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With support from Washington and continued progress on construction and contracts, the Central Subway Project has accomplished major milestones in recent months. More achievements – including a commitment from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to provide nearly $1 billion in New Starts funding – are on the horizon, paving the way for tunneling and station construction to begin this year.

Extending Muni’s T Third Line through SoMa and into Union Square and Chinatown will benefit thousands of San Franciscans and vastly improve the Bay Area’s transportation network. The Central Subway will reduce travel times for residents, workers and visitors traveling through a congested corridor that has long been in need of improved public transit.

We on the Central Subway team believe it is important to provide useful, relevant information to the public about the project as it continues to advance. We have put together this blog post to answer questions that have arisen about the project’s costs, ridership, impacts on Muni and more.

Ridership

The T Third Line is expected to become Muni’s most heavily used light rail line soon after the Central Subway opens. It will travel through some of San Francisco’s most densely populated areas – and also through several areas that are expected to see remarkable population growth, including Mission Bay, Bayview/Hunter’s Point and Yerba Buena. More than half of San Francisco’s jobs and a significant proportion of projected job growth are located within the neighborhoods the T Third Line will serve. It will be an essential artery for travel around San Francisco, and also for connecting customers to the Bay Area’s transportation network.

• T Third Line ridership: By 2030, ridership on the T Third Line is projected to be about 20 percent higher than on the most heavily used existing Muni line, the N Judah Line. About 65,000 customers per day are projected to ride the T Third Line in 2030.

• Central Subway ridership: The Central Subway is expected to attract extremely high usage compared to other light rail projects around the country (see the table below). Only the Downtown Subway in Los Angeles is projected to have more daily boardings per mile in 2030. For just the Central Subway portion of the T Third Line, ridership in 2030 is projected at 35,100 daily boardings.

• Ridership in 2019: Ridership projections for the entire T Third Line are 43,700 for the Central Subway’s opening year.

Table: FY 2030 Daily Boardings per Mile for Light Rail Projects around the Country

U.S. Light Rail Projects State 2030 Avg. Daily Boardings* Route Miles Daily Boardings per Mile Los Angeles, Regional Connector, Downtown Subway CA 88,200 1.9 46,421 SFMTA, T Third Phase 2 (Central Subway) CA 35,100 1.7 20,647 Seattle, University Link WA 40,200 3.1 12,968 Vancouver, Columbia River Crossing WA 21,400 2.9 7,379 Houston, North Corridor TX 29,000 5.2 5,577 Houston, Southeast Corridor TX 28,700 6.5 4,415 St. Paul – Minneapolis, Central Corridor MN 40,900 11.0 3,718 Mesa, Central Mesa Extension AZ 11,900 3.1 3,839 Portland, Milwaukie Project OR 22,800 7.3 3,123 Sacramento, South Sacramento Corridor Phase 2 CA 10,000 4.3 2,326 Charlotte, Northeast Corridor NC 23,800 10.6 2,245 Dallas, Northwest / Southeast TX 45,900 21.0 2,186 Salt Lake City, Draper UT 6,800 3.8 1,789 Salt Lake City, Mid Jordan UT 9,500 10.6 896

*http://www.fta.dot.gov/publications/reports/reports_to_congress/planning…

Impacts on Muni

The Central Subway will vastly improve Muni service for customers traveling along the busy 4th Street and Stockton Street corridors. Currently it takes more than 20 minutes – and sometimes much longer – during peak travel times to go from Caltrain to Chinatown on the 30 Stockton or the 45 Union/Stockton. The route is crowded, and buses are consistently packed to capacity. The Central Subway will complete this 1.7-mile trip in just eight minutes. It will also be able to accommodate expected increases in ridership.

When the Central Subway opens to the public in 2019, it will not increase Muni fares, and its impacts on existing Muni service and the SFMTA operating budget will be modest:

Service:

• Service on most Muni bus and electric trolley coach routes will not be affected by the opening of the Central Subway. The only exception is the 30 Stockton’s short route. This route runs between the Caltrain Station and North Point and Van Ness. It will be eliminated once the Central Subway opens because the Central Subway will cover almost the exact same route.

• No service reductions are planned for the full 30 Stockton route, which runs between Caltrain and the Marina. The same is true for the 45 Union/Stockton, the 8X/8AX/8BX Bayshore Express and the other routes that operate along the Central Subway alignment.

Fares:

• Claims that fares will increase as a result of the Central Subway are without merit. Funding for the project comes from federal, state and local sources, not from the SFMTA’s operating budget.

