From the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
 

Pelosi Secures $120 Million for San Francisco Bay Area Transportation Projects

April 2, 2004

Washington, DC -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today announced that she secured $120 million for several key San Francisco Bay Area transportation projects in the transportation bill that passed the House of Representatives today by a vote of 357 to 65. The House bill will now be reconciled with the Senate bill.

"The legislation brings us a step closer to funding essential upgrades of our transportation infrastructure to provide for our current and future transit needs," Pelosi said. "These projects create jobs and will greatly enhance the economic and environmental vitality of the entire San Francisco Bay Area."

"These projects are vital to reducing growing traffic congestion by encouraging the use of mass transit, protecting our environment by reducing air pollution and fuel consumption, and easing the flow of commuters, workers and visitors throughout our city. It will ensure that San Francisco and the entire Bay Area will keep moving toward the future in a manner that is convenient and sustainable."

Pelosi secured funding for the following San Francisco Bay Area projects:

  • $70 million for seismic retrofit of the Golden Gate Bridge - $10 million in high priority funding, and $60 million over the next six years ($10 million per year) to preserve this beloved national landmark. The Golden Gate Bridge is a critical transportation link in the San Francisco Bay area that carries 42 million vehicles and is visited by more than 10 million people annually. However, it remains vulnerable to earthquakes and could fail during an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or greater on the nearby San Andreas or Hayward faults. This construction project, which is well underway, will retrofit the Golden Gate Bridge to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 8.3.

  • $14 million for construction of the Transbay Terminal that will provide a centralized location for bus and rail services that will enhance transit access for passengers to and from downtown San Francisco. The current 60-year-old Transbay Terminal is antiquated, seismically deficient, and does not serve the current or future transit needs of the Bay Area. This project will include bus ramps to and from the Bay Bridge, a 1.3 mile extension of Caltrain's Commuter Rail system to the new Terminal, and access to the proposed high-speed rail system that will allow riders to travel from the center of San Francisco to Los Angeles in 2 ½ hours.

  • ·$12 million for improvements to Geary Boulevard, one of the most heavily traveled corridors in San Francisco. Roadway improvements will provide better conditions for motorists, Muni bus riders, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The funding will be used for engineering, final design, and construction.

  • $6 million for replacing Doyle Drive, a 1.5 mile segment of U.S. 101 that provides the south access to the Golden Gate Bridge and is the only link from San Francisco to Marin County and all points north. The Federal Highway Administration has ranked Doyle Drive as the worst bridge in California, and the California Department of Transportation may restrict multi-axle vehicles in the coming years. Replacement of Doyle Drive would maintain a vital transportation corridor, improve safety on the roadway, and enhance public access to the Presidio.

  • $5 million for the Illinois Street Intermodal Bridge & Amador Street Connection and Improvements Project in the Port of San Francisco. The Bridge would provide a 0.66-mile direct freight rail and vehicle route across Islais Creek between the Port's largest two cargo terminals, replacing the current circuitous 3.3-mile route which is inefficient and slow. These terminals also serve as berthing facilities for two MARAD ready-reserve vessels which are important to the nation's security needs.

  • $5 million for a comprehensive system of trails and bikeways for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Presidio, providing improved access and recreation to many of the 20 million park visitors as well as to commuters and residents. Improvements will include trail and bikeway construction, signage and interpretation, ADA improvements, and roadway crossing safety improvements.

  • $4 million for San Francisco Muni's NextBus program that will provide precise, real-time arrival information for Muni vehicles at destinations throughout the city. Passengers and transit managers will be able to access this information via the Internet, hand-held cellular devices and illuminated shelter signs. NextBus will reduce unnecessary waiting, provide vehicle on-time performance data to Muni management, and help operations managers restore normal service during disruptions.

  • $2 million for City CarShare, a non-profit organization that provides cars to members on an as-needed basis, to expand service to low-income communities. Car-sharing allows members to pay only for the time they use the car and the miles they drive, thereby saving thousands of dollars annually over the cost of owning a car. City CarShare has grown to serve more than 2,200 individual, household and business members sharing 85 vehicles in 35 locations throughout the Bay Area. Every additional electric, hybrid or gasoline vehicle added to the CarShare fleet removes six other autos from the Bay Area's overcrowded streets and highways.

  • $2 million for the Ferry Terminal at Oyster Point in South San Francisco, from which service will be provided to downtown San Francisco.

  • ·The bill also authorizes funding in the "New Starts" rail transit account for the Central Subway, which is part of the Third Street Light Rail corridor. This two-phase project is San Francisco's highest transit priority as well as a top priority for the Bay Area's next generation of regional transit expansion projects.




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