Geary BRT Plan Moves to TA for Economic Impact Report

By Ronitte Libedinsky

The Geary Citizens Advisory Committee (GCAC) voted at its final meeting on April 26 to move forward with the Geary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which would create bus-only lanes along Geary Boulevard, between Van Ness Avenue and 33rd Avenue.

The GCAC recommended that the SF County Transportation Authority (TA) be authorized to initiate an Environmental Impact Report for the project.

The GCAC, composed of 20 members representing the Richmond and other stakeholders, was also scheduled to vote on whether to accept a BRT study draft report as presented to them by the TA, but some committee members had concerns with the report so a vote was cancelled.

"It appears the authors of the study had a predetermined favorite," said James Misener, a GCAC member.

"My constituents want improved service. They want BRT, but I'm not comfortable with this report," added Suzanne Tucker, another GCAC member.

Rather than voting on whether or not to approve the report, the committee decided to vote on whether or not the five proposed Geary transportation alternatives, as described in the report, were feasible. The GCAC passed the motion with three members voting against it.

The committee also voted to recommend bus-only lanes in the center of Geary Boulevard as the preferred configuration for the Geary BRT system. From the four possible BRT design options, two involves creating dedicated bus lanes along the sides of the road and two would create dedicated bus lanes in the center of the road. The other option is the "baseline" option, which would leave the Muni #38 bus route as it is but with some improvements.

According to the TA, the BRT 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.

As described in the draft report, computer models were used to predict future demand for public transportation along Geary. Using these models, the TA estimates that if the BRT system is implemented, transit travel time will decrease by up to 30 percent and transit ridership will increase by as much as 25 percent. An increase in ridership is anticipated because it is expected that more riders will be attracted to BRT and not use their vehicles.

The report specifies that the center bus-only lane BRT options would provide the greatest overall benefit due to its physically separated transit lane, which would allow buses to run without interference from other vehicles.

An Environmental Impact Report and preliminary engineering are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2007 and last up to one-and-a-half years. The final design for the Geary BRT will be decided by 2010. The first service may begin as early as 2011.

Construction, which is estimated to take about one-and-a-half years, will be carried out a few blocks at a time.

Opposition to Geary BRT has come from merchants and some neighborhood groups, which are concerned that the loss of traffic lanes on Geary will force cars onto neighboring streets.

Merchants also say that potentially fewer parking spaces, due to reconfiguring the road, will discourage shoppers from coming to the Richmond District.

The Geary BRT plan is projected to cost between $172 million and $212 million, depending on which of the BRT design alternatives are chosen. Most of the funding for the project will come from Proposition K, an increase in the sales tax, which will provide $30 million to $40 million, and the federal Small Starts program, which will provide $75 million.

Prop. K was a half-cent increase in the sales tax, approved by voters in 2003, to allow for maintenance and upgrading the city's transportation system. 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 BRT study draft report will be reviewed by the TA's Plans and Programs Committee on May 8. After collecting comments from the GCAC and the public, a final report will be presented to the full TA Board on May 22.