San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Moving the City

PDF version of Agenda

AGENDA

PLANS AND PROGRAMS COMMITTEE

Meeting Notice
Date: 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Location: Room 263, City Hall
Commissioners: Dufty (Chair), Peskin (Vice-Chair), Alioto-Pier, Daly, Maxwell, and McGoldrick (Ex-Officio)
CLERK: Pooja Jhunjhunwala

1. Roll Call

2. Approval of Minutes of the January 9, 2007 Meeting – ACTION* (attachment)

3. Citizens Advisory Committee Report – INFORMATION* (attachment 1) (attachment 2)

4. Update on the Central Freeway/Octavia Boulevard Replacement Project – INFORMATION

On September 9, 2005, Octavia Boulevard and the new Central Freeway touchdown ramps at Market Street opened to traffic. Octavia Boulevard is the first facility of its kind in the United States in 80 years, redefining traffic engineering practice through context-sensitive solutions. After the boulevard opened, we had a checklist of items that needed to be addressed by the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) and Department of Public Works. We also committed to working with the MTA to monitor the evolution of traffic patterns in and around the boulevard and recommend adjustments as necessary in order to keep it working safely and efficiently. The prohibited right turn from Market Street onto the US 101 freeway is one of those continuing issues, as is an areawide circulation study and a public education campaign to teach people how to use the system and how to share the road. At the request of Commissioner Dufty, we are working with the MTA to bring an update to the Committee at its February 13 meeting. This is an information item.

5. Recommend Appointment of One Member to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) – ACTION* (attachment)

The Authority has an eleven-member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). CAC members serve two-year terms. Per the Authority's Administrative Code, the Plans and Programs Committee recommends and the Authority Board appoints individuals to fill any CAC vacancies. Neither Authority staff nor the CAC make any recommendations on CAC appointments, but we maintain an up-to-date database of applications for CAC membership. A chart with information about current CAC members is attached, showing ethnicity, gender, neighborhood of residence, and affiliation. There are two vacancies on the CAC requiring Committee action. This vacancy was created when Benjamin Tom's (District 3) term expired following the December CAC meeting. The recommendation is to appoint one member to the Citizens Advisory Committee.

6. Recommend Approval of San Francisco's Project Priorities for County Share Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Program (RBPP) and Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) Capital Program Funds – ACTION* (attachment)

On September 1, 2006, the Authority issued its first ever call for projects for county share funds for the Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Program (RBPP) and the Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) Capital program. As Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco , the Authority is responsible for establishing San Francisco 's project priorities for these two programs. The RBPP funds transportation infrastructure improvements benefiting pedestrians and cyclists. The key objective of this program is to encourage convenient and safe pedestrian and bicycle trips in order to shift trips to non-motorized modes to improve air quality. The purpose of the TLC Capital Program is to support community-based transportation projects that bring new vibrancy to downtown areas, commercial cores, neighborhoods, and transit corridors. It funds streetscape, transit, pedestrian and bike improvements that are identified through an inclusive community planning effort, provide for a range of transportation choices, and support connectivity between transportation investments and land uses.There are $2,748,000 in RBPP funds and $3,740,000 in TLC capital funds available to program to San Francisco projects. We received eleven applications for the two programs, with a total request of more than $15.5 million, which is nearly 2.4 times the available funding. The volume and overall quality of the applications made the selection process very competitive. Project applications were evaluated based on scoring criteria established by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, as well as project readiness and local match. Our recommendations for project priorities for county share RBPP and TLC capital funds are shown in Attachments 2 and 4 respectively. We are seeking a recommendation to approve San Francisco 's project priorities for county share RBPP and TLC capital program funds, as presented.

7. Recommend Adoption of the Fiscal Year 2007/08 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) Local Expenditure Criteria – ACTION* (attachment)

Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) funds come from a $4 per vehicle surcharge collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles on motor vehicle registrations in the 9 county Bay Area region. A portion of the funds (40%) is available to each county on a return-to-source basis from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District). These funds are used to implement strategies to improve air quality by reducing motor vehicle emissions in accordance with the Air District's Clean Air Plan. As the Program Manager for the City and County of San Francisco , the Authority is required to annually adopt local expenditure criteria for the expenditure of the local TFCA funds. Our proposed Fiscal Year 2007/08 local criteria (Attachment 1) are very similar to those used last cycle except for the addition of cost effectiveness as a new criterion and a few minor revisions that are needed to be consistent with the Air District's TFCA policies for Fiscal Year 2007/08. Our proposed local expenditure criteria establish a logical sense of funding priority based on the potential for air pollution reduction presented by different categories of projects. We are seeking a recommendation to adopt the Fiscal Year 2007/08 TFCA local expenditure criteria as presented.

