San Francisco County Transportation Authority
Moving the City

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PLANS AND PROGRAMS COMMITTEE

Meeting Notice
Date: 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Location: Room 263, City Hall
Commissioners: Dufty (Chair), Peskin (Vice-Chair), Daly, Maxwell, Sandoval, and McGoldrick (Ex-Officio)
CLERK: Pooja Jhunjhunwala

1. Roll Call

2. Approval of Minutes of the April 13, 2004, Meeting – ACTION* (attachment 1)

3. Citizens Advisory Committee Report – INFORMATION* (attachment 2)

4. Recommend Appointment of One Member to the Citizens Advisory Committee – ACTION* (attachment 3)

The Authority has an eleven-member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). CAC members serve two-year terms. Per the Authority's Administrative Code, the Plans and Programs Committee recommends, and the Authority Board appoints individuals to fill any CAC vacancies. Neither Authority staff nor the CAC make any recommendations on CAC appointments, but we maintain an up-to-date database of applications for CAC membership. A chart with information about current CAC members is attached, showing ethnicity, gender, neighborhood of residence, and affiliation. There is one vacancy on the CAC requiring Committee action. The recommendation is to appoint one CAC member.

5. Recommend Approval of a Revised Budget and Funding Plan for the Third Street Project, subject to the MTA Board's action approving the Budget and Funding Plan and committing repayment from the sale of the Kirkland property– ACTION* (attachment 4)

In August 2002, the Authority Board approved a revised budget at $567M, an increase of $73M (14.8%) over the original budget. In April 2003, we requested an updated budget from MUNI.. It showed a net increase of $12.3M over the previous year's budget. The Metro East facility (MME) showed increases totaling $13.5M. The major items contributing to the overall increase were $6.3M for design, $5.6 M for construction, and $1.5M for the Construction Outreach program. The increases in the MME were offset by lower than expected bids received for several construction segments.

After lengthy discussions we agreed on a total budget of $570M, $3.7M (0.7%) higher than the budget approved in 2002. On April 13, 2004 MUNI submitted what we thought was to be the final version of the budget and funding plan. The most salient aspects of that budget included increases in design expenses ($6.1M) and extended construction outreach program ($1.5M), while construction and construction support costs remained flat. The scope remained the same with the exception of the Ticket Vending Machines ($3.0 M), which were removed from the project and will become part of MUNI's Wayside Fare Collection Program (WAFER) to be funded separately.

On April 15, 2004 we learned that McCarthy, the CM/GC contractor for the MME, estimated the projected costs for the facility $11.4M higher than anticipated in MUNI's April 13 budget. Of this increase, $8.9M is directly attributable to recent sharp increases in the cost of steel, and the remainder is attributable to escalation costs. After further discussions, we ascertained that no further scope reductions were possible on MME without significantly affecting its ability to function. In order to keep to the new budget, MUNI management has agreed to commit $9.4M from the proceeds of the sale of the Kirkland property (expected by 2010) to cover this projected funding shortfall. We have, in turn, agreed to advance the equivalent amount out of Prop K, until MUNI realizes the funds from the sale of the Kirkland property. The Authority's agreement to advance Prop K funds is conditioned on MTA Board action committing the repayment funds. This is the last budget revision for the Third Street Project; it does not call for additional Proposition K funds to be earmarked for the project. This item will be presented to the CAC on May 6 at a special meeting. We will report on their comments during our presentation.

We are seeking a recommendation of approval of a Revised Budget and Funding plan for the Third Street Project, subject to the MTA Board's action approving the Budget and Funding Plan and committing repayment from the sale of the Kirkland property.

