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4:00 - REGULAR MEETING ORDER OF BUSINESS 1. Call to Order Chairman Vaughns called the meeting to order at 4:05 p.m. 2. Roll Call Present:
Absent: James McCray, Jr. At the request of Chairman Vaughns, Board Secretary Boomer announced that Director McCray had sustained injuries due to a car accident and is expected to be absent for a month to six weeks. 3. Announcement of prohibition of sound producing devices during the meeting. Chairman Vaughns announced that the ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at the meeting. She advised that any person responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices may be removed from the meeting. 4. Approval of Minutes On motion to approve the minutes of the August 10, 2004 Special Meeting: unanimously approved (McCray-absent). 5. Communications 6. Introduction of New or Unfinished Business by Board Members -Annual designation of Parking Authority members At the request of the Chairman, Board Secretary Boomer read a memo from the Chairman designating all Board members as members of the Parking Authority, as required by Prop. E. The Board also received a memo detailing the public outreach efforts associated with the increase in the sidewalk parking fine, as requested by the Board. 7. Director's Report -Special Recognition Award -DPT Employee Survey -Update on Prop. 209 Injunction -4 th Quarter Service Standards for Muni and DPT -Ongoing Activities Director Burns announced that Mayor Newsom had appointed Jose Cisneros to the position of City Treasurer. Jose has been an invaluable staff member and will be sworn in Wednesday, September 8, at 10 a.m. in Room 200. He wished him luck and thanked Mr. Cisneros for his years of service as a member of the MTA Board of Directors, the Parking and Traffic Commission and as a member of the MTA senior management team. Chairman Vaughns requested that the Board stand as an expression of appreciation to Mr. Cisneros for his years of service to Muni in general and to the MTA Board in particular. Exec. Director Burns reported that Sunday, September 12, will be quite a day for traffic and transportation. There is a Grand Prix bike race, a concert in Golden Gate Park and a 49'er game. DPT and Muni staff will be out in force. These events will be a real challenge because of the number of bus lines across the city that will be affected. The costs for providing extra service by both Muni and DPT are covered. In addition, Mr. Burns reported that in response to the Bayview community's concerns, Muni has arranged a new parking plan for buses to keep them out of the community. The Notice to Proceed was issued on August 22 for the Octavia Blvd. project. To date the contractor has removed existing trees, old freeway footings, begun the installation of various utilities and some rough grading. The contractor expects to complete the east side of the boulevard by October 2004. Upon completion, traffic will be shifted to the new road way and the contractor will begin construction of the west side of the Boulevard. Some time this fall the Contractor will begin the replacement of the Muni tracks on Market near Octavia Street. The project is on budget and is expect to be completed on time by April 2005. Due to a delay in steel delivery, the associated Central Freeway Replacement project is expect to be complete by June 2005. Exec. Director Burns was pleased to present this month's Special Recognition Award to Alan Seigel, who is retiring from Muni after 30 years. He started at Muni in 1974 in the Telephone Information Center, has worked as Assistant Director of the Community Affairs Dept and currently serves as Acting Director of the Community Affairs Department and Media Spokesperson. Alan has excelled at numerous responsibilities, including special event signage, serving as the liaison with Central Control during emergencies, and being responsible for responding to MTA's Freedom of Information act requests. Alan Siegal thanked Mr. Burns for the recognition. Chairman Vaughns expressed her appreciation on behalf of the Board. Director Din thanked Mr. Siegal on behalf of the Asian community for his kind service. Robin Reitzes, Deputy City Attorney, updated the Board on the status of the Prop. 209 injunction. She reported that Judge Warren issued a clarification on August 23, 2004 that stated that his decision pertained to M/WBE programs and had no relevance to federally funded DBE programs. Furthermore, the injunction only applies to locally funded contracts that were advertised or solicited for after July 26, 2004. She clarified that there was no issue with any item on the Board calendar. Acting Deputy Director Bond Yee presented the 2 nd Annual DPT Employee Survey. This survey was designed to measure job satisfaction, communication and management effectiveness and had a 20% response rate, which is very remarkable given the fact that more than half of DPT employees spend all their time in the field. Most areas show a positive trend, but we need to do a better job promoting communication between divisions. Chairman Vaughns commented that the matrix identified "decline to state" number appeared very high. Mr. Yee suspected that it is a typographical error. They will revise the report and present to the Board. Director Kasolas would appreciate a breakdown by division. He asked if there was a written plan for improving appreciation and communication within the department. D.D. Yee stated that communication is made more difficult given that more than half of all employees were in the field. Director Kasolas asked staff to put together a plan for improving communication and present it to the Board within sixty days. Muni General Manager Fred Stephens presented the 4th