Critical Pedestrian and Bicycle Connection Opens in the Presidio

Contacts:

Courtney Aguirre, SFCTA (415) 522-4822, courtney.aguirre@sfcta.org

Dana Polk, Presidio Trust (415) 561-2710, dpolk@presidiotrust.gov

Download this press release (PDF)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) and the Presidio Trust, together with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and National Park Service, celebrated the completion of the Arguello Gap Closure project, an investment in a pedestrian path and new bicycle lanes (Route 65) on Arguello Boulevard in the Presidio. These transportation improvements are among the first to be funded and completed using Proposition AA (Prop AA) vehicle registration fee revenues since San Francisco voters approved the measure in 2010.

The Arguello Gap Closure project includes the installation of a pedestrian path and new bike lanes at a key connection point at Arguello Boulevard between the Presidio and the Richmond District. This area is a major entrance point to the Presidio, with direct access to the Main Post and connections to trails and nearby Muni routes. The improvements address a critical public safety issue, as the project area has been the site of 32 documented collisions over the past ten years. Prior to the project’s completion, pedestrians and bicyclists navigated the area by walking or bicycling along a narrow roadway shoulder.

“The Transportation Authority is pleased to be able to leverage Prop AA funds to provide safer pedestrian and bicycle connections on this popular route,” stated SFCTA Board Chair John Avalos. “This project is an important step toward creating the safer and more inviting bicycle and pedestrian network we need in the city."

In addition to the bicycle and pedestrian improvements that were the impetus for the project, the Arguello Gap Closure effort also widened the road to provide full travel lanes for vehicles, relocated street lights and telecommunication poles, updated storm drain infrastructure, and added bike lane markings and signage.

“As the Presidio rolls out the welcome mat with more programming and public activities, it is important to have safe routes for pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Craig Middleton, Executive Director of the Presidio Trust. “We are grateful to our partners at the Transportation Authority for helping to make this possible.”

Since December 2012, the Transportation Authority Board has allocated more than $10 million in Prop AA funds to various street repair and reconstruction, pedestrian safety, and transit reliability and mobility improvement projects throughout the city. Prop AA is intended to fund small, but high-impact projects that provide tangible benefits in the shortterm.

Tilly Chang, Executive Director of the SFCTA stated, “As we celebrate the completion of this project and acknowledge the collaborative effort that brought it to fruition, the Transportation Authority looks forward to partnering with agencies and the community to deliver additional Prop AA funded projects in the near term.”

In addition to Prop AA funds, the Arguello Gap Closure project leveraged federal funding and private philanthropy, including a lead challenge grant from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr Fund through the Trails Forever program – a tri-organization initiative of the Presidio Trust, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and National Park Service. The availability of the Prop AA funds allowed the project to be completed in a timely manner.

“For years, bicyclists and pedestrians have traversed a dangerous stretch of roadway to travel on this route,” noted Supervisor Mark Farrell, who represents District Two. “Not only have we managed to expedite the delivery of this important safety project thanks to Prop AA, but we’ve also done so by bringing together a federal agency, private philanthropy, and public dollars – a truly creative and collaborative approach to meeting the needs of San Francisco residents.”

About the Proposition AA Additional Vehicle Registration Fee

San Francisco voters approved Proposition AA on November 2, 2010. Prop AA uses revenues collected from an additional $10 vehicle registration fee on motor vehicles in San Francisco for local road repairs, pedestrian safety improvements, and transit reliability and mobility improvements throughout the city. State legislation adopted in 2009 enabled Congestion Management Agencies (CMAs) to establish up to a $10 countywide vehicle registration fee to fund transportation projects or programs having a relationship or benefit to the people paying the fee. Prop AA designated the Transportation Authority as the administrator of Prop AA and approved a 30-year Expenditure Plan specifying the use of the revenues.

Revenue collection for the proposition began in May 2011. The Prop AA Vehicle Registration Fee is a key part of an overall strategy to develop a balanced, well thought-out program to improve transportation for San Francisco residents, and generates about $5 million per year.

About the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (www.sfcta.org)

Created in 1989, the SFCTA is responsible for long-range transportation planning for the city, and it analyzes, designs and funds improvements for San Francisco’s roadway and public transportation networks. The SFCTA administers and oversees the delivery of the Prop K half-cent local transportation sales tax program and the Prop AA $10 annual vehicle registration fee program, serves as the designated Congestion Management Agency (CMA) for San Francisco, under state law, and acts as the San Francisco Program Manager for grants from the Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA). The SFCTA Board consists of the eleven members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, who act as SFCTA Commissioners. Commissioner John Avalos is Chairman of the Board, and Tilly Chang is the SFCTA’s Executive Director. For more information about the SFCTA, visit www.sfcta.org.

About the Presidio Trust

The Presidio Trust, a federal agency, is an innovation in the management of a treasured American place. The Trust was created to save the Presidio and transform it for a new national purpose. The Trust's vision is that the Presidio will be forever a public place: vital to the Bay Area, important to all Americans, and recognized for achieving broad benefits for the nation. Today, the Presidio welcomes visitors, is home to a vibrant community of residents and tenants, and inspires greater good through programs that draw on its history and natural resources. The Presidio Trust serves the public with events, lodging, venues, and recreational opportunities. To learn more, visit www.presidio.gov.