The SFMTA board of directors unanimously approved a politically driven, watered-down safety plan for West Portal during its regular meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The new plan represents "a gutting of 70 percent of the proposed transit-only lanes, and more than half of the proposed turn restrictions, which would have each reduced dangerous conflicts and sped up transit for riders across the city," said the San Francisco Transit Rider's Dylan Fabris during the public-comment portion of the meeting. The original plans for a safer, more transit-oriented West Portal station area were proposed in April after an errant driver ran down and killed a family that was transferring from a train to a bus.
As seen in the image above, when construction is finished it will continue to be legal to drive across the junction of train tracks in front of the station. This is a constant source of transit delays. Only signs and paint will prevent drivers from violating the few turning restrictions that remain. Below is a look at the far more comprehensive plan that was proposed by transit professionals—later all-but torn up after political blow-back from merchants.
Several speakers urged the SFMTA board to consider the safety and time of the tens of thousands of people who use Muni but don't necessarily live in West Portal or have time to attend a meeting. Non-West Portal residents were barred from participating in the so-called West Portal Welcoming Committee that helped water down the plans.
Before the vote, SFMTA planner Liz Brisson gave a presentation explaining that they removed turning restrictions in "response to community process." Brisson admitted during her presentation that people already ignore existing signs and paint restrictions.
So Streetsblog will ask the obvious (rhetorical) question: if drivers don't follow the existing signs, what's the point in putting in more? How about instead using concrete posts, planters, and diverters to force drivers to turn? And if San Francisco is a truly "transit first" city, why not restore the curbs that used to keep drivers off the tracks in the first place? Such curbs, which still exist along the tracks on Junipero Serra, were removed decades ago in West Portal for the convenience of motorists at the cost of transit delays and safety.
Brisson repeatedly referred to the amended plans as being "holistic safety improvements." She said they take into consideration the needs expressed (by drivers) at the "welcoming" committee.
Just prior to the vote, Director Fiona Hinze recommended they approve the proposal but look at the S.F. Transit Riders's request to add back some of the turning restrictions. Director Dominica Henderson said she echoed the sentiment. But she added that the project has come to a "reasonable middle place." Director Janet Tarlov said it strikes "a good balance" between the "needs" of drivers not to be inconvenienced and safety. Chair of the board Amanda Eaken said "the changes strengthen this proposal."
Independent advocates who spoke at the meeting did not agree.
"The turn restrictions offer a simple trade-off: provide faster and more reliable transit service for 50,000+ daily rail riders at the cost of asking a much smaller number of people driving to sometimes go just a block out of their way, with no parking impact," said advocate Zach Lipton during public comment. "What meaning does the Transit First policy even have if it’s not that?"
"The approved design is a sham, especially when compared to the original proposal or the design that over a thousand people supported in the weeks after the Oliveira-Pinto family was killed," wrote advocate Luke Bornheimer in an email to Streetsblog.
"In a transit-first city, the SFMTA board would prioritize transit first and foremost, but this plan falls short," wrote Kid Safe SF's Sara Barz, in an email to Streetsblog. "We are pleased that there are concrete safety improvements throughout the neighborhood and beautification of the station area in this plan, but proceeding without the turn restrictions from Ulloa Street to West Portal Avenue and transit-only lanes misses an opportunity to make West Portal a world-class transit plaza."
From Streetsblog's view, unfortunately, that's not going to happen for the foreseeable future, now that SFMTA's board has, once again, blown the opportunity to put transit first and prioritize safety.
"The San Francisco Transit Riders is disappointed that the SFMTA Board decided to approve a plan for West Portal that does not include the critical transit improvements that were part of staff’s original proposal," wrote Fabris in an email to Streetsblog sent shortly after the vote.
"Rather than prioritizing the needs of the tens of thousands of people who ride West Portal’s transit lines each day, and the safety of people who bike and walk through the area, the Board decided to approve a watered-down plan that will not significantly address our city’s Vision Zero and Transit First priorities."
