Mayor, supervisors introduce $500 million transportation bond to fund Muni, pedestrian and bike safety upgrades

Mayor Ed Lee and Supervisor Norman Yee (District 4) told the Board of Supervisors they will introduce a $500 million general obligation bond measure for the November ballot to fund transportation infrastructure, including transit reliability and street safety projects.

The mayor framed the proposal during the board’s question time, tying the measure to National Small Business Week and the city’s Invest in Neighborhoods initiative. He said the bond would fund Muni upgrades, pedestrian‑safety projects and bicycle network improvements and would not require raising property taxes because the city plans to issue new bonds as older debt is retired.

Why it matters: San Francisco’s elected leaders have highlighted Muni reliability and Vision Zero pedestrian‑safety goals as priorities. Supporters said the bond would pay for physical changes—transit corridor upgrades, stop improvements, pedestrian countdown signals, well‑defined bikeways and sidewalk work—to make transit faster and safer for riders and people walking and biking.

Supervisor Norman Yee, a cosponsor, said the bond was part of a 10‑year strategic capital plan and would include independent public oversight and regular reporting. The package is intended to address long‑deferred maintenance and to help Muni become faster and more dependable.

Next steps: The bond measure was introduced; it will require further budget planning and placement on the November ballot. City staff and bond sponsors said they would hold public outreach events across districts and develop an accountability structure to monitor spending.

Quotable: Mayor Ed Lee said, "It's time to make this investment ... and we'll do that without raising property taxes." Supervisor Yee said the bond would be a turning point for transportation and noted planned outreach "in every single district" to solicit resident input.