San Francisco, CA — The Board of Supervisors voted today to place a $400 million Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond onto the June 2022 ballot. The measure, which will increase the system’s efficiency and improve street safety citywide, will require 2/3 approval by San Francisco voters.

Based on Muni’s infrastructure needs as well as priorities identified in the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) community survey conducted in Spring 2021, the Bond will focus on maintaining the system’s equipment and facilities, providing quick and convenient transit access, ensuring Muni service is inclusive and accessible for all, and making street safety improvements for people walking and biking.

“Reliable and faster transit not only makes it easier for all of our residents to get around San Francisco, but it also gets us one step closer to establishing a more sustainable future by reducing our dependency on cars,” said Mayor Breed. “In addition to the new funding from the federal government, this Bond will allow us to make necessary upgrades to our systems and modernize Muni to better serve everyone who relies on it.”

“We are thankful to the Board of Supervisors for placing the General Obligation Bond Resolution on the upcoming June 2022 ballot,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation, Jeffrey Tumlin. “In order to compete for upcoming federal infrastructure funds, we need a local match. The bond helps ensure San Francisco is ready to receive federal grants to upgrade our aging infrastructure and improve street safety, transit accessibility and Muni service. It is our hope that the voters will support and approve our commitment in providing safe, frequent and reliable service.”

Specifically, the Bond will invest in two major areas:

Making the Transportation System Work Better by:

• Repairing, upgrading, and maintaining aging facilities and equipment to speed up repairs and keep transit moving;
• Funding on-street infrastructure improvements that will result in faster, more reliable, and more frequent Muni service;
• Modernizing the 20-year-old Muni train control system to increase subway capacity, reduce delays and deliver dependable, high-frequency transit.

Improving Street Safety and Traffic Flow by:

• Improving safety and visibility at intersections;
• Redesigning streets and sidewalks to strengthen walking, bicycling, and Muni connections along major corridors;
• Implementing traffic calming and speed reductions tools to reduce collisions.

“I support the proposed Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond to improve our aging transportation infrastructure,” said Board of Supervisors President Shamann Walton. “As the District 10 Supervisor, I know firsthand the urgent needs of our community, which includes reliable transportation and traffic calming measures to keep our streets and sidewalks safe.”

“The past two years have been a time of unprecedented challenges for transit,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, who serves as Chair of the County Transportation Authority. “Now is the time to reinvest in our future as a transit-first city, and this bond measure puts us on a path to safer streets and rapid, reliable transit service for all San Franciscans.”

The Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond follows through on the priority recommendations made in the 2013 Mayor’s Transportation Task Force and the 2018 Transportation Task Force that dedicated two $500 million General Obligation (GO) Bonds for transportation.

The first GO Bond for transportation was passed in 2014, with all bond dollars issued to date. This funded pedestrian countdown signals on high injury networks, transit priority lanes on Church Street and throughout the Muni Rapid Network, transit stop improvements at the UCSF and Chase Center Muni stations, and other essential improvements.

“San Franciscans deserve a safe and reliable transportation system as well as the proper infrastructure to protect every person who lives, works, and plays in our City,” said Gwyneth Borden, Chair of the SFMTA Board. “The reauthorization of the GO Bond is the critical first step to keep San Francisco moving.”

The 10-Year Capital Plan, more recently adopted by the Board of Supervisors on April 30, 2021, includes 2022 GO transportation funding. Published every odd year, the 10-Year Capital Plan is a fiscally constrained expenditure plan that lays out infrastructure investments over the next decade. The City Administrator prepares the document with input from citywide stakeholders, who put forth their best ideas and most realistic estimates of San Francisco’s future needs.

“The City’s first capital plan was introduced in 2006 as a way to identify and assess our vast public infrastructure needs and to create long-term plans to address those needs,” said City Administrator Carmen Chu. “This $400 million bond is the next critical investment in our City’s transportation backbone. There is no question we all need a well-maintained and robust public transportation system to support our economy and lives.”

Transportation 2050

The Muni Reliability and Street Safety Bond is just one of the community’s recommended strategies to invest in the transportation system and is only one piece of the Transportation 2050 strategy.

Transportation 2050 considers a package of revenue sources over several years to sustain a more reliable, affordable, and safer transportation system. Through a combination of local ballot measures, continued state and federal grants, and the development of SFMTA properties, the City can establish strong financial support for Muni. If interested in learning more about Transportation 2050, please visit: sfmta.com/projects/transportation-2050.

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