6. Recommend Appropriation of $600,000 in Prop K Funds for the Geary Corridor Transit Study and Amend the FY 2003/04 Budget Accordingly – ACTION* (attachment 5)

The Authority, in coordination with MUNI, the Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT), and other agencies is requesting Prop K funds for the Geary Corridor Transit Study. The Geary Corridor Transit Study was included in the 2001RTP as well as in the New Expenditure Plan for Prop K, which was adopted by San Francisco voters last fall. We have commenced work on developing a scope, schedule and budget for the study. The Authority Board appointed a Geary Corridor Citizens Advisory Committee in late 2003, which has twice to provide input and guidance on the proposed study. The study will examine Bus Rapid Transit and other options to improve transit service levels along the Geary Corridor (i.e., Geary Boulevard from the Transbay Terminal to the ocean). The requested funds will also allow for public outreach and evaluation of transit performance, safety and urban design issues in the corridor. The goal of the study is to identify a preferred approach and design concept for a transit improvement in the Geary Corridor, and to facilitate expedited environmental clearance of a project for fast-track implementation. The proposed Geary Corridor Transit Study is an eligible activity under Prop K. We are seeking recommendation for approval of an appropriation of $600,000 in Prop K Funds for the Geary Corridor Transit Study and amend the FY 2003/04 budget accordingly .

7. Recommend Adoption of San Francisco's Priorities for the 2005 Regional Transportation Plan, as presented – ACTION* (attachment 6)

As Congestion Management Agency for San Francisco, the Authority is responsible for establishing San Francisco's priorities for the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Updated every three years by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the RTP provides a road map for Bay Area transportation investment, establishing regional policies and project priorities for funding within the context of expected revenues forecast over the 25-year plan period. This RTP also contains an advocacy section (the Big Tent) for potential new revenues sources. Our approach to the RTP is to build upon the draft Countywide Transportation Plan and the Prop K Expenditure Plan, which assumed heavy leveraging of sales tax funds with other federal, state, and regional grants. We also must honor commitments adopted in 2001 in MTC's Resolution 3434 (the regional transit expansion policy). Our proposed project priorities for San Francisco's discretionary RTP funds are shown in Attachment 1, and those for the Big Tent are shown in Attachment 2. We are seeking a recommendation to adopt San Francisco's priorities for the 2005 Regional Transportation Plan, as presented.

8. Prop K Call for Annual Projects and Activities – INFORMATION* (attachment 7) (Program Applications Received)

On February 9, 2004, we initiated the call for FY 2004/05 Prop K Annual Programs , comprised of annual activities and annual projects. The former are for projects that will receive an amount of Prop K funding to be spent only within the fiscal year such as incremental operations and maintenance projects or paratransit support. The latter includes allocations made to implementing agencies for clusters of small projects, such as installation of traffic signals or curb ramps for wheelchairs at multiple locations throughout the city. We have issued guidelines for the call for annual programs that reflect the realities of moving from a pay-as-you-go program to a program that includes a healthy amount of borrowing in order to satisfy the requirements of an ambitious roster of capital projects and new programs, and that are sensitive to the fact that this is a transition year from the Prop B to the Prop K program, and we do not yet have a Prop K Strategic Plan that will provide the long-term road map needed to guide Prop K allocations. We have received over $56.5 million in requests for annual programs against an estimated $35 million in available resources for this purpose. At the May 11, Plans and Programs Committee meeting we will provide a complete inventory of the applications received, and seek guidance from the Committee on the process and criteria for developing a recommended list of annual allocations. We will bring the annual allocations back to the Committee for action in June. This is an information item.

9. Third Street Update – INFORMATION* (attachment 8)

This is a status report for the Third Street Light Rail Project. Construction activities are currently ongoing throughout the entire corridor. As of April 31, 2004 the project has spent approximately 47% of the budget and is anticipated to start spending approximately $15 million per month when the Metro East Facility begins construction. Also as of March 2004, total local hires for the corridor have reached 156 including 130 from the corridor. Efforts continue to address environmental concerns along Third Street, and MUNI continues to publish its air monitoring results. In March 2004, 90% of the tests were below the action level. Completion of the rail line is scheduled for the end of 2005 with the Metro East Facility contract completion expected one year later. At the March meeting of the full Board, allocations for the remainder of this fiscal year were approved for the construction segments. The review of the proposed Revised Budget has been completed; it will be presented separately. This is an information item.

10. Introduction of New Items – INFORMATION

11. Public Comment

12. Adjournment

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