Geary Bus Plan Moves Forward, Payment Options Sharpened

By Ronitte Libedinsky

On March 22, the SF Transportation Authority (TA) presented the implementation schedule and possible sources of funding for the Geary Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which would create bus-only lanes along Geary stretching from Van Ness Avenue to 33rd Avenue.

The Geary Citizens Advisory Committee (GCAC), composed of 20 members representing the Richmond and other districts, was scheduled to vote on whether or not to accept the implementation plan as presented to them, but the vote was postponed.

The Geary BRT plan is projected to cost between $172 million to $212 million, depending on which of three design alternatives are chosen. The most reliable source of funding for the project will come from the Proposition K local sales tax program, which will provide $30 million to $40 million.

Prop. K was a half-cent increase in the sales tax, approved by voters in 2003, to allow for maintenance and upgrading of the city's transportation system.

The TA said that up to $75 million may also be provided by the federal Small Starts program. The remainder of the funding could be provided by the federal Urban Partnership program, state infrastructure bonds, public/private partnerships and developer contributions. An environmental impact study and preliminary engineering are scheduled to start in 2008 and last up to one-and-a-half years. The final design for the Geary BRT will be decided by 2010.

Construction, which is estimated to take about one-and-a-half years, will be carried out a few blocks at a time. The first service may begin as early as 2011.

One of the three BRT design options involves creating dedicated bus lanes along the sides of the road. The other two alternatives would create dedicated bus lanes in the center of the road. In addition, there is a proposal to make Geary Boulevard "rail-ready," in anticipation of putting light rail vehicles on Geary in the future.

According to the Transportation Authority, all three design alternatives include fewer bus stops, real-time bus arrival information, ticket vending machines, new buses and new traffic signals that can be manipulated so buses spend less time at red lights.

Opposition to Geary BRT has come from merchants and some neighborhood groups, which are concerned about increased traffic on Richmond streets. Merchants say that fewer parking spaces, due to reconfiguring the road, will discourage shoppers from coming to the Richmond District. Merchants and neighborhood activists share their concerns that the loss of traffic lanes on Geary will force cars onto neighboring streets.

BRT systems are being proposed for Van Ness and Potrero avenues as well. These systems, together with Geary BRT, will connect to Muni's existing light-rail lines to create a citywide rapid transit system.

The final Geary BRT report will be presented at the last GCAC meeting, scheduled for April 26. The report will then be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors in May. The supervisors will then choose which options to include in the project's Environmental Impact Report.