Pelosi Delivers More Than $26 Million for BART to SFO and Muni NextBus

September 1, 2004

San Francisco - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi announced today the release of more than $26 million she secured in federal Transportation earmarks - $24.5 million for the BART extension to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and $1.987 million for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) Automatic Vehicle Location System and expansion of the NextBus Program.

Pelosi and the Bay Area congressional delegation secured a $100 million earmark in the 2004 Transportation Appropriations Bill to extend Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and to construct new South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae stations. The $24.5 million announced today is the last installment of the $100 million for the 2004 fiscal year.

Pelosi and her Bay Area colleagues will seek two more years of funding - totaling $181.5 million - to fulfill the federal government's $750 million commitment to the completion of the BART to SFO Extension under the Full Funding Grant Agreement signed by President Clinton in 1997.

“By providing a fast and convenient transit option to and from SFO, this extension has created new links among communities and attracted new passengers to BART,” said Pelosi. “My Bay Area colleagues and I will continue to fight for funding until the federal government’s $750 million obligation is complete.”

BART General Manager Thomas E. Margro said: "We'd like to thank the Bay Area’s congressional delegation for continuing to secure federal funds for the extension. Their long-standing commitment has given the Bay Area one of the country's only world-class 'train-to-plane' connections, and has resulted in BART being named this year's #1 Transit System in North America by the American Public Transportation Association."

Pelosi also announced the release of $1.987 million she secured in the 2003 Transportation Appropriations Bill to expand the NextBus system to all of San Francisco’s electric trolley busses. The NextBus Program uses the Automatic Vehicle Location System/Global Positioning System to provide accurate, real-time information on the arrival times and locations of Muni vehicles throughout the City. NextBus allows passengers and transit managers to access this information via the Internet, hand-held cellular devices and illuminated shelter signs.

“I am proud to have secured nearly $2 million to expand NextBus in order to provide Muni riders with reliable information about arrival times at bus stops and over the Internet,” said Pelosi. “This service will encourage more people to ride Muni, and increase rider satisfaction.”

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency executive director Michael Burns said: “NextBus technology allows Muni to make progress toward our on-time performance goals and gives our riders something new - the actual arrival time of the next bus or train.”

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