Transit

By John Avalos

Making Muni Work for All of Us: I will make Muni a daily issue, fully fund and implement the Transit Effectiveness Project, 100% restoration of services, Free transit for youth, and building our Bike network.

I believe that San Francisco has the potential to become a world class transit city. Already, the Bay Area offers one of the richest networks of transportation in North America, including rapid transit, bike lanes, commuter rail, ferries, and the venerable cable cars. These systems have helped create a public that is supportive of public transit, as shown by the regions' high ridership rates.

However, our transit system continues to face many challenges. Inadequate management, an outdated infrastructure, and misguided policies that raise fares and cut service are killing the transit network. Having represented the neighborhoods in District 11 which have long been neglected by public transit, I have the experience and vision that we need to make San Francisco a truly Transit-First City.

As Mayor, I will:

Make Muni a Daily Issue. I will work closely with the SFMTA Director to encourage greater communication and collaboration within the department and to develop a process for soliciting feedback from Muni drivers and other front line workers about how to improve the system.

Fully Fund and Implement the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP). Muni is one of the oldest public transportation networks in the United States; it is therefore not surprising that the entire system is in need of a major overhaul. The TEP, a comprehensive review of MUNI that recommends short and long-term improvements to transit times and reliability, has the potential of saving the City millions of dollars and improving service. However, budget shortfalls have kept the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) from implementing the TEP recommendation. I will pursue a local vehicle license fee or other ongoing source of revenue to fund infrastructure improvements.

100% Restoration of MUNI Services. For years, the SFMTA has chosen to cut MUNI service and raise fares instead of implement other cost-saving alternatives. These cuts can be undone by reducing overtime costs, implementing the TEP, and reforming work orders (all which are charges from other city departments for MUNI to pay).

Making Public Transportation Accessible to Youth. I will help children learn and thrive by making it free to get to school, afterschool programs, dance classes, jobs and sports. In the process, we will grow the next generation of public transit riders and decrease our environmental footprint.

Position San Francisco to Receive Increased Regional, State and Federal Funds. Every day, our daytime population swells as people from around the Bay Area come to San Francisco for work, shopping, taking classes, and exploring; and our public transit systems get them around. By working with regional agencies like the Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to ensure that San Francisco is well-positioned to receive regional funds for transit infrastructure improvements.

Build our Bike Network. I will work to implement the City Bike Plan and to improve the links between biking and public transit, including installing 100 miles of bikeways in my first term, installing bike racks on Muni trains, and expanding our burgeoning bike sharing program to compete with other American cities. (Read my Bike Platform for more details.)