• Even if the SFMTA does issue revenue bonds, the revenue bonds that would be issued would come from sources already included in the SFMTA’s budget. No increase to the operating budget would be required.

Operating budget:

• The Central Subway, with its 35,100 projected daily boardings, will increase the SFMTA’s annual operating budget by less than 0.25 percent. When the Central Subway opens to the public in 2019, it is expected to increase the SFMTA’s overall operating budget by $1.76 million. By 2030, the cost of operating the subway is projected to be $6.89 million. These numbers are included in the FY2012 New Starts submission.

• The challenges that the SFMTA faces with regard to its operating budget are driven by current budgetary challenges and not by the addition of much-needed rail service.

Cost

Constructing a new subway beneath a vibrant urban core like downtown San Francisco is a lot of work, and it requires a major investment. Included in the cost of the Central Subway Project are a number of major construction components, including tunneling under a densely populated urban area, constructing three subway stations and a surface station, installing operating systems and train tracks, purchasing new light rail vehicles and planning and administering the project.

Here is more information about the Central Subway’s estimated cost:

• The earliest project cost estimate of $647 million was based on an early conceptual engineering plan. The estimate served as a placeholder until a more accurate cost could be calculated. Accounting for inflation, this estimate equals $995 million in 2011 dollars.

• The current cost estimate increased to $1.6 billion for the following reasons:
  • The proposed project alignment changed from 3rd Street to 4th Street, and the tunneling method changed from shallow tunneling to deep tunneling. These changes will result in faster travel times for Central Subway customers, a quicker construction timeline and reduced surface disruption during construction. During the preliminary engineering phase, an in-depth cost analysis incorporating these changes increased the cost estimate.
  • The FTA performed a risk assessment on the project as part of the New Starts process. They recommended increasing the cost estimate by $200 million to allow for additional cost- and schedule-related contingencies. The SFMTA’s baseline budget for the Central Subway Project has remained at $1.578 billion since the addition of these FTA-recommended contingencies.

• The cost per mile of building the Central Subway is less than half the cost per mile of New York City’s two subway projects.

• When taken together, the per mile cost of constructing both phases of the T Third Line will be significantly less than light rail projects in Los Angeles and Seattle that also include a subway component.

FTA: Cost per Mile of New Starts Projects with Subway Segments

*http://www.fta.dot.gov/publications/reports/reports_to_congress/planning_environment_12279.html

Revenue Bonds

• The contingency funding plan approved by the SFMTA Board and the Board of Supervisors is just that: a contingency plan.

• Revenue bonds would be issued only in the following scenario:
  • The $61 million in state High Speed Rail Connectivity funds are delayed or the project receives less of these funds than expected.
  • The contingency funds budgeted for the project to cover unexpected costs or schedule delays are used. In total, $200 million is budgeted to cover contingencies.
  • The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which is expected to provide nearly $1 billion in funding to the Central Subway Project through its New Starts program, requested this additional assurance as part of its stringent review process.

We encourage you to contact us with any questions you may have about the Central Subway Project. You can reach us at central.subway@sfmta.com or by phone at 415-701-4371.

For timely updates on construction and project progress, you can find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/centralsubway) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/central_subway).

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed five resolutions to advance the Central Subway Project.

Today the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors unanimously passed several resolutions to move the Central Subway Project forward.

Both boards passed resolutions approving a contingency funding plan that would allow the Central Subway to advance on schedule even if state bond funds associated with the California high-speed rail project are delayed. In the event of a delay in these state funds, the SFMTA could issue local revenue bonds.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which is expected to provide nearly $1 billion in funding to the Central Subway Project through its New Starts program, requested this additional assurance as part of its stringent review process. A delay in bond issuance on the state level could impact Central Subway Project financing, and the FTA requires assurance that a contingent funding plan is in place.

At both board meetings, local business leaders, community members and transit advocates testified in support of the project and the bond assurance measure, saying the Central Subway will create jobs, connect communities and improve public transportation for San Franciscans. Speaking in favor of the project were representatives of the Yerba Buena Community Benefit District, the Union Square Business Improvement District, the San Francisco Planning + Urban Research Association (SPUR), Renew SF, the Chinatown Transportation Research and Improvement Project and several local unions, as well as prominent local leaders and members of the Central Subway Community Advisory Group.

Former San Francsico supervisor Michael Yaki spoke in support of the bond assurance resolution before the Board of Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors also passed four resolutions approving the acquisition of temporary construction licenses. The licenses will allow work related to the Central Subway tunnel to commence around Union Square. Work to prepare the project alignment for tunneling is on track to begin this summer in this area.

