Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
SF Transportation Authority approves $2 million in Prop L allocations for cable car, tree‑planting and I‑280 design
Summary
The San Francisco County Transportation Authority approved $2 million in Prop L allocations and $650,000 in appropriations for three projects: $900,000 for SFMTA cable car restorations, $1.1 million for tree planting and establishment, and $650,000 for additional design funds for the I‑280 Ocean Avenue off‑ramp. The board also approved a related $300,000 contract increase for project design.
The San Francisco County Transportation Authority on Dec. 9 approved Prop L allocations totaling $2 million and appropriations of $650,000 for three projects, including cable car restorations, expanded tree planting and additional design funding for an I‑280 Ocean Avenue off‑ramp realignment.
In a presentation, Erin Slickter, a Transportation Authority staffer, described the three requests: SFMTA requested $900,000 to restore four cable cars (the agency has a 42‑car fleet; restorations occur at the MTA Woods carpentry shop in Dogpatch and take roughly 24 months per car), San Francisco Public Works sought $1,100,000 to plant and establish approximately 407 trees with weekly watering and community outreach in districts with low canopy, and SFMTA requested $650,000 in additional design funds for the I‑280 southbound Ocean Avenue off‑ramp realignment to convert a free‑flow right turn into a signalized intersection to reduce merge conflicts.
Slickter said the cable car work leverages more than $5.5 million in federal funding and that the restored cars are expected to return to service by December 2028. On tree planting, staff said sites were chosen using the city’s tree census to prioritize equity and environmental‑justice communities and that Public Works already has additional planting budgets in the current fiscal year. On the I‑280 request, staff said design is about 95% complete and the additional funds would pay for final construction bid documents, utility potholing and right‑of‑way transfer with City College of San Francisco; construction will begin only after construction funding is secured.
Related contract amendment: At the same meeting the board approved a $300,000 increase to the Mark Thomas & Company professional services contract (bringing the contract to a not‑to‑exceed $2,204,250) for remaining design tasks on the I‑280 Ocean Avenue off‑ramp project, including utility coordination, potholing and final drawings.
The board moved and approved the Prop L allocations (motion by Commissioner Dorsey; seconded by Commissioner Walton). The subsequent contract amendment was approved in a separate vote (moved by Commissioner Chen; seconded by Commissioner Wong).
The board’s packet materials include maps and planting location lists and note that the I‑280 design work is being coordinated with Caltrans, SFMTA and City College of San Francisco. No public commenters spoke on these items during the meeting.
The Transportation Authority will oversee disbursement per the approved conditions; staff indicated further coordination with partner agencies will continue as design and procurement progress.