Quarter Muni Service Standards. He announced that on-time performance was holding steady around 70%. For FY05, staff has implemented the Nelson/Nygaard Independent Audit and CAC recommendations. Staff has also begun a detailed, line-by-line analysis to determine what factors impact on-time performance. Chairman Vaughns stated her disappointment in the 4th quarter statistics, particularly since the 3rd quarter statistics indicated an upward trend. This report is poor. Last quarter, we were assured that we would make improvements but we've seen a severe declination in on-time performance. She added that while she doesn't all have the answers, she recommended that staff continue to examine changes that must be made to improve these performance standards. She referred to the report as an embarrassment to her and to the Board of Directors, as well as not being reflective of the Board nor the MTA's hard work. Director Din requested staff to include the number of employees within each class in the Longevity Report. G.M. Stephens will prepare an updated report to make it more comprehensive. Director Din also requested a report on what we're doing to rectify pass-ups and overcrowding on the lines mentioned in the report. Director Kasolas requested that the information be summarized in a matrix format so the Board can quickly see if the goal was met or not met. He added that on-time performance has been hovering around 70% for four years and staff needs to make changes. Director Black commented that while she has heard the comments made by her fellow directors, she wondered how you can increase the numbers given recent budget cuts. G.M. Stephens agreed, adding that morale has been affected and it's tough for people to think positively given the environment. Director Mezey asked for clarification about the late pullouts. He would like to see information about late pullouts from the terminal added to the report. He wonders if our running times are realistic and if that could be part of the problem. G.M. Stephens stated that running times are part of the problem. Muni currently has a cooperative effort in place at each division to look at one line, as suggested by the operators, to identify impediments to staying on time. Director Mezey noticed the new federal grant monies for technology. He suggested that late pullouts could be helped if there was GPS equipment on-board each bus. Director Din stated that an additional consideration is when operators must stop to pick up a person in a wheelchair. While it's important to serve those customers, the operator shouldn't be penalized for not being on time. G.M. Stephens stated that he is embarrassed by the report and is frustrated and anxious to make improvements. In the 11 runs evaluated, one large issue is the time it takes to board passengers in wheelchairs. Staff is trying to figure out how to take that into account but a new scheduling system coming on-line will help. Muni's disproportionate number of elderly passengers also needs to be taken into account. Director Kasolas asked what other agencies were doing to meet their on-time performance goal. It's important to see what other agencies are doing so the Board can determine if Muni's goal is achievable. Exec. Director Burns reminded the Director that Nelson/Nygaard did look into that but concluded that one agency can't be compared to another. Staff followed up on the suggestion that Vancouver may be comparable and discovered that they are on the 70% range. Chairman Vaughns stated that Muni employees are smart enough to make improvements. Exec. Director Burns recognized that performance has reached a plateau or has declined in some cases. Staff will be taking aggressive actions. He added that this goal is not only Mr. Stephens' or his goal, but is everyone's goal. He also pointed out that the budget situation does have an impact. The trolley fleet is now accessible and needs to have their running times adjusted. Adjusting the running times doesn't simply mean adding more time to every run because doing that would be considerably more expensive. Staff is looking to performance measures such as those in the Geary Corridor plan to help in this effort Chairman Vaughns expressed her desire for staff to collaborate with labor, in an inclusive effort, to improve the service and performance standards. She further stated that a collaborative effort crucial to improving the system. Acting Deputy Director Bond Yee presented the 4th Quarter DPT Service Standards Report. Director Kasolas requested the same matrix summary as he requested from Muni. Director Din asked if there were procedures in place to take care of people standing in line. He added that he has stood in lines that exceed the 30-minute goal. D.D. Yee noted that staff could do a better job of deployment during times when there is increased public demand. Exec. Director Burns continued the security report to the next meeting out of respect to the people who were waiting for the Geary Corridor item. 8. Citizen's Advisory Council Report Dan Murphy, CAC Chairman, presented two recommendations of the CAC. The first recommendation is to study the possibility of having a Parking Impact Development Fee to help defray the cost of additional cars in the city. These fees would be assessed on new parking development. The CAC also recommended that the MTA advocate for the restoration of the pre-1998 vehicle license fee rate. In difficult budget years, and given the difficulty of finding new revenue sources, the higher vehicle license fee rate would be a good thing. He also called the Board's attention to a previous CAC recommendation to adopt all of the Nelson/Nygaard recommendations. He also underscored the CAC's recommended adoption of the Inner Geary