More information about today’s board actions is available in this press release from the SFMTA.

The Union Square/Market Street Station will connect residents and visitors to the heart of Union Square and downtown.

The contract to construct the Central Subway Union Square/Market Street Station has gone out for bid, marking the latest advance in this major improvement to San Francisco’s public transportation system.

The centrally located station will connect residents and visitors to San Francisco’s vibrant Union Square and downtown, home to the city’s highest concentration of jobs and an outstanding array of hotels, entertainment venues and restaurants.

The Central Subway and the Union Square/Market Street Station will significantly speed up travel through this busy area and improve connections to local and regional transit options – all while enhancing the aesthetic of this world-renowned destination:

• The station, a subway station, will have entrances in Union Square Plaza and at the corner of Market and Stockton streets.
• The station will connect directly to the existing Powell Street Station via an underground concourse-to-concourse walkway, allowing for easy transfers to BART and the other Muni Metro lines.
• The station’s main entrance, to be located at the corner of Stockton and Geary streets, will complement and enrich Union Square Plaza by blending into the existing landscape and emulating the aesthetic of the plaza. Two major art installations will adorn the interior of the station.

Bids on the estimated $210 million contract are due July 11. A pre-bid conference will be held May 16 at the Main Branch of the San Francisco Public Library.

More information about the Union Square/Market Street Station is available in our station fact sheet and in this press release from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

Parties interested in this contract should e-mail Bernie Ancheta (bernie.ancheta@SFMTA.com) or call 415-701-4278. Please visit SFGOV.org to access the advertised bid document.

SFMTA Director of Transportation Edward D. Reiskin, San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee and SFMTA Board Chairman Tom Nolan speaking at a press conference in March.

Hot off the presses: It’s the spring 2012 edition of the Central Subway newsletter. Download it in English or Chinese to learn about the latest project news and to gain insight into community benefits, construction progress and station design.

This edition of the quarterly project newsletter features:

• A project update from SFMTA Director of Transportation Edward D. Reiskin
• Insight into featured artist Tomie Arai’s artwork for the Chinatown Station
• A Central Subway construction update
• And more…

The Central Subway newsletter is also available via email. To have future newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to our mailing list here.

High-ranking local and federal officials toured the Central Subway alignment today.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, Mayor Edwin M. Lee and high-ranking officials from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) today toured the Central Subway project alignment and received an update on project progress.

Leader Pelosi, a longtime supporter of the Central Subway, and Mayor Lee were joined by FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff, FTA Associate Administrator Brian Farber and FTA Regional Administrator Leslie Rogers on a tour that included visits to future station sites and the Central Subway Project office. The tour also included a stop at North Beach’s Washington Square Park, where the subway tunnel will end and the tunnel boring machines will be removed from the ground after tunneling is complete.

Riding on a Muni bus, Central Subway Program Director John Funghi updated Leader Pelosi, Administrator Rogoff and other officials on Central Subway progress.

The project has continued to advance in recent months, with construction underway at several sites along the project alignment and the first station contract out for bid. The second station contract, for the Union Square/Market Street Station, is scheduled to be released for bid this month, and the remaining station contracts are on track for release by summer.

On the federal level, a formal agreement for nearly $1 billion in funding from the FTA’s New Starts program may be forthcoming this spring or summer.

Prominent local officials, including San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board Chairman Tom Nolan, SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin and San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, who also serves as chairman of the board of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, accompanied Pelosi and the FTA representatives as they traveled the project alignment along Stockton Street and 4th Street.

The Central Subway will extend Muni’s T Third Line from SoMa to Chinatown. It is scheduled to open to the public in 2019.

Last week the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) released its proposed two-year budget, outlining the Agency’s vision for improving and maintaining San Francisco’s rail and bus transit systems, bike network, walkways, streets, public parking facilities and more.

The Central Subway is a key component of this vision. The Agency’s two-year capital budget includes $447 million for the Central Subway – more than a quarter of the $1.6 billion allocated to extend Muni’s T Third Line through SoMa, downtown, Union Square and Chinatown.

