Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning Commission certifies Second Street SEIR despite unavoidable traffic impacts
Summary
The commission certified a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Second Street Improvement Project, approving the document as adequate under CEQA while noting significant unavoidable traffic and commercial loading impacts that decision-making boards would have to address if they authorize the project.
The San Francisco Planning Commission certified the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the Second Street Improvement Project on Aug. 13 after staff said the document adequately analyzed environmental effects under CEQA.
The project, led by Public Works and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, would repave and widen sidewalks, add separated bicycle facilities and transit boarding islands along Second Street between Market and King streets, replace aging sewers and water mains and underground overhead utilities on parts of the corridor. Public Works staff described a variant that would retain some southbound left turns at Second and Brannan to preserve access for adjacent buildings.
Environmental planning staff told the commission that subsequent to the draft responses to comments, minor errors were corrected in Table 4.4 (intersection level-of-service) and in a cumulative-traffic impact description but that the corrections did not change the EIR conclusions. The analysis found project-specific, significant and unavoidable traffic impacts at eight intersections and cumulative traffic impacts at 14 intersections. Staff said the MTA board and Board of Supervisors would need to adopt statements of overriding considerations if they approve the project.
Supporters at the hearing — including the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and merchants along Second Street — urged the commission to certify the report so the SFMTA could consider construction timing and near-term bicycle safety measures. Paulo Kozlitz Schwartz, Second Street campaign manager for the Bicycle Coalition, said the project followed extensive community outreach and would improve safety for people walking and biking.
Commissioners discussed short-term lane configurations and the risk that reducing motor vehicle lanes could worsen congestion in the near term. Commissioner Antonini said the project’s sewer and utility work and undergrounding are important concurrent elements and urged further analysis once other regional transit projects open. Ultimately the commission voted unanimously to certify the SEIR.
The certification clears the environmental review step; the SFMTA board is scheduled to consider project approvals separately. Staff and the project team said interim non‑construction bicycle measures would precede full construction.
