The San Francisco Transit Riders, Seamless Bay Area, the Transbay Coalition, Walk San Francisco, and other Bay Area advocacy groups have combined forces with like-minded groups statewide to try and save transit from the budget ax. The Transit Riders underscores that the Governor's budget proposal puts $3 billion of statewide funding for public transit at risk in the next 5 years, including over $400 million for Muni.
From Seamless:
California’s leaders are finalizing the state budget and they are looking to slash funding for transit service. This means longer waits for buses and trains, whole routes canceled, and people unable to get to work, school, and the places they need to go. For those who don’t use public transit, these cuts mean more traffic delays, less parking, and dirtier air.
Our communities were already facing transit service cuts. Instead of a helping hand when they need it, Governor Gavin Newsom’s budget kicks communities while they are down.
Right now, he is pushing to:
- Cut state funding for transit service by 30%
- Eliminate the state’s biggest program for building affordable housing near transit
- Continue to give fossil fuel companies billions of dollars worth of free passes to pollute in the state’s Cap-and-Trade / Cap-and-Invest program
Under the umbrella group "Move California," advocates put together a page to help people write to their state officials. Streetsblog readers should link to it and follow the instructions to make sure BART, Muni, Caltrain, AC Transit, and the rest of the Bay Area network doesn't end up like Chicago's system, which suffered devastating cuts thank to short-sighted decisions in Illinois. The Bay Area can't be permitted to suffer the same fate. The Transit Riders have also set up a page to make it easier to hit San Francisco's state lawmakers, in addition to Move California's page.
And then there's Market Street and Waymo, Uber, etc.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, the Transit Riders, KidSafe, and others want advocates to renew the fight to save Market Street from reverting into a traffic-choked car-sewer. From Walk San Francisco's release:
When private vehicles were banned from over two miles of Market Street in 2020, it was a big win for safety. At the time, five of the city’s top ten deadliest intersections were on Market Street, and the street was a chaotic and dangerous space for everyone.
With Mayor Lurie allowing Waymos to soon start operating on Market Street, we’re concerned this could open the door for all vehicles to return.
The downtown should rebound with foot traffic – not vehicle traffic. We don’t want San Francisco to take a big step backwards for safety (not to mention slow down bus service).
Be sure to go to the "Keep Market Street" moving page to write to Mayor Lurie to urge him to stop Market Street's backsliding.