Over the next two years, funds from the following previously committed federal, state and local sources will finance Central Subway construction:

• The Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program
• State Proposition 1B Transportation Bonds
• Local Proposition K Transportation Sales Tax Funds

These funds will allow construction to begin in the next year on major components of the project, including:

• The subway tunnel. The tunnel boring machines have been ordered and are expected to arrive in San Francisco in early 2013. Tunneling will begin soon afterward. Currently, crews are relocating and demolishing utility lines at the site where the tunneling machines will enter the ground.
• Three subway stations. Contracts for the three subway stations – Chinatown Station, Union Square/Market Street Station and Yerba Buena/Moscone Station – are on track to be awarded by the end of 2012. Construction is expected to commence soon afterward.
• Light-rail tracks, operating systems and a surface-level station. The contract to build the new subway’s tracks and operating systems, as well as a surface-level station at 4th and Brannan streets, is planned to be advertised for bid in summer 2012.

The SFMTA Board of Directors will consider the proposed capital and operating budgets at their meeting this afternoon.

For more information on Central Subway funding, visit the Funding/Budget page on our project website.

Mayor Lee spoke about the benefits of the Central Subway today at a press conference in Chinatown.

The Central Subway will improve public transportation in San Francisco, create thousands of jobs and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors alike. That’s what Mayor Edwin M. Lee and other local leaders and community members said at a press conference today at the site of the future Chinatown Station, hailing the Central Subway as an essential and much-needed investment in the city’s infrastructure and economic future.

“Once the Central Subway is built, this new light-rail extension will be an engine for job creation and economic growth in our city, connecting our vital neighborhoods and diverse communities,” said Mayor Lee. “This important investment in our city’s infrastructure will improve transportation options, reduce emissions and enhance the quality of life of residents and visitors.”

Mayor Lee, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors Chairman Tom Nolan, San Francisco Board of Supervisors President David Chiu and others gathered to unveil a decorative vinyl wrap installed at the site of the future Chinatown Station. The wrap, which features renderings of the station design, a mural provided by the Chinese Historical Society of America and artwork by students from the Chinatown YMCA, will protect and enhance the appearance of the now-vacant building at 933 to 949 Stockton Street until it is demolished later this year.

The building has been acquired by the SFMTA, and, with SFMTA assistance, all residential and commercial tenants have successfully relocated.

Top: 933-949 Stockton Street with the artistic wrap. Bottom: The building before the wrap was installed.

The station, a subway station to be constructed at the southwest corner of Stockton and Washington streets, will feature an open, contemporary aesthetic that emphasizes transparency and simplicity. Light-colored and reflective surfaces will maximize lighting efficiency and create a bright, welcoming atmosphere even when customers are below ground. Artwork selected through the San Francisco Arts Commission’s Public Art Program will adorn the station and provide insight into local culture and history.

These renderings depict the design of the Central Subway Chinatown Station.

The Central Subway Project has achieved major milestones in recent months, and more progress is on the horizon this year:

• The contract for the Chinatown Station has been advertised. Bids on the estimated $235 million contract are due May 8.
• Contracts for the other three Central Subway stations are on track for advertisement this spring and summer.
• Work to prepare the project alignment for the construction of a 1.6-mile tunnel is on track to commence this spring.
• In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2013, President Obama included a recommendation for $150 million in funding for the Central Subway Project.
• For the fifth consecutive year, the project received a strong positive rating from the Federal Transit Administration in its annual New Starts review. This indicates that a Full Funding Grant Agreement for nearly $1 billion in New Starts funding may be forthcoming.

To find out more about the Chinatown Station and recent progress on the Central Subway Project, check out this press release (PDF) from Mayor Lee’s office.

We’re excited to announce that we have launched a useful online tool to keep you informed about the Central Subway Project: the Central Subway Project Google Map. The map displays a variety of information about the project and its impacts along the project alignment in SoMa, Union Square and Chinatown. Check back frequently for the latest details about:

• Construction sites and ongoing work
• Traffic detours around construction sites
• Muni trolley coach reroutes and new routes
• The project alignment
• The future Central Subway stations

Explore the map by clicking on the icons and colored lines. Information boxes will appear with additional details about each object. There’s a lot of information, so we recommend zooming in.

We plan to update the map as the project develops to reflect the latest information about construction, traffic and Muni impacts. You can access the map at any time from our website’s Construction Updates page. An accessible version is available here (PDF).

The rendering above (top) depicts the design of the future Chinatown Station. Construction is expected to be completed in 2017. The building currently at this site (bottom) will be demolished to make way for the new station.

We have exciting news about the Chinatown Station property and contract. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has completed acquisition of the building at 933-949 Stockton Street, the site of the future Chinatown Station, and work has begun that will secure the building and enhance its appearance until it is demolished.

