San Francisco, CA – Today, Mayor London N. Breed announced $36 million in new funding awarded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) in Housing Incentive Pool Grants that will support critical infrastructure projects in San Francisco. The Housing Incentive Pool provides infrastructure grants to promote the production and preservation of affordable housing.
The City of San Francisco was awarded $35.8 million in funding after building 2,981 qualifying affordable housing units between 2018 and 2022. Funding will support infrastructure improvements, including new traffic signals on Lincoln Way, Folsom and Howard Street improvements, Powell Street streetscape changes, and Yerba Buena Island (YBI) West Side Bridges improvements. Funding will also go to improving the state of the city’s bus fleet to make transit service more reliable.
“This funding is essential to continue our work in making transit more reliable and our streets safer for all,” said Mayor London Breed. “Whether we are maintaining our buses, improving bike lanes, or installing traffic signals to improve traffic flow, we are making transit more efficient, effective, and safer for everyone.”
"I know the traffic headaches and transit delays down Lincoln Way and into Golden Gate Park are a significant quality of life issue for westside residents,” said Sunset District Supervisor Joel Engardio. “This critical funding for infrastructure improvements will help Sunset and Richmond residents get where they need to go.”
“We’re so grateful for this capital grant, because it allows us to continue funding critical safety and economic recovery projects even as we work to close the gap in our operating budget,” said Jeff Tumlin, SFMTA Director of Transportation.
Lincoln Way Traffic Signal Improvements
This project will include the construction of new signals at two intersections (Lincoln/45th Avenue, Lincoln/La Playa) to reduce vehicle and transit delays on Lincoln Avenue and improve pedestrian and bicycle access to the new Ocean Beach Park. These improvements are part of a broader westside transportation planning program currently underway to identify and recommend infrastructure upgrades on key traffic corridors in the Sunset and Richmond.
These two new signals would replace existing STOP controlled intersections and will be constructed in conjunction with a new traffic signal already planned to replace a STOP sign at 41st and Lincoln and a traffic signal upgrade at Great Highway at Lincoln. This new infrastructure along the Lincoln Way corridor will ensure there are safe signalized intersections between the Sunset neighborhood and Golden Gate Park, from the Great Highway to Sunset Boulevard. Improvements will include new curb ramps and streetlights.
Folsom-Howard Streetscape Project
This project includes the construction of streetscape improvements on Folsom Street between 2nd and 11th Streets. Streetscape improvements include improved bicycle facilities, new corner bulbs and bus bulbs at intersections to reduce pedestrian crossing distances and improve Muni service, transit-only lanes, new signals at mid block locations or alleyways, traffic circulation changes, and construction of raised crosswalks at alleyways.
Powell Street Improvement Project
This project is a comprehensive revitalization of the streetscape and pedestrian environment along Powell Street between Market and Geary. Project elements may include a widening of sidewalks to 18 feet with distinctive paving, a chandelier lighting feature over the cable car turnaround, new lighting along the corridor, landscape and greening elements, and new custom street furniture.
West Side Bridges for Yerba Buena Island (YBI) Multi-Use Path (MUP)
This project will fund construction of an additional retaining wall and associated roadway improvements needed to accommodate the future Yerba Buena Island Multi use Path (YBI MUP) project which will create a bidirectional, Class 1 facility with extensive safety, accessibility, connectivity, and sustainability benefits. The wall and associated roadway
improvements will be constructed as part of the under-construction West Side Bridges Seismic Retrofit Project.
New Flyer Midlife Overhaul Phase I
New Flyer buses comprise the majority of the Muni bus fleet used across the City every day. This project performs critical maintenance on the 40’& 60’ motor coach & trolley coach fleet per manufacturer recommendations to ensure a state of good repair. Maintenance data shows that rehabilitation of the fleet significantly improves vehicle reliability, helps reduce incidents of breakdowns, and prevents service interruptions and additional costly repairs. This will help support our transit system running efficiently and effectively.
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