plan, including the removal of bus stops as it ties into on-time performance. Bus Rapid Transit is a more efficient way to allocate resources and the Geary project has a lot of benefit for transit riders. He congratulated Jose Cisneros and noted that it was a great pleasure to work with him. 9. Public Comment Mark Brown stated that on the new buses, people who are mobility impaired can't board through the rear doors because the panic handle doesn't work from the outside. John Friedlander commented that he uses buses all over the city and that he has seen the problems diminish. The Board needs to be recognized and appreciated for their good work. Barry Taranto congratulated Mr. Cisneros, calling his appointment an asset to the city. Traffic in the Van Ness/Franklin corridor is atrocious. Light timing on Van Ness is atrocious. There are some real PCO heroes at the ballpark but they prevent cabs from making a right turn on 3rd St. Limousines are parked everywhere, and Kevin Lee doesn't do anything about it. He requests a dedicated hearing officer to deal with taxi drivers who get ticketed. The Cable Car division should ask the police to deal with illegal turns on Powell St. DPT should do better enforcement of violations of construction zones. Bill Sisk, President, Local 250-A, stated that they were currently in "schedule negotiation" and that the item would be coming to the Board. Staff is having trouble with the equipment and his members are getting tired of double or triple headways. The Board should take a close look at the service cuts as it's going to get worse. He hopes that staff can sit down with TWU to work it out because you can't put a hot dog in a skillet and pull out a steak. David Pilpel stated that Alan Siegal was one of first people he met at Muni and he has always been helpful and a dedicated public servant. The 4th Quarter Service Standards Report indicates that the figures provided represent the entire year, which is incorrect. The annual performance should be the average of all four quarters. With respect to Item 10.5, the subway overhead project, he commented that it will impact subway service and he hopes that there will be significant public outreach prior to construction. He encouraged the MTA to think proactively about public notice prior to construction. He also stated that the extent to which employees are not laid off, and savings due to service adjustments aren't achieved, will make the budget situation worse. The Board should ask staff to come back early and often to report on the current year budget. For the FY06 budget, if we're thinking about cutting service or raising fares, there needs to be a policy level discussion in the Fall prior to receipt of the budget details in January. David Tornheim, Central City Progressives, commented that it looks like service is not improving. He reminded everyone that while the budget increased, service was reduced to save 6-7 million dollars. If Muni isn't meeting their scheduled time, buses will be packed. He questioned the Board's priorities given that China Basin is exempt from the TIDF fee. He has heard that operators are not signing up due to recent service cuts. THE FOLLOWING MATTERS BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY BOARD ARE RECOMMENDED FOR ACTION AS STATED BY THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, AND CITY ATTORNEY WHERE APPLICABLE. EXPLANATORY DOCUMENTS FOR ALL CONSENT AND REGULAR CALENDAR ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AT 401 VAN NESS AVE. #334. CONSENT CALENDAR 10. All matters listed hereunder constitute a Consent Calendar, are considered to be routine by the Municipal Transportation Agency Board, and will be acted upon by a single vote of the Board. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Board or the public so requests, in which event the matter shall be removed from the Consent Calendar and considered as a separate item. (10.1) Requesting the Controller to allot funds and to draw warrants against such funds available or will be available in payment of the following claims against the MTA: A. Diane Rosenfield, Unlitigated Claim #0500100 filed on 7/12/04 for $5606.36 B. Janet Thompson, Superior Ct. #CGC03421478 filed on 6/17/03 for $6,675 C. Ronald Baker, Unlitigated Claim #0402601 filed on 3/8/04 for $10,000 D. Louis Podover, Unlitigated Claim #0402102 filed on 1/27/04 for $12,000 E. Daniel Juel, Unlitigated Claim #0402101 filed on 1/27/04 for $15,000 F. Conrada Dimaculangan, Superior Ct. #407422 filed on 5/1/02 for $70,000 Board Secretary Boomer announced that the Rosenfield and Thompson cases (Items A and B) were pulled and continued to the next meeting at the request of Chairman Vaughns. RESOLUTION 04-125 (10.2) Approving the following traffic modifications:
RESOLUTION 04-126 (10.3) Accepting Contract No. MR-1124, Muni Metro Electrical Improvements Project, approving Contract Modification No. 3, for a final contract amount of $3,803,828.34, and authorizing closeout of the contract and release of final retention in the amount of $88,225.25 to Kingston Constructors . (Explanatory documents include a staff report, financial plan, modification and resolution.) RESOLUTION 04-127 (10.4) Authorizing the Director to execute Modification No. 4 to Contract No. CS-113, Professional Design and Support Services for MUNI Bus Procurement, with Cornerstone Concilium, Inc./Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, Inc. to extend the term of the contract by one year to September 9, 2005, without an increase in the contract amount. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, modification and resolution.) (MUNI) RESOLUTION 04-128 (10.5) Approving plans and specifications and authorizing the Director to advertise bid call for Contract No. MR-1210, MUNI Metro System Subway Overhead Reconstruction. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, financial plan and resolution.) (MUNI) RESOLUTION 04-129 (10.6) Authorizing the Director to execute the contract with ThyssenKrupp Elevator Company for an elevator maintenance agreement for full service elevator maintenance and repair at Church & Castro Street Stations in the Muni Metro System in an amount not to exceed $40,000 for the first year or $120,000 for three years with an option to extend for two additional years. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, financial plan, contract and resolution.) (MUNI) RESOLUTION 04-130 (10.7) Accepting Contract No. MR-1125, N, L and J Lines Rail Replacement Project, approving Modification No. 9 for a reduction to the approved contract amount by $241,523.81, approving the final contract amount of $8,163,006.44, and approving the closeout of the contract with Mitchell Engineering. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, financial plan, contract modification and resolution.) (MUNI) RESOLUTION 04-131 (10.8) Authorizing the Director to issue a Request For Proposal to solicit proposals from vendors qualified to provide Workers' Compensation Bill Review Services and Medical Treatment Utilization Review Services. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, resolution, RFP and financial plan.) (MUNI) RESOLUTION 04-132 (10.9) Authorizing the Director to issue a Request for Proposal and conduct a negotiated procurement for Contract No. 350, Procurement of Standard Low Floor Hybrid-Electric Diesel Coaches. (Explanatory documents include a staff report and resolution.) RESOLUTION 04-133 Director Din asked if the Hybrid-Electric Diesel RFP included any consideration of receiving instructions and technical support manuals in an electronic format. He provided a list of questions to the Exec. Director regarding Item 10.4 that he would like to have answered. Exec. Director Burns will make sure that the materials are available electronically and will respond to the Director's other questions. No public comment. On motion to approve the Consent Calendar (Item 10.1 A and B removed): ADOPTED: AYES - Black, Din, Kasolas, Mezey and Vaughns ABSENT - McCray REGULAR CALENDAR 11. Approving traffic modifications on Geary and O'Farrell between Van Ness and Market Streets for the Inner Geary Transit Improvement Project: A. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - O'Farrell St., north side, from Van Ness Ave. to Polk St. B. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 7 AM TO 9 AM AND 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Polk St. to Larkin St. C. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 820 O'Farrell St. at Larkin St., northwest corner, from Larkin St. to 94 feet easterly. D. BUS ZONE EXTENSION - 800 BLOCK OF O'FARRELL ST., ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 895 O'Farrell St. at Polk St. , southeast corner, from 81 feet to 99 feet east of Polk St . E. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Larkin St. to Hyde St. F. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St. , north side, from Larkin St. to Hyde St. G. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St., south side, from Larkin St. to Hyde St. H. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 709 O'Farrell St. at Hyde St. , southwest corner, from Hyde St. to 90 feet easterly. I. REVOKE - BUS ZONE - 799 O'Farrell St. at Larkin St. , southeast corner, from Larkin St. to 100 feet easterly. J. REDUCTION - BUS ZONE - 683 O'Farrell St. at Hyde St. , southeast corner, reducing bus zone length to 101 feet. K. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Hyde St. to Leavenworth St. L. ESTABLISH- GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St. , north side, from Hyde St. to Leavenworth St. M. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St., south side, from Hyde St. to Leavenworth St. N. REVOKE - TRANSIT (CURB) LANE - BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY, 7 AM TO 9 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, ESTABLISH - RIGHT LANE- BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY AT ALL TIMES - O'Farrell St. , south side, between Hyde St. and Leavenworth St. O. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 608 O'Farrell St. at Leavenworth St., northwest corner side, from Leavenworth St. to Harlem Alley. P. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 501 O'Farrell St. at Jones St., southwest corner, from Jones St. to 96 feet westerly. Q. ESTABLISH- TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY O'Farrell St., north side, from Leavenworth St. to Jones St. R. ESTABLISH- GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Leavenworth St. to Jones St. S. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 9 AM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - O'Farrell St., south side, from Leavenworth St. to Jones St. T. REVOKE - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY, 7 AM TO 9 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, ESTABLISH - RIGHT LANE- BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY, AT ALL TIMES - O'Farrell St., south side, between Leavenworth and Jones St. U. REVOKE - BUS ZONE - 599 O'Farrell St. at Leavenworth St., southeast corner, from Leavenworth St. to 85 feet easterly. V. REVOKE - NO STOPPING ANYTIME, ESTABLISH - METERED YELLOW ZONE, 9 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - "340" O'Farrell St., north side, from 245 feet to 289 feet east of Taylor St. W. REVOKE - NO STOPPING ANYTIME, ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING, 9 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - "360" O'Farrell St., north side, from 85 feet to 245 feet east of Taylor St. X. REVOKE - BUS ZONE (80-FOOT ZONE) - 485 O'Farrell St. at Jones St., southeast corner, from Jones St. to 80 feet easterly. Y. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - "451" O'Farrell St., south side, from 107 feet to 251 feet east of Jones St. Z. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Jones St. to Taylor St. AA.REVOKE - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME, ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING, 7 AM TO 9 AM AND 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - O'Farrell St., north side, from Taylor St. to Mason St. BB. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 7 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - Geary St., north and south sides, from Larkin St. to Polk St. CC. REVOKE - BUS ZONE - 1064 Geary St. at Van Ness Ave., northeast corner, from Van Ness Ave. to 88 feet easterly. DD. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 1064 Geary St. at Van Ness Ave., northeast corner, from Van Ness Ave. to 88 feet easterly. EE. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 1020 -1054 Geary St., north side, from 96 feet to 236 feet west of Polk St. FF. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 990 Geary St. at Polk St., northeast corner, from Polk St. to 100 feet easterly. GG. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 999 Geary St. at Polk St., southeast corner, from Polk St. to 92 feet easterly. HH. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 7 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - Geary St., north and south sides, from Hyde St. to Larkin St. II. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING 7 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - Geary St., north and south sides, from Leavenworth St. to Hyde St. JJ. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 894 Geary St. at Larkin St., northeast corner, from Larkin St. to 57 feet easterly. KK. REVOKE - BUS ZONE - 798 Geary St. at Hyde St., northeast corner, from Hyde St. to 75 feet easterly. LL. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 700 Geary St. at Leavenworth St., northwest corner, from Leavenworth St. to 134 feet westerly. MM. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 795 Geary St. at Hyde St., southeast corner, from Hyde St. to 80 feet easterly. NN. REVOKE - BUS ZONE (75-FOOT ZONE) - 608 Geary St., at Jones St., northwest corner, from Jones St. to 75 feet westerly, and 684 Geary St. at Mason St., northeast corner, from Leavenworth St. to 75 feet easterly. OO. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 684 Geary St. at Leavenworth St., northeast corner, from Leavenworth St. to 90 feet easterly. PP. ESTABLISH - GENERAL METERED PARKING, 7 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - Geary St., north and south sides, between Jones St. and Leavenworth St. QQ. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 520 Geary St. at Taylor St., north side, from 75 feet to 100 feet west of Taylor St. RR. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 585 Geary St. at Jones St., southeast corner, from Jones St. to 84 feet easterly. SS. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 391 Geary St. at Mason St., southeast corner, from Mason St. to 82 feet easterly. TT. REVOKE - BUS ZONE (85-FOOT ZONE) - 430 Geary St., at Mason St., northwest corner, from Mason St. to 85 feet westerly. UU. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 10 Geary St., north side, from 90 feet to 130 feet west of Kearny St. VV. ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME - 100 Geary St. at Grant Avenue northeast corner, from Grant Avenue to 72 feet easterly. WW. TRANSIT LANE - 300 BLOCK OF GEARY ST., REVOKE - TOW AWAY LANE (NORTH SIDE) - BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY, 4 PM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, ESTABLISH - RIGHT LANE - BUSES, TAXIS AND RIGHT TURNS ONLY. XX. BUS ZONE EXTENSION - 300 BLOCK OF GEARY ST., ESTABLISH - TOW AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME -310 Geary St., north side, from 95 feet to 135 feet west of Powell St. (Explanatory documents include a staff report and resolution.) Board Secretary Boomer noted that the resolution would be amended to add language to EE to clarify that the change was recommended in order to build a bus bulb. Jose Cisneros and Bond Yee presented the items. The 38-Geary has been a transit priority for Muni for many years, most recently in Muni's Vision Plan and in the Prop K reauthorization plan. These changes are an important first step in the Geary Bus Rapid Transit initiative. Bus Rapid Transit is an implementation method that is a proven way of providing better and more reliable service. This package represents the best possible compromise between businesses and residents, public transit, cyclists and pedestrians. Chairman Vaughns stated that given the number of people who were waiting to testify, she would limit public comment to two minutes per person. PUBLIC COMMENT: Linda Chapman stated that the Lower Polk Neighbors voted to oppose the removal of the bus stops. There is a large population of seniors and people with disabilities that will have fewer transit options. She fails to see how this can be consistent with ADA principles. This action tells people with walkers or canes to walk another block. She was once struck with a debilitating disease so as the bus stops get longer, every step taken is in agony. The Board should think about people struggling with pain and weakness. Barry Taranto thinks that we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. It's important for DPT, Muni and taxicabs to get through the area quickly. Some of the turn