A decorative vinyl wrap (shown below) will be applied along Stockton and Washington streets to protect the vacant building from vandalism and enhance its appearance. The wrap will feature renderings of the future Chinatown Station design, a Chinese mural provided by the Chinese Historical Society of America and artwork provided by students from the Chinatown YMCA. The wrap will remain in place until the building is demolished later this year.

Work to apply the vinyl wrap, remove signage and secure the building began today and is expected to continue through mid-March. While work is in progress, a temporary walkway will be installed to ensure pedestrian safety. You can find more information about this work in our construction notices, which are available in English and Chinese.

During the acquisition process, the SFMTA aided in the relocation of 19 residential households and eight commercial businesses. All of the residential tenants have moved to new residences, including four households that purchased new homes. The eight commercial tenants have been relocated, and six of them have relocated nearby.

The final design of the Chinatown Station has been completed, and the contract for station construction is scheduled to be released for bid by the end of February.

More details can be found in this press release from the SFMTA.

This week, the Central Subway Project has received more promising news from Washington, D.C.:

• President Obama’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013 recommends investing $150 million in the Central Subway Project. The funds would come from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) New Starts program. (See page 30 of the proposed Department of Transportation budget.)
• For the fifth consecutive year, the FTA’s Annual Report on Funding Recommendations gave the Central Subway Project a rating of medium-high. This is highest rating given this year to projects currently undergoing the New Starts review process.

This exciting news reinforced the federal government’s commitment to investing in this important improvement to San Francisco’s public transportation system.

For more on the continued federal support for the Central Subway Project, check out this press release from the Mayor’s Press Office.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has received a letter granting federal approval to proceed with a key component of the Central Subway Project. The approval, a letter of no prejudice issued by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), allows the SFMTA to commence with work that will prepare the 1.7-mile project alignment for tunneling and station construction.

The issuance of the letter of no prejudice is the newest indication that a full commitment of federal funding through the FTA’s New Starts program may be forthcoming.

For more information on the federal approval, including praise for the project from local supporters and information about the work that can now commence, check out this SFMTA press release (PDF).

Our latest project newsletter is now available online. In it, we highlight recent project milestones and provide updates on what to expect in 2012. Articles feature the following topics:

• The status of our grant application with the Federal Transit Administration
• The major project milestones we expect to accomplish this year
• The dazzling public art installation planned for the Union Square/Market Street Station
• Recent progress we have made on the Chinatown Station
• The reroutes of Muni lines 30 Stockton and 45 Union/Stockton

You can also find information about our next Community Advisory Group meeting, which will be held on February 16 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church at 925 Stockton Street.

Trolley reroute map

Beginning Saturday, January 21, southbound Muni 30 Stockton and 45 Union-Stockton routes will travel on Mason and 5th streets to access the Caltrain Depot at 4th and Townsend streets.

With utility relocation continuing on the Central Subway Project in the Union Square area, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates Muni, will change the route of the southbound 30 Stockton and 45 Union-Stockton to accommodate construction along Stockton and 4th streets.

Routes 8X/8AX/8BX and 91 will temporarily travel their current routes; however, they will also be rerouted at a later date to accommodate additional construction activity.

All northbound service on these Muni routes will remain the same.

30 Stockton and 45 Union-Stockton Reroute:

Starting at the Stockton Tunnel, southbound service to 4th and Townsend streets (Caltrain) will be rerouted west on Sutter Street, south on Mason Street, east on Market Street and south on 5th Street.

Temporary Supplemental “8 Shuttle” Service:

Supplemental bus service in the area will be provided as the “8 Shuttle” running seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The shuttle will begin at Kearny and Pacific and proceed west on Broadway, south on Stockton to 4th Street, east on Folsom Street, north on 3rd Street to Kearny Street and terminate on Kearny at Pacific

Muni Service to Major Destinations:

• Union Square:  8 Shuttle, 8X Bayshore Express, 30 Stockton, 45 Union-Stockton
• Yerba Buena Gardens/Moscone Center: 8 Shuttle, 8X Bayshore Express, 12 Folsom-Pacific
• City College Downtown Campus:  8 Shuttle, 8X Bayshore Express
• AT&T Park: 10 Townsend, 30 Stockton, 45 Union-Stockton,  Muni Metro N and T rail lines
• Caltrain Station:  10 Townsend, 30 Stockton, 45 Union-Stockton, 47 Van Ness, Muni Metro N and T rail lines

30 Stockton / 45 Union-Stockton Trolley Reroute Brochure (PDF)

Let me start by agreeing with the general premise that the SFMTA can and must be better managed to better serve the people of San Francisco. I took the job of leading this agency to do just that. The challenges of the SFMTA did not develop overnight and won’t be erased overnight. I and thousands of others in the agency are working hard to improve Muni and all aspects of the SFMTA. While I don’t expect kudos for efforts alone, I do want San Franciscans to understand the challenges and that there are no easy solutions, such as “cut work orders and overtime.” Three recent themes that have graced these pages deserve a more balanced understanding.

