SAN FRANCISCO—The SF Board of Supervisors voted to place a $400 million Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond onto the June 2022 ballot. The measure, which will increase the system’s efficiency and improve street safety citywide, will require 2/3 approval by voters of the city of San Francisco.
According to a press release from the Mayor’s Office, Muni’s infrastructure needs and priorities identified in the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) community survey conducted in Spring 2021, the Bond will focus on maintaining the system’s equipment and facilities, offering quick and convenient transit access, ensuring Muni service is inclusive and accessible for all, and making street safety improvements for people walking and biking.
“We are thankful to the Board of Supervisors for placing the General Obligation Bond Resolution on the upcoming June 2022 ballot,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation, Jeffrey Tumlin. “In order to compete for upcoming federal infrastructure funds, we need a local match. The bond helps ensure San Francisco is ready to receive federal grants to upgrade our aging infrastructure and improve street safety, transit accessibility and Muni service. It is our hope that the voters will support and approve our commitment in providing safe, frequent and reliable service.”
The Bond will invest in two specific areas
-Making the Transportation System Work Better by:
Repairing, upgrading, and maintaining aging facilities and equipment to speed up repairs and keep transit moving;
Funding on-street infrastructure improvements that will result in faster, more reliable, and more frequent Muni service;
-Modernizing the 20-year-old Muni train control system to increase subway capacity, reduce delays and deliver dependable, high-frequency transit.
Improving Street Safety and Traffic Flow by:
-Improving safety and visibility at intersections;
-Redesigning streets and sidewalks to strengthen walking, bicycling, and Muni connections along major corridors;
-Implementing traffic calming and speed reductions tools to reduce collisions.
“I support the proposed Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond to improve our aging transportation infrastructure,” said SF Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton. “As the District 10 Supervisor, I know firsthand the urgent needs of our community, which includes reliable transportation and traffic calming measures to keep our streets and sidewalks safe.”
“The past two years have been a time of unprecedented challenges for transit,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who serves as Chair of the County Transportation Authority. “Now is the time to reinvest in our future as a transit-first city, and this bond measure puts us on a path to safer streets and rapid, reliable transit service for all San Franciscans.”
The Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond follows through the priority recommendations made in the 2013 Mayor’s Transportation Task Force and the 2018 Transportation Task Force that focused on two $500 million General Obligation (GO) Bonds for transportation.
The first GO Bond for transportation passed in 2014, with all bond dollars issued to date. This funded pedestrian countdown signals on high injury networks, transit priority lanes on Church Street and throughout the Muni Rapid Network, transit stop improvements at the UCSF and Chase Center Muni stations, and other essential improvements.
“San Franciscans deserve a safe and reliable transportation system as well as the proper infrastructure to protect every person who lives, works, and plays in our City,” said Gwyneth Borden, Chair of the SFMTA Board. “The reauthorization of the GO Bond is the critical first step to keep San Francisco moving.”
The 10-Year Capital Plan recently adopted by the SF Board of Supervisors on April 30, 2021, includes 2022 GO transportation funding. Published every odd year, the 10-Year Capital Plan is a fiscally constrained expenditure plan that lays out infrastructure investments over the next decade. The City Administrator prepares the document with input from citywide stakeholders, who offerred their best ideas and realistic estimates of the city’s future needs.
“The City’s first capital plan was introduced in 2006 as a way to identify and assess our vast public infrastructure needs and to create long-term plans to address those needs,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “This $400 million bond is the next critical investment in our City’s transportation backbone. There is no question we all need a well-maintained and robust public transportation system to support our economy and lives.”
The Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond is one of the community’s recommended strategies to invest in the transportation system and is only one piece of the Transportation 2050 strategy.
Transportation 2050 considers a package of revenue sources for several years focused on reliable, affordable, and safer transportation system. With a combination of local ballot measures, continued state and federal grants, and the development of SFMTA properties, San Francsico will be able to offer financial support for Muni. To learn more about Transportation 2050 visit: sfmta.com/projects/transportation-2050.
