with BART to expedite improvements to the 16th Street and 24th Street stations and coordinate them with proposed neighborhood improvement plans, MUNI service enhancements, and new housing proposals. Mayor Ammiano will work with the CalTrain Joint Powers Board to relocate or create new stations in Bayview and Visitation Valley, to better connect residents to jobs downtown and on the Peninsula. Expand the availability of the taxi fleet and improve coordination with transit I will work to expand taxi service, with more reliable coverage throughout the city. Taxis will help to give people added confidence that they will indeed be able to get around when they leave their cars at home and take transit. I will consider expanding the use of taxis to complement late night (owl) transit service and look at demand-responsive (dial-a-ride) service in neighborhoods with deficient bus service. I will also consider the feasibility of a centralized dispatching system to cover the entire city. Tom’s Track Record At the request of the Mayor's MUNI Task Force, Rescue MUNI and the Transport Workers Union, Tom led negotiations on the proposed MUNI reform legislation for two months, with representatives from the Mayor's Office in attendance. Two weeks before the Charter Amendment deadline, the negotiations moved to their proper home in the Mayor's Office, where Tom continued to play an active role. Without Tom's in-depth work to get the various sides talking, voters wouldn't have had the opportunity to vote on Prop E this fall. Tom fought to save the use of the Fast Pass for BART trips starting and ending in the City, when Emilio Cruz proposed a more expensive pass for use on BART in the City. Tom wrote the local legislation that arranges for the transfer of up to $30 million of excess Central Freeway parcels to the City in order to construct new housing and improve east-west and north-south access to the Central Freeway ramps. Despite Mayor Brown's announcement in his state of the city address that Caltrain would not come downtown, Tom kept alive the vision for a multi-modal station connecting MUNI, Caltrain, high speed rail, buses, and BART. He voted to override the mayoral veto of the resolution to complete the project EIS/EIR and recently introduced the resolution establishing the Downtown Extension Project Office (DEPO) to coordinate City department work to develop an environmental clearance and financing strategy. 2. Address Traffic, Parking, and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety as a Single, Well-Coordinated Effort At a time when MUNI is not performing adequately, an expanding economy and increased development have resulted in more San Franciscans driving to downtown employment from their homes. Next year CalTrans will start work on a seven-year project to replace the freeway from the Bay Bridge all the way to 7th Street. The Giants' 42,000-seat ballpark opens April 2000. No coordinated plan exists for dealing with the impacts that construction work will have on South of Market traffic. In other neighborhoods, much-needed roadway projects like the replacement of the Central Freeway and Doyle Drive languish for lack of leadership. As Mayor, I will: Improve Pedestrian Safety San Francisco's rate of pedestrian deaths and injuries is totally unacceptable. In August, September and October of this year, eleven pedestrians died on San Francisco streets -- almost one a week. Four children have been killed by cars this year -- three of them as they crossed in a crosswalk with the green light. The only way to substantially increase pedestrian safety in the City is through an aggressive enforcement program coupled with street redesign projects. First, I will ensure that the SFPD traffic division is fully staffed and that protecting pedestrians from aggressive drivers becomes a priority. I will also champion Pedestrian Safety Street Design by encouraging the Department of Public Works to spend a higher percentage of street reconstruction funds on pedestrian safety measures like corner bulb outs and safer crosswalks. Using funds from an expanded red light camera program, I will provide schools, neighborhoods and commercial districts with the infrastructure that they need to make walking in our city easy instead of a hazardous activity. Develop a Comprehensive Transportation Strategy for the South of Market I will appoint well-qualified transportation experts to develop a comprehensive transportation strategy for the South of Market, coordinated with San Francisco's General Plan and neighborhood planning documents. I will hold high-level negotiations with CalTrans to ensure that the City gets substantial funding to mitigate the traffic disruption caused by freeway construction and will use these funds for transit, traffic management, and improved pedestrian and bicycle safety. Develop a Comprehensive Parking Policy My administration will develop comprehensive parking policies tailored to each neighborhood, taking into account parking supply, subsidy levels, and the availability of travel options and transit service. I would consider neighborhood proposals for parking that include ground floor retail, office space or housing. We must also analyze each proposal to determine whether a parking entrance on a corridor will significantly increase neighborhood congestion. I would also promote adding carsharing services to neighborhood garages or more neighborhood based car rental services so that residents could own one car and/or rely on MUNI for commuting purposes. Fast-Track Completion of the Octavia Boulevard Project I will move expeditiously to complete the construction of Octavia Boulevard, as approved by the voters with Proposition I. My administration will develop a plan directing the money generated from the sale of surplus freeway land to transportation projects, including much-needed improvements improve north-south and east-west access to the elevated freeway. I will ensure that the State quickly completes the new freeway ramps South of Market. What’s Wrong According to the Surface Transportation Policy Project's "Caught in the Crosswalk," San Francisco has the highest pedestrian death rate per capita of any county in California. In the last four years, MUNI carried 50% of the transit trips in the region but only received 30% of the funding. The large transportation projects that are being implemented today were conceived during the Feinstein and Agnos administrations. There have been virtually no resources expended to develop and begin advocating for the next generation of transportation projects that will be vying for funding over the next decade. Caltrans has only earmarked $5-6 million to mitigate traffic and parking impacts of construction of the new West Approach to the Bay Bridge. The City has failed to effectively negotiate for proper mitigation money for this project. Essentially, we should be receiving almost 10 times this amount. 3. Develop a Comprehensive Vision and Strategy to Keep San Francisco Accessible to the Region Over the last several years, San Francisco has been largely absent from the regional forum for transportation planning and funding, handicapped by poor representation and a striking lack of coherent policy direction. We need a good transportation plan and a list of strategic projects as the basis to obtain state and federal funding, and we need strong, clear positions on regional transportation issues affecting San Francisco, like freeway congestion and regional rail service. As Mayor, I will: Restore San Francisco's Leadership Standing in the Region I will appoint knowledgeable experts to regional bodies. My administration will be committed to developing well-defined projects, prioritized by cost-effectiveness, to make a compelling case for investing more of the region's transportation dollars in the City. Address Freeway Congestion and Rail Service Deficiencies My administration will initiate discussions with CalTrans, San Mateo County, and the region over congestion in the US 101 corridor and promote proposals for traffic management. I will work closely with Alameda and Contra Costa counties, BART, and AC Transit to deal with congestion in the Bay Bridge corridor and enhance transbay transit service, and with San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and the California High Speed Rail Commission to coordinate CalTrain electrification and other improvements and funding and construction of the Downtown Extension. Pursue a Coordinated Innovative Financing Strategy for "Regional Gateway" Projects My administration will aggressively pursue long term, low-interest federal loans to complete key projects that serve as gateways to the City, like the replacement of Doyle Drive, putting Crossover Drive (19th Avenue) underground through Golden Gate Park, and replacing the Transbay Terminal. I will support the creation of a Municipal Infrastructure Bank, to extend the benefit of federal loans by re-investing in San Francisco transportation projects that will ensure good access to and from the City well into the 21st Century. 3583 16th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 503-1529 Fax (415) 503-1642 paid for by Tom Ammiano for Mayor FPPC ID# 990924