lanes are too long and remove valuable parking spaces. He is also concerned about putting parking meters in residential areas. This plan is worth trying to implement. He proposed that the first section of the bus zone at the Mitchell Brothers Theater be used as a taxi stand after 10:00 p.m. Muni inspectors should stop hassling taxi drivers who are trying to get their passengers home from a very busy location. Ed Evans, Community Resources Action Project, stated that all of his members are enthusiastically behind retaining the bus stops in the Tenderloin. The theatres don't want to lose the stop at Mason Street. Stops bring people into the neighborhood to shop and go to the theater. He is in favor of retaining the stop location at Jones and O'Farrell. Families need to be considered as well as seniors and people with disabilities. John Nulty provided the census figures for District 6 showing that most residents don't have cars. There are no garages in the neighborhood. You're taking away the ability of residents to survive and wounding businesses by not allowing customers to come in. They are supporting the bus stops. Muni didn't do any outreach on the bus stops. He questioned the ability of the Board to make a decision without rider input. Michael Nulty lives in a complex that has many seniors and people with disabilities. The Alliance for a Better District 6 is opposed to this plan and they have 386 people who have signed an on-line petition. There are signs up in businesses that support keeping the bus stops. They understand it will hurt their business and will mean a loss of income. Residents rely on local transit to get to local clinics, doctors, hospitals and businesses. There are two transfer points that will be lost. He pointed out that if you go further toward Union Square, the stops are a block apart. Norm Rolfe urged adoption of the plan. The turn pockets are especially good because it will reduce delays to buses. These changes will help address system reliability. The MTA CAC has endorsed this plan as well as MAAC. "Stop spacing" is a big thing that is causing a problem with a lot of people. The grades on Geary and O'Farrell are not that great. Terry McCugh commented that Teamsters Local #278 met with Mayor Brown two years ago to try to get the downtown streets unclogged. He is speaking in support of this issue because it will provide more and longer yellow zones and will help move traffic. Mark Gleason noted that Teamsters Local #665 is in support of the plan. Additional yellow zones are important. There are no large warehouses in the city any longer so larger trucks have to carry product across the Bay Bridge. These larger yellow zones will accommodate those larger trucks and will unclog the streets. We need trucks off the streets to keep the traffic flowing. Glenda Lavigne is opposed to removing the Taylor, Jones, Leavenworth and Hyde bus stops. She rides this line everyday and sees seniors, disabled people and people with children taking the bus to Safeway. If you eliminate the stops, they'll have to walk further. Staff needs to rethink this one and consider the people. She reminded the Board that this is a public transportation system and we're providing a service to people. Hiroshi Kokame expressed Rescue Muni's support for the first phase of this Bus Rapid Transit project. The proposal is reasonable. It doesn't make sense to have signal pre-emption if buses are stopping at every block. Bus bulbs and low-floor buses will make it easier for seniors to board. Sean Williams doesn't have a car and rides the bus. Removing these stops is unjust and unfair to those of us who use those stops. Asking us to walk extra blocks is outrageous in a neighborhood that is known for crime. We need these stops to stay where they are. Richard Marquez lives in the upper Tenderloin and is a long time rider. The census tracks in the Tenderloin will be the nail in the cross for residents who live in one of the most expensive cities in the world. Last week's paper talked about a large Norfolk pine that was being removed. This proposal is outrageous. This decision will contribute to transit racism and transit classism. The 38-Geary is a lifeline. Don't cut the stops. Diego Sanchez is opposed to the elimination of the stops. He doesn't see how Muni has incorporated the public's comments at all. These stops are important to people who are mobility impaired. He has an infant and knows that carrying groceries and an infant is difficult. He questioned whether this would improve transit for people in the Tenderloin. Chris Pederson is in support of the Inner Geary Improvements. Some lines, especially the 38-Geary, can be painfully slow. If the city is serious about improving transit and reliability, they have to take difficult steps. Many projects cost tens of millions of dollars and takes years to build but this is a welcome project because it can achieve relatively quick results in a short period of time with little expense of funds. Generally, people won't have to walk more than an extra block. Supporting the plan means you're getting serious about Transit First. Howard Strassner, Sierra Club, urged the Board to adopt the plan. Muni has done a careful job with this recommendation. Nobody has to walk more than an extra block. They made a stop more convenient for seniors. This is a low cost way to improve transit. David Vasquez urged the Board to support the plan. He called it a great impact for a small amount of money. There are lots of elderly people living in Japantown and in the Richmond who have to walk long blocks. This plan tries to standardize service. Brian Co stated that the Tenderloin is not flat but is uphill. It would be great if the police equally enforced this neighborhood. We have crack