8. Recommend Allocation of $144,900 in Prop K funds to the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) for the Project Development Phases of Seven Bicycle Projects, with Conditions, Subject to the Attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedule, and Amendment of the Relevant 5-Year Prioritization Program – ACTION* (attachment) (Project 1) (Project 2) (Project 3) (Project 4) (Project 5) (Project 6) (Project 7)

Due to a recent court ruling that prohibits the implementation of bicycle improvements by the City and County of San Francisco, the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) Bicycle Program has adjusted its near term focus to include continuing project development work, along with increased bicyclist safety education and outreach. The MTA's current request for $144,900 in Prop K funds is for planning and design of seven bicycle facility projects located throughout the City. The MTA hopes to obtain project level environmental approval for all seven projects through the upcoming Bicycle Plan Environmental Impact Report, so that they will be ready to implement soon after its approval. The current request would require an amendment to the 5-Year Prioritization Program (5YPP) for the Bicycle Circulation and Safety category. The MTA is currently updating its 5YPP program of projects for Fiscal Years 2007/08 and 2008/09, which is due to the Authority by February 15. We are seeking a recommendation to allocate $144,900 in Prop K funds, with conditions, to the MTA for planning and design of seven bicycle facility projects, subject to the attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedule, and amendment of the relevant 5YPP .

9. Recommend A llocation of $10,825,000 in Prop K Funds, with Conditions, to the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) for Program Management/Program Controls and Survey and Environmental Consulting Services for the Caltrain Downtown Extension to a Rebuilt Transbay Terminal Project, Subject to the Attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedule, and Amendment of the Prop K Strategic Plan – ACTION* (attachment)

The Caltrain Downtown Extension to a Rebuilt Transbay Terminal (Transbay Terminal Project) has three major components: a new multi-modal Transbay Terminal on the site of the present Transbay Terminal; extension of Caltrain from Fourth and Townsend Streets to an underground terminus at the new Transbay Terminal; and the establishment of a Redevelopment Area Plan. Since the commencement of Phase 1 Preliminary Engineering in 2004, the project team has made progress in various fronts. The Request for Qualifications for the Transit Center Design and Development competition was issued on November 1, 2006, and responses from five internationally recognized teams were received on January 11, 2007. The TJPA expects to negotiate terms with the successful team by August 2007. Requests for Proposals have also been issued for a number of design and consultant services. On the Caltrain Extension, TJPA staff and consultants are progressing with the Value Management Loop Study as well as other technical reports. In the area of program management, the team has been assisting in the management of the project, monitored progress, schedule, and cost, and completed a series of deliverables. This request would fund two separate activities: 1) Program Management/Project Controls (PMPC) ($9.9 million) and 2) survey and environmental consulting services ($925,000). The first portion of the request will provide continued funding for the PMPC contract through December 2007. The second portion is for new services necessary to support the temporary terminal and bus storage facility. We are recommending two special conditions for this request, which have been agreed to by TJPA staff. One of these is a required Strategic Plan amendment to reprogram $10.825 million from the preliminary engineering to environmental studies phase to fund the current request. We are recommending allocation of $10,825,000 in Prop K funds, with conditions, to the TJPA for PMPC and survey and environmental consulting services for the Transbay Terminal Project, subject to the attached Fiscal Year Cash Flow Distribution Schedule, and amendment of the Prop K Strategic Plan.

