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Supervisors back $500 million transportation GO bond to speed Muni, expand bike/ped safety and advance Vision Zero
Summary
The Board heard a plan to place a $500 million transportation general‑obligation bond on the November ballot to fund Muni‑forward right‑of‑way upgrades, accessibility and station improvements, maintenance facilities, corridor capital projects and Vision Zero pedestrian and bikeway projects; officials acknowledged a funding gap from deferred vehicle‑license‑fee revenue.
MTA Director Ed Reiskin and Supervisor Katy Tang presented a proposed $500 million general‑obligation (GO) bond to the Budget & Finance Committee as the first local funding tranche toward the city’s longer-term transportation plan. The bond would fund three core areas: right‑of‑way and Muni‑forward improvements (bus bulbs, boarding islands, signal prioritization), safety and accessibility upgrades at stops and stations (accessible boarding platforms, elevators/escalators), and facilities and corridor capital projects (maintenance yards, major corridor work on Geary and Market). A portion of funds would explicitly support Vision Zero pedestrian and bicycle safety projects and complete‑streets upgrades.
Reiskin said the bond is structured to be matched with up to $550 million of regional money from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, increasing the program’s scale. Supervisors and public advocates called for an equity lens to prioritize high‑injury corridors and low‑income neighborhoods; MTA staff said they will overlay project selection with income and collision maps to target investments.
Committee members and public witnesses noted a multi‑year funding gap created by postponing a proposed vehicle‑license fee (VLF) to 2016. MTA and supervisors acknowledged a roughly $33 million shortfall across the two fiscal years affected; staff committed to working with the board and mayor’s office to identify options to close that gap, including potential re‑scoping, alternative local revenue tools, and leveraging project‑eligible VLF items into bond‑eligible formats where legally allowed. Officials said some VLF proposals (for example fleet purchases) are not bond‑eligible under state law, while others are and could be flexed.
The ordinance and resolution to call a special election for the GO bond were introduced with technical amendments reflecting CEQA appeal changes; supervisors moved to accept the amendments and set the items for follow‑up. Speakers from Walk SF and the Bicycle Coalition urged the board to cover the Vision Zero shortfall in the add‑back process, citing urgency to make safety investments now.
Next steps: ordinance and resolution will be held per committee rules for a technical amendment period; formal ballot placement and campaign/outreach will follow if the Board moves forward.