Work orders
These are accounts used to pay for services provided by other government agencies, such as power to run the Muni buses and trains, customer service, legal advice and security. We use work orders to pay for services we need. For those services — such as maintenance or customer service — for which we have discretion over the provider, our alternatives are to perform the service ourselves or outsource, neither of which necessarily reduces cost nor obviates the need for the service.

Overtime
Two problems that have plagued SFMTA overtime are underbudgeting and overspending. With regard to the former, given the 24-7 nature of Muni service, it makes good financial sense to resource some of the scheduled service via overtime. With the use of part-time drivers, we’ll be able to reduce scheduled overtime, but not all of it. What will remain is service that’s cheaper to provide via overtime using existing staff, rather than regular time requiring additional staff.

We also have not adequately budgeted for special events that we must support; some of which we’re compensated for, most of which we’re not. On the overspending side, there is no doubt that with better and more active management, we can bring down some overtime costs. The demand for our services is not decreasing, so we need the person hours on the streets. To the extent we can cost-effectively do so through regular-time staffing, we will do so.

Cost overruns
A recent audit of SFMTA capital projects suggested significant overruns, which would be accurate when compared to the baseline budgets the auditors reviewed. However, many so-called overruns were due to added scope to meet city policy and community needs.

A good example is the Church/Duboce track replacement project. When we brought the initial project plan to the neighborhood, community groups and residents suggested broader improvements to pedestrian, bicycle and vehicular safety, as well as other enhancements. The SFMTA was able to partner with other departments and secure additional funding to make this a better project and more compliant with The City’s Better Streets Policy.

As to the suggestions that such “overruns” should be used to address the SFMTA’s operating budget shortfalls: using one-time capital revenues to plug ongoing budget gaps is bad policy.

While again acknowledging that there is much room for improvement in the management of the SFMTA — and I expect the SFMTA board, City Hall, and the people of San Francisco to hold me accountable to achieving improvement — it is important to recognize that costs due to labor, benefits and inflation increased the overall cost of providing service faster than available revenues could keep up. But the SFMTA was not able to reduce services in response.

We all want to have a great transportation system in San Francisco. I will certainly seek all available solutions and tackle all management challenges, and beyond that, we’ll need to work together as a community to understand what it will take to provide great transportation options and then have the will to provide it.

This article was printed in the Examiner on December 8.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors released a resolution in support of the Central Subway Project and replacement housing.  The resolution supports “the expeditious completion of all requirements necessary to enter into a Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration for the Central Subway project” as well as “a project that will replace all demolished rent controlled units on a one for one basis at affordable levels and that provides relocation packages to all displaced households consistent with the federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 and the approve Central Subway Relocation Impact Study and Last Resort Housing Plan that provide them with the opportunity to remain permanently in or near San Francisco’s Chinatown.”  The full resolution is available as a PDF.

The SFMTA released the following statement.

SFMTA Statement on Resolution Introduced by the Board of Supervisors Supporting the Central Subway Project

San Francisco—Edward D. Reiskin, Director of Transportation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), today issued the following statement regarding the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ resolution to support the Central Subway Project, which was sponsored by all eleven members. “As the federal government reviews the SFMTA’s application for a Full Funding Grant Agreement, the reaffirmation of support for the Central Subway Project is most welcome. Throughout both phases of the Third Street Light Rail Project, including the Central Subway, the elected family of San Francisco has stood firmly and consistently behind this project. They have joined their voices with the Mayor and our Congressional delegation, along with those of the surrounding communities to highlight its many benefits, such as providing rail service to the most densely developed areas of San Francisco, creating approximately 30,000 jobs and decreasing travel time between Chinatown and Visitacion Valley.”

San Francisco—Edward D. Reiskin, Director of Transportation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), today issued the following statement regarding the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ resolution to support the Central Subway Project, which was sponsored by all eleven members.

“As the federal government reviews the SFMTA’s application for a Full Funding Grant Agreement, the reaffirmation of support for the Central Subway Project is most welcome. Throughout both phases of the Third Street Light Rail Project, including the Central Subway, the elected family of San Francisco has stood firmly and consistently behind this project. They have joined their voices with the Mayor and our Congressional delegation, along with those of the surrounding communities to highlight its many benefits, such as providing rail service to the most densely developed areas of San Francisco, creating approximately 30,000 jobs and decreasing travel time between Chinatown and Visitacion Valley.”

