San Francisco County Transportation Authority
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PLANS AND PROGRAMS COMMITTEE

Rescheduled Meeting Notice
Date:10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Location: Room 263, City Hall
Commissioners: Dufty (Chair), Peskin (Vice-Chair), Daly, Maxwell, Sandoval, and McGoldrick (Ex-Officio)
CLERK: Pooja Jhunjhunwala

1. Roll Call

2. Approval of Minutes of the March 16, 2004, Meeting – ACTION*(attachment 1)

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

4. Recommend Appointment of One Member to the Citizens Advisory Committee – ACTION* (attachment 3)

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 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 is one vacancy on the CAC requiring Committee action. The recommendation is to appoint one CAC member.

5. Recommend an Amendment to the Scope of Work for the Department of Parking and Traffic's FY 2002/03 Traffic Signal Upgrade Project to Include the Audible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Project – ACTION* (attachment 4)

In June 2002, through approval of Resolution 02-77, the Authority allocated $2.93 million to DPT for various traffic signal upgrade projects. DPT has completed substantial work on 3 projects and anticipates a savings of about $525,000. DPT is requesting approval of a scope change to add a $434,000 Accessible Pedestrian Signal (APS) Pilot project to the scope for Resolution 02-77 to be funded with the $390,000 from the aforementioned sales tax cost savings and an existing state grant. APSs are intended to help visually impaired pedestrians cross the street safely. The project will occur in two phases. The first phase will install and test APSs at approximately 12 intersections in Phase 1 and 28 in Phase 2. It will also install pedestrian push buttons at about 50 intersections to bring them into compliance with accessibility standards. The results of the pilot program will be used to develop guidelines for a citywide APS program. DPT has requested that the proposed scope change be considered at the March CAC meeting since DPT needs to accelerate the effort to install APSs in order to avert a lawsuit for alleged violation of disability access laws due to the small number of APSs installed in San Francisco so far. We are seeking a recommendation to amend the scope of work for DPT's FY 2002/03 Traffic Signal Upgrade Project to include the APS Pilot Project, as presented. /p>

6. Recommend Approval of the FY 2004/05 Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA) Program of Projects for Submission to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) including a Potential Waiver of the Local Expenditure Criterion Pertaining to the Cost-Effectiveness (CE) Ratio to Fund the BART Embarcadero Bikestation O&M Project – ACTION* (attachment 5)

The TFCA Program was established to fund the most effective transportation projects that achieve emission reductions from motor vehicles in accordance with the Air District's Clean Air Plan. Funds are generated from a $4 surcharge on the vehicle registration fee collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles. As the San Francisco TFCA Program Manager, the Authority annually develops the program of projects for the TFCA Local Program Manager funds. In January, we initiated the call for FY 2004/05 TFCA applications to San Francisco public agencies. In March, we received 14 applications from project sponsors, requesting $1.16 million in TFCA funds. For FY 2004/05, we have $831,916 in TFCA funds available for projects. Following the Board's adopted process for developing the TFCA program of projects, we evaluated projects against the Air District's eligibility requirements and cost effectiveness ratio, and our local expenditure criteria. Based on this review, we are recommending funding the 14 projects shown in Attachment 3, including eight bicycle projects, three shuttles, one clean air vehicle program, one telecommuting project, and one hydrogen fuel cell fueling facility. We are seeking a recommendation of approval of the FY 2004/05 TFCA Program of Projects for submission to the Air District including a potential waiver of the Local Expenditure Criterion pertaining to the CE ratio to fund the BART Embarcadero Bikestation O&M project, as presented./p>

7. Recommend Allocation of $350,000 in Fiscal Year 2003/04 Proposition K Funds to Accommodate an Increase in the Professional Services Contract with Leroy L. Saage for Project Management Services on the South Access to the Golden Gate Bridge Replacement Project (Doyle Drive) Environmental and Design Study. – ACTION* (attachment 6)

Leroy L. Saage, Consulting Engineer, is currently serving as the Authority's Project Manager for the Doyle Drive Replacement Project and has overseen work performed by various consultants to develop project alternatives, perform engineering and environmental analyses, manage a public involvement and outreach program, prepare environmental and engineering documents and secure project funding. Mr. Saage's contract budget will expire on April 30, 2004. Mr. Saage has extensive experience with and in-depth knowledge of the project. His continued service is strongly supported by cooperating agencies. It is in the Authority's interest to extend his contract and ensure continuity in this important role as the project moves toward completion of the environmental phase. The project is eligible for up to $3 million in FY 2003/04 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) funds, programmed by the Authority Board in 2001, to complete the environmental studies; however, the California Transportation Commission suspended STIP funding allocations pending adoption of the new fund estimate. The fund estimate delays the STIP programming by two to five years due to cash flow problems in the State Highway Account. The only way to avoid project delays is to allocate Prop K funds to the project. An amendment to Mr. Saage's contract for the same amount, and a timeline extension, will be considered by the Finance Committee for approval later this month. The project is eligible for a total of $90 million in Proposition K funds. We are seeking a recommendation to allocate $350,000 in Fiscal Year 2003/04 Proposition K funds to accommodate an increase the professional services contract with Leroy L. Saage for Project Management Services on the South Access to the Golden Gate Bridge Replacement Project (Doyle Drive) Environmental and Design Study.

8. Status Report on the Third Street Light Rail Project – INFORMATION * (attachment 7)

This is a status report for the Third Street Light Rail Project. Construction activities are currently ongoing throughout the entire corridor. As of February 28, 2004 the project has spent approximately 48% of the budget and is anticipated to start spending approximately $15 million per month when the Metro East Maintenance Facility begins construction. Also as of February 2004, total local hires for the corridor have exceeded 150. Efforts continue to address environmental concerns along Third Street, and MUNI continues to publish its air monitoring results. In February 2004, 92% of the tests were below the action level. Completion of the rail line is scheduled for the end of 2005 with the Metro East Facility contract completion expected one year later. At the March meeting of the Authority Board, allocations for the remainder of this fiscal year were approved for the construction segments. We are putting the final touches on MUNI's proposed new budget and funding plan for the project, and plan to present them to the Plans and Programs Committee at the May meeting. This is an information item

9. Draft Countywide Transportation Plan – INFORMATION

Pursuant to state law, as Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco the Authority is responsible for preparing a long-range transportation plan identifying goals, needs and investment priorities. Consistent with this responsibility, the Authority has gone through a multi-year process to develop the 30-year Countywide Transportation Plan (CTWP). The Draft CWTP has been prepared with guidance from the CWTP Subcommittee of the CAC. The Draft CWTP reflects the priorities in the Expenditure Plan for the Prop K Local Sales Tax for Transportation and, once adopted, will become the basis for input into the Regional Transportation Plan. In addition to projects, the Draft CWTP also identifies opportunities for strategic initiatives and legislative advocacy on a number of transportation policy issues, including funding. The CWTP is expected to be ready for review and adoption by the Authority Board after a period of public outreach that will extend over the next two months. At the meeting on April 13, we will present an overview of the plan and its main components, highlight policy areas for further discussion with the Board, and seek comments and guidance from the Committee. The Draft document, including the latest set of comments from the Authority's Technical Working Group, will be distributed at the meeting. This is an information item.

10. Introduction of New Items – INFORMATION

11. Public Comment

12. Adjournment

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