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Budget committee hears $191M bicycle strategy, faces $142M five‑year shortfall
Summary
A hearing on funding SFMTA’s Bicycle Strategy presented a mid‑scenario $191 million plan to expand bicycle infrastructure and identified a roughly $142 million five‑year shortfall; analysts proposed voter and non‑voter funding scenarios and recommended improved project tracking. Public commenters urged full build‑out and faster delivery.
Supervisor Eric Marr opened a public hearing pressing for more aggressive bicycle funding after a year of high bicyclist fatalities; he called current investment "0.46%" of transportation funding and said the city must do more to make streets safe for bicycling.
Fred Brusso of the Budget and Legislative Analyst’s Office presented the office’s analysis of SFMTA’s bicycle strategic‑plan mid‑scenario, which carries a price tag of $191 million and is expected to increase bike mode share from about 3.5% to between 8% and 10%. Brusso said programming already identified roughly $37 million over five years, leaving a $142 million shortfall to reach the strategic plan scenario. Possible revenue sources include voter‑approved measures (vehicle license fee increase, sales tax, general obligation bonds), revenue bonds, advancing Proposition K receipts, transfers from SFMTA operating budgets, and general fund contributions. Brusso recommended improved project tracking and that the Board require periodic (six‑month) progress reports on implementation.
Tim Papandreou (SFMTA) clarified staff counts and said SFMTA is working to incorporate the analysts’ recommendations into the mayoral transportation task force process and to update boards periodically. Dozens of public commenters—representatives from the Bicycle Coalition, community groups, business employers and individual residents—testified in favor of scaling up funding, improving delivery and pairing infrastructure with education and enforcement. Leah Shayam of the Bicycle Coalition said, "When we build it, they will come," and Amandeep Jawa of the League of Conservation Voters urged funding the full network for equitable benefits.
Supervisor Marr moved to continue the hearing to the call of the chair to allow follow‑up work with SFMTA; the motion passed without objection.