The Press Release is available as a PDF.

Central Subway Moves Forward with Largest Construction Contract

Release date: Sept. 13, 2011

**Press Release**

San Francisco – The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all surface transportation in the City, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), today announced that the initial notice to proceed (NTP) authorization for the Central Subway’s largest construction contract, $233.5 million, will be issued this week. Thus far, the project will bring in nearly $90 million to local businesses and create thousands of job opportunities.

“The Central Subway project is vital to connecting our City center to San Francisco’s communities,” said Mayor Edwin M. Lee. “This project invests in jobs, people and our City with critical infrastructure that will improve transportation for generations to come. I am especially pleased that the amount for the tunneling contract is $13.2 million under budget.”

“The momentum continues to build for San Francisco’s Central Subway Project because it will expand transit options in the heart of the City,” said Tom Nolan, Chairman of the SFMTA Board of Directors. “The City’s transportation infrastructure serves as the lifeblood of our expanding industries as well as our vibrant neighborhoods and the residents, visitors and employees that support them.”

“The completion of the T Third Light Rail Project with the Central Subway represents an investment in the future of San Francisco,” said Edward D. Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “This tunnelling contract is a major part of opening a dynamic new era in rapid transit for the people of San Francisco and especially for those traveling along the congested Stockton Street corridor.”

This week the SFMTA will move forward with the first of three NTP authorizations for the tunneling contract, awarded in June. This NTP allows the contractor to proceed with ordering the two tunnel boring machines (TBM) needed to construct the twin bore tunnels for the underground portion of the Central Subway Project. The contract has three distinct NTP authorizations: NTP 1 ($35M) authorizes procurement of the TBMs, NTP 2 ($36M) authorizes construction of the tunnel launch box and contractor’s work area and NTP 3 ($163M) authorizes commencement of tunneling, which includes construction of approximately 8,240-foot long precast concrete segmental lined twin-bored guideway tunnels, construction of five emergency cross passages between bored tunnels and construction of station end walls.

A construction approach called “deep tunneling” will be used to construct the Central Subway. Deep tunneling allows most of the work to be done below ground, reducing disruption on the surface by using the TBMs, a technology that has been used extensively throughout the world. Deep tunneling has great potential for controlling project costs by minimizing surface construction staging, reducing utility relocations and shortening construction time. The only visible tunneling activity will occur at the portal construction location (4th Street between Bryant and Harrison streets) and at the excavation site (Columbus Avenue at Union Street).

The second utility relocation contract began this spring and is underway on Stockton Street to prepare for construction of the Union Square/Market Street Station. For additional information and updates on the Central Subway Project, please visit www.sfmta.com/central.

Central Subway business outreach, conducted at more than 60 events and in collaboration with nearly 50 partners, has resulted in more than $115 million in contract awards combined for local (LBE), disadvantaged (DBE) or small business enterprises (SBE) to date. In fact six of the 11 prime contractors working on the Central Subway Project are certified as SBE, DBE or LBE.

The SFMTA is committed to encouraging the economic growth of small and local businesses through this project by providing contractor assistance in the form of outreach and bid preparation training. Also, unbundling contracts, a bonding and financing assistance program, small business set-aside programs and active monitoring of prompt payment ensure that the SFMTA provides opportunities to small businesses. On the upcoming tunnel contract, 12 to 18 percent of the total contract is anticipated to be performed by small business enterprises, which is more than twice the six percent goal for the project.

For employment training and job placement for non-construction jobs on the Central Subway project, the SFMTA works with the First Source Hiring program and places disadvantaged trainees with the prime and subcontractors. On construction contracts, the SFMTA implements the federal goals for women and minorities for each trade as well as state apprenticeship requirements. The SFMTA does this by working with First Source and CityBuild to provide referrals to contractors.

Visit www.sfmta.com/central to learn more about employment or contracting opportunities with the Central Subway Project.

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The original press release is available as a PDF and can be found at SFMTA’s Press Room.

A new poll shows that a majority of San Francisco voters support the Central Subway.  The poll results are available below and the results were highlighted in the media by the SF Examiner, Majority of SF voters still back Central Subway, according to new poll.