10. Recommend Adoption of San Francisco's Project Priorities for the 2006 Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) Augmentation – ACTION* (attachment)

In November 2006 California voters approved Proposition 1B, which among other things authorizes $2 billion in general obligation bond proceeds for the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). As Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco , the Authority is responsible for establishing project priorities for San Francisco 's county share funds from the STIP, subject to concurrence by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) through its Regional Transportation Improvement Program (RTIP) process. Based on fund targets provided by the California Transportation Commission (CTC), the Authority has the potential for a maximum of $67.728 million to program, comprised of $49.360 million in new programming capacity and $18.368 million in AB3090 replacement projects. The latter are projects that we advanced using sales tax funds instead of delaying projects until RTIP funds became available. Authority Resolution 06-30 outlines a RTIP funding strategy that limits programming of all RTIP project funds to the following projects until our $182 million (2004 $'s) in remaining RTIP commitments to these projects are fulfilled or other funds are found to replace the RTIP funds: Central Subway, Doyle Drive Replacement, Caltrain Electrification, and Caltrain Downtown Extension to a Rebuilt Transbay Terminal. Our recommendation, shown in Attachment 2, complies with Resolution 06-30, as well as MTC's Resolution 3792, which commits to the RTIP funding amounts identified in MTC's Corridor Mobility Improvement Account (CMIA) Program of Projects for all projects selected for CMIA bond funding by the CTC. MTC's list recommends that the Doyle Drive Replacement project receive $175 million in CMIA funds. We are also seeking to advance the Addison & Digby Traffic Circle Project, which has been delayed several years due to a lack of availability of state funds, and program additional planning, programming and monitoring (PPM) funds for the Authority and MTC. We are seeking a recommendation to adopt San Francisco 's project priorities for the 2006 RTIP Augmentation.

11. Status Report on the Third Street Light Rail Project– INFORMATION* (attachment)

This is a status report on the Third Street Light Rail Project. All line contracts are now substantially complete on the Initial Operating Segment (IOS). Limited weekend passenger service commenced on January 13, 2007, and full revenue service will start on April 7, 2007. A special event was held on Marin Luther King's day, when a special Freedom Train provided service starting at Sunnydale, picking up participants along the route and delivering them to events at Civic Center . The current Forecast-at-Completion (FAC) for the project is $613,433,111, $30.1 million over the approved budget. During the month of December, $4,828,338 in construction was performed. Over the same period, $351,288 was spent on construction support. As of December 31, 2006, total expenditures in construction and soft costs reached $492,319,663, which represents 84.4% of the approved budget and 80.3% of the FAC. Construction expenditures have reached $323,860,494 (77% of the FAC) and construction support expenditures total $105,349,860 (81.7% of the FAC). The availability of sufficient vehicles and mechanics to provide sustainable service for the new line continues to be one of the challenges MTA faces in preparation for full revenue service. As previously reported, if the current vehicle availability trend continues, MTA may fall slightly short of meeting peak evening vehicle demand when full revenue service starts on April 7, 2007. Vehicles with major damage are a contributing factor to vehicle availability. As of February 2, 2007, there were seven damaged Breda LRVs which have been on long-term hold awaiting repairs. Four of the LRVs have major damage beyond the capability of the MTA's body shop to repair and MTA needs to issue a contract to an outside firm to perform the work, estimated to cost $7,666,250. The other three LRVs are not as severely damaged and will be repaired at the MTA's Green facility as part of the LRV Fleet Recovery efforts at an estimated cost of $152,564. MTA expects to have those three vehicles back in service in time for the start of revenue service. For its part, the MME is now 44% complete, based on the current forecast-at-completion. Work on preliminary engineering for the Central Subway is now 37% complete. On February 6, 2007, FTA released the FY2008 New Starts Report and the project received an overall project rating of “medium”. The project also received a “medium” rating for local financial commitment and a “medium-high” rating for project justification. In addition to the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Report (SEIS/SEIR) and community outreach, efforts continue on tunnel and stations design. This is an information item.

12. Introduction of New Items – INFORMATION

13. Public Comment

14. Adjournment

Please Note: that the meeting proceedings can be viewed live at http://www.sfgov.org/sfgtv or that evening at 6:00 pm on Cable Channel 26 in San Francisco, with a repeat on the weekend (either Saturday or Sunday evening). To know the exact cablecast times for weekend viewing, please call SFGTV at (415) 557-4293 on Friday when the cablecast times have been determined.

In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at all public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City accommodate these individuals.

To obtain a disability-related modification or accommodation, including auxiliary aids or services, to participate in the meeting, please contact Pooja Jhunjhunwala at 415.522.4800 at least two business days before the meeting.

Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements: Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code, Sec. 2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the S.F. Ethics Commission at 30 Van Ness Ave., Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94102, telephone (415) 581-2300; or website www.sfgov.org/ethics.