San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed today sent a letter to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors, urging them to address the growing congestion on San Francisco’s streets by developing proposals for congestion pricing and Sunday and weekend parking meters. Mayor Breed cites these two proposals as crucial to help San Francisco achieve a safer and more equitable transportation system.

These two proposals are part of a broader Curb Management Strategy that the SFMTA Board of Directors is considering today at its Board of Directors Meeting. The SFMTA Board will hold a hearing on the Curb Management Strategy today at 1:00 pm in Room 400 of City Hall. 

In her letter to the Board of Directors, Mayor Breed states:

San Francisco needs to be bold as we rethink and invest in our transportation infrastructure. Our population is growing yet our roads cannot get any wider, nor can we add additional curb space for parking. We need to use data and smart policy to better use the infrastructure we have, and ensure that we are planning for and investing in the transportation infrastructure for the future.

Mayor Breed specifically calls for the SFMTA to work with lower-income communities and faith-based communities to ensure that these proposals are developed with fairness and equity at the forefront of any decisions.

The Curb Management Strategy makes several recommendations for the SFTMA Board to consider, which can be read here: https://www.sfmta.com/reports/2-18-20-mtab-item-13-curb-management-strategy

Congestion Pricing

Gridlock on San Francisco’s streets impacts residents, workers, businesses, families, first responders, and so many more competing for limited space on our streets, especially in our downtown and South of Market areas. Pricing strategies have been developed by peer cities across the world to address these challenges.

In her letter, Mayor Breed says that while it is important that SFMTA and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) develop a congestion pricing proposal that addresses the congestion on our streets, there must be focus on fairness and equity. This includes studying the impacts on those who are least able to pay or have limited transportation options. Also, any revenues must be directed into building out San Francisco’s transportation system that expands San Francisco’s subway system while also focusing on the whole system overall with a focus on underserved and growing neighborhoods.

Initially the SFMTA and SFCTA were scheduled to have recommendations back by the end of the year, but Mayor Breed has asked them to expedite that process and have them back by August.

Sunday and Evening Meters

San Francisco’s current demand-based parking meter pricing ensures that on-street parking spaces are available to people visiting neighborhoods or local businesses. While historically these meters have stopped at 6:00 pm and on Sundays, people still need parking availability during those times as businesses and restaurants are still operating. Without metering creating parking turnover, vehicles stay parked. This leads to more congestion, emissions, and safety issues as people double park or circle the block looking for parking.

Mayor Breed’s direction is to develop a Sunday and weekend metering plan in areas where it is needed. She wants to develop a plan that is sensitive to the needs of faith-based communities with a goal to develop a metering plan that helps create turnover where it is needed.

In her letter, Mayor Breed also states:

San Francisco has changed considerably over the past decade. We have experienced unprecedented growth in both population and jobs, paired with more options to move around the City like bikeshare and scooters. Just as the needs of our streets have changed, we must be willing to do things differently to achieve our mobility objectives. The Curb Management Strategy recommendations ensure San Francisco is using its limited street space to achieve our collective goals: a safe and equitable transportation system that supports the City today and into the future.

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Mayor Breed's letter to the SFMTA Board of Directors