Central Subway Poll Results//

SFMTA and City Business Leaders Highlight Progress of the
Central Subway Project

$20 million in federal New Starts funds recently released to the project will help
keep San Francisco moving forward

San Francisco—The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all surface transportation in the City, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), today was joined by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce and the Union Square Business Improvement District (BID) to announce the receipt of $20 million in federal funds for Phase II of the Third Street Light Rail Project, the Central Subway. In addition to these funds, the SFMTA announced that it will send to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) the final submittal for the New Starts Full Funding Grant Agreement by Sept. 19. These leaders of San Francisco’s business community stood with the SFMTA at the announcement in order to highlight the importance of the Central Subway Project to San Francisco’s economic growth.

“The momentum continues to build for San Francisco’s Central Subway Project because it will expand transit options in the heart of the City,” said Jerry Lee, Vice Chairman of the SFMTA Board of Directors. “The City’s transportation infrastructure serves as the lifeblood of our expanding industries as well as our vibrant neighborhoods and the residents, visitors and employees that support them.”

“The completion of the T Third light rail project with the Central Subway represents an investment in the future of San Francisco,” said Edward D. Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “The SFMTA and its City partners are committed to working with communities from the Bay View to SoMa to Chinatown to ensure that gridlock does not paralyze the City’s economic growth.”

“The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce continues to support the Central Subway Project for the simple reason that it will improve San Francisco’s economic growth,” said Jim Lazarus, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President of Public Policy. “Economic growth does not happen by accident. A great workforce and the right policies bring businesses to the City; well-planned infrastructure makes it possible for them to thrive here.”

The project will serve as an engine for economic growth and recovery in San Francisco, creating thousands of job opportunities as the project moves into the construction phase. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has estimated that for every $1 billion spent on transportation infrastructure projects 30,000 jobs will be created. During these difficult economic times, the progress and development of the Central Subway will employ thousands of individuals throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Furthermore, the improved service will decrease transit travel times, relieve congestion, enhance the environment and stimulate economic activity along the corridor.

The project has consistently received positive reviews as part of the FTA’s New Starts program. The new infusion of $20 million from the program means that Central Subway has received $92.4 million in New Starts funds to date. The total project cost (with contingency) is expected to be $1.57 billion, with the federal government contributing close to $1 billion.

The SFMTA continues to work closely with its funding partners: the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the leadership in Sacramento and the FTA. This collaboration has leveraged state and local funds to secure $942.2 million in federal New Starts funding for this project that would otherwise be unavailable to San Francisco for any other project. The New Starts program is highly competitive, and other cities and regions would benefit if these funds were redirected.

The FFGA is the formal action embodying the federal government’s financial commitment to the Project, currently projected to be $942.2 million. The submission that the SFMTA will make by Sept. 19 will begin the final review by the FTA, followed by the 60-day Congressional review and awarding of the FFGA in early 2012.

(PDF available: Summary of SFMTA’s Response to CGJ Findings 09.2011)

(Press Release PDF available: Press Release–SFMTA and City Business Leaders Highlight Progress of the Central Subway Project, 9.7.11.pdf)

The Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, Peter Rogoff, wrote a letter to the editor on Saturday, Sept. 3, in response to the Wall Street Journal article about the Central Subway (Aug. 23).  We thank Administrator Rogoff for his support of the Central Subway and other transit projects around the country.  The letter to the editor is quoted below.

The Billion-Dollar-a-Mile Subway Makes Perfect Sense

Regarding your editorial “Off the San Francisco Rails” (Aug. 23): Survey after survey reveals that Americans want more transportation choices when it comes to commuting to work or getting around town. This should surprise no one when you consider the volatility in gas prices, the worsening congestion on our highways, and the fact that transportation costs rank second only to housing costs in the monthly budgets of working families. The economic case for transit is also clear: Time and time again we have seen that transit infrastructure investment creates jobs not just through new construction, but through the economic development that occurs along the new transit corridors.

Despite the overwhelming public support for expanded transit opportunities and the demonstrable economic benefits, the Journal recently criticized the administration for supporting San Francisco’s Central Subway Project, which will shorten the commute for tens of thousands of people through the densest population and employment center on the West Coast.

The Obama administration will continue to expand transit options so that the American public can spend less money on gas and less time in traffic jams. We will continue to partner with cities and states across the country to provide new transit opportunities that will generate more than 540,000 construction and related jobs. And we will continue to serve millions of Americans who, thanks to transit, will keep more of their paycheck in their wallet, rather than handing it over at the gas pump.

Peter Rogoff

Federal Transit Administrator

Washington

Re-posting of the September 1  San Francisco Chronicle Open Forum article ” Subway to the Future” written by Stephen Taber.