cocaine smokers and prostitution in the neighborhood. In the Richmond district, residents can walk to Clement or California because it's flat. At Glide Memorial there is a health clinic that serves thousands of people. The elimination of their stop will mean that the clinic will be passed by. Jan Rasmussen, Neighborhood Safety Partnership, stated that there are multiple issues in the Tenderloin. An extra block walk means that residents are more vulnerable to crime. The Tenderloin is densely populated and is not a typical community. David Tornheim, Central City Progressives, stated that his organization didn't take a position but many of his members are opposed to the plan. While people in his neighborhood will benefit, residents in the Tenderloin are poor and won't receive any benefit. People in the Richmond will benefit but they have cars. People in the Tenderloin need the stops. It's great that you're trying to improve service, but eliminating stops isn't a good idea. If you want to improve service, add more express buses. Lee Burton was asked to speak by his residential association in opposition to the plan, but after he heard the presentation, he thinks that the item should be approved. Delphine Brody thinks that the pedestrian and bicycle stuff is fine but is in favor of keeping all the bus stops. This is an extremely high-density neighborhood that has a large number of seniors, and people with disabilities. An extra block can be an impossible task. This action tells poor people that they don't count. Ron Miguel, Planning Association for the Richmond, stated that these changes are important to us. His association was impressed with the small cost and quick timeline. Adding bike lanes and improving the yellow zones are appreciated. He questioned the elimination of the Mason and Geary stop because of its proximity to theatres. This plan is not going to work unless enforcement is done in a more decisive manner. Tom Radulovich, Transportation for a Livable City, stated that Mary Brown asked him to convey the SF Bicycle Coalition's support. He appreciates that staff found a way to be flexible to accommodate bikes and believes the balance is correct. He was on the Prop K committee that spent much time on the Geary Bus Rapid Transit Plan. In this corridor, service will be more reliable and less crowded. No matter where people live, they deserve fast, safe, and reliable service. The benefits outweigh small inconveniences. Jim Matysiak was opposed to the project in the first place, as the initial proposal was to eliminate his yellow zone. He asked if the implementation of a red zone would mean that his yellow zone would be reinstated. Susan Bryan is a member of the Alliance for a Better District 6. She stated that Muni is what makes this city livable. She arrives at events before they begin and is seated comfortably while her friends are still trying to find a place to park. She has had physical problems and knows how hard it can be to walk an extra block. There is a lot of good to this plan, but it appeases people who live in the Richmond district. She pointed out that transferring to the 27 line will mean crossing two streets, which is not easy, convenient or safe. People in Little Saigon are dependent on transit. Joan Downey is speaking as a Board Member of Rescue Muni. Rescue Muni strongly supports the plan including the bulb outs and elimination of bus stops. She urged the Board to approve the project as presented. The improvement in service reliability is well worth this small inconvenience. The bus stop consolidation that occurred on the 5-Fulton sped up service. This is a crucial first step to Bus Rapid Transit, which was overwhelmingly approved by voters with Prop K. Otto Duffy noted that the Tenderloin has two to three times the population density as there is in the Richmond district. Residents don't have cars, because they have no income or garages for them. We are Muni's core clients. This North of Market area is a fully developed transit village. Richard Allman reinforced that the issue is a north/south issue as much as it is an issue along the Geary corridor. There are few north/south connection points. Muni's project manager has said to community groups that if these bus stop removals are implemented, it will save one minute of transit time. He noted that in this political and tough budget year, the tone set by Mayor Newsom and the Board of Supervisors was not to remove services from seniors and people with disabilities. This goes against their leadership tone. He presented a paper written by the Public Policy Institute. Patrick Carney stated that the Tenderloin is the densest neighborhood in the city. It's not just an area that people pass through and is without a lot of parking. Meters are not appropriate and yellow zones aren't welcome in a residential neighborhood. Walking a block in a high-crime neighborhood is a problem. Muni should work with the SFPD to clean up drug dealing at the bus stop at O'Farrell and Jones. Casey Hildreth, Transportation for a Livable City, stated that stop spacing has nothing to do with density. If that were the case, New York City would have a stop at every block. This is a higher crime area, and so while we support this plan, we also support additional streetscape improvements such as better lighting and safer bus shelters. This area has been underserved but in terms of transit, everyone deserves better transit service. This plan gives it to them. Jeremy Nelson, Transportation for a Livable City, commented that they strongly support this package of proposed improvements. He asked the Board to adopt it without modification. Everyone wants to improve transit access to all parts of the city. Nobody wants to reduce access for mobility-impaired folks. If you don't adopt the plan it will keep things the same, which won't improve that neighborhood. 73 percent of the timesavings comes from bus stop consolidation. This is a necessary first step. He urged adoption. Tina Panziera, Hamilton Homeowners Association, stated that her constituents feel that the plan is good, as it will decrease noise in the corridor. Their only issue is the addition of parking meters in a residential neighborhood. If possible, they would like to have fewer meters to help residents. Chairman Vaughns closed public comment and expressed the appreciation of the Board to the public for their comments. Chairman Vaughns asked Mr. Cisneros to review Muni's public outreach efforts with the Board. Mr. Cisneros stated that there were three Muni-sponsored community meetings, two mailings to over 8,000 residents, signs were posted on buses and at stops and over 20 community groups were involved. Staff analyzed the load pattern on each stop to determine those stops with the fewest number of people who used the stop. He also clarified that the yellow zone in front of Mr. Matysiak's business would be retained. Chairman Vaughns appreciated the comprehensive presentation and also appreciated that Muni collaborated with other city departments and labor organizations as well as with the public. Exec. Director Burns noted that this endeavor is in no way over, as staff will evaluate the impact of these changes to see if there's detriment to service. They will make adjustments at that point. In response to a question posed by Director Din, Peter Straus, Manager of Service Planning, stated that reliability of service west of Van Ness was not a problem but east of Van Ness to the Transbay Terminal is problematic. Director Din asked about the percent of 38-Limited to 38-Local buses and if residents would benefit if Muni added more limited service during non-peak hours. Mr. Straus stated that the percent is approximately 50-50 during peak periods and adding more limited service during non-peak hours would benefit the residents. He added that the budget deficit restrains that from occurring but other improvements, such as the signal pre-empt project can improve service without increasing the cost. Director Black commented that when the bus stop at 5th and Lake was removed, her neighbors said it was horrible. She currently walks two blocks, with a cane to catch a bus. She doesn't feel that this is a drastic change and thinks that we have to give it a chance. If it doesn't work out, Muni can do something else. Director Kasolas asked if staff was going to measure the impact of the loss of traffic lanes on Geary on other neighborhood streets, pedestrians, bicyclists and traffic. Deputy Director Yee affirmed that the impact would be part of the evaluation. He added that part of this plan includes other mitigation measures to help compensate for "throughput" capacity. It is a good possibility that some traffic will divert to other streets but those streets are alternating one-way streets and have the capacity to handle increased traffic. If they find that traffic flow doesn't justify the length of the turn pockets, the turn pockets can be scaled back. Chairman Vaughns requested a status report on the implementation of the project six months after the traffic changes are completed. Director Mezey commented that this project wouldn't be effective without enforcement. Deputy Director Yee stated that DPT is fully committed to enforcing the proposed regulation changes and will work with the police department to fully enforce the transit lanes. Director Din offered an amendment to reinstate the eliminated bus stops if the timesavings aren't realized. The motion failed for lack of a second. RESOLUTION 04-134 On motion to approve: ADOPTED: AYES - Black, Kasolas, Mezey and Vaughns NAYES - Din ABSENT - McCray MUNICIPAL RAILWAY 12. Authorizing the execution of Contract No. MR-1195, Paratransit Debit Card System, with GPS Data Solutions to provide an integrated Paratransit Debit Card System for an amount not to exceed $3,299,200 and for a term not to exceed six years. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, resolution, financial plan and contract.) PUBLIC COMMENT: Barry Taranto thinks this is a very important contract and it should be approved. Staff needs to audit this contract closely and monitor the taxicab company involved. It's also important to use the fleet of ramped taxis. RESOLUTION 04-135 On motion to approve: ADOPTED: AYES - Black, Din, Kasolas, Mezey and Vaughns ABSENT - McCray 13. Rejecting the bid received for Contract No. MR-1194, Muni Metro System and Cable Car System Rail Grinding Program from Stacy & Witbeck and authorizing sole source negotiations with Loram Maintenance of Way, for an amount not to exceed $660,000 and for a duration not to exceed 1,123 days. (Explanatory documents include a staff report, resolution, and financial plan.) No public comment. RESOLUTION 04-136 On motion to approve: ADOPTED: AYES - Black, Din, Kasolas, Mezey and Vaughns ABSENT - McCray ADJOURN - The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m. A tape of the meeting is on file in the office of the Secretary to the Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors. Roberta Boomer Board Secretary The Ethics Commission of the City and County of San Francisco has asked us to remind individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [ S.F. Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code section 2.100 et seq. ] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the Ethics Commission at 415-581-2300; fax: 415-581-2317; 30 Van Ness Ave., Suite 3900, SF, CA 94102-6027 or the web site: sfgov.org/ethics. |
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