Act now to save Masonic Avenue

A message from Save Masonic:

Dear Save Masonic supporter:

Thank you again for your efforts to bring a balanced, reasonable, safe approach to Masonic Avenue. Here are two things that need to be done now:

1. Write CalTrans about gross misstatements made by SFMTA in its Preliminary Environmental Study (PES).

2. Write city officials in support of a proposed temporary lane reduction on Masonic that would simulate the effects of the Masonic project.

Protest gross misstatements in the Preliminary Environmental Study. SFMTA filed a Preliminary Environmental Study (PES) dated December 16, 2013, with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) as part of the process for receiving around $10.2 million in federal funds for the Masonic bike lane project. The PES is riddled with inaccuracies, including: 

* In answer to the question “Will the project generate public controversy?” MTA checked the “no” box. 

* Despite the reduction in through lanes during rush hour, MTA claims the project doesn’t affect the number of through lanes on city streets. 

* In discussing bus bulbouts, MTA fails to mention that buses will be stopping in one of the two travel lanes, increasing congestion while the buses or other vehicles stop.

* MTA doesn’t mention the negative impact on emergency response.

* MTA continues to repeat its misleading account of the process by which the Masonic project was developed, failing to mention that thousands of neighborhood residents who will be affected never received notice.

We will be posting the PES on SaveMasonic.com, along with an analysis of MTA’s misleading, inaccurate statements. In the meantime, it is imperative to write to the CalTrans officials ASAP with your opposition to the project. Emphasize that the project will increase congestion and increase pollution because of the rush-hour lane reduction and the loss of at least 167 parking spaces.

CalTrans contacts: 

Susan Tse susan.tse@dot.ca.gov

Jimmy Panmai jimmy.panmai@dot.ca.gov

Heidemarie Carle heidemarie.carle@dot.ca.gov

Email all three and cc us at info@savemasonic.com 

Contact MTA and Officials in Support of a Lane Reduction Test. The MTA Citizens’ Advisory Council voted 7 to 1 at its February 6, 2014, meeting to recommend to the MTA that the peak hour parking restrictions be repealed on Masonic, with the objective of measuring traffic impacts on the 43 Masonic bus prior to the implementation of the Masonic project. For technical procedural reasons, despite the 7 to 1 vote, this motion was not passed. 

Save Masonic strongly supports removing the peak hour parking restrictions for a reasonable time period. Permitting cars to park at the curb lane during rush hour would simulate reducing the number of travel lanes to measure the impact not only on the 43 Masonic bus but also on the more than 32,000 motor vehicles that use Masonic daily. 

The CAC may take up this recommendation again at its next meeting, which hasn’t yet been scheduled but is likely to be on Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 5:30 PM at MTA offices, One South Van Ness Ave. Check www.sfmta.com and search “Citizens Advisory Council.” Please attend the meeting if this item is on the agenda.

In the meantime, please write to the CAC, the MTA Board, Masonic project manager Mike Sallaberry, Mayor Ed Lee, and Supervisors London Breed, Mark Farrell and Eric Mar urging them to remove the peak hour parking restrictions on Masonic for a reasonable period of time in order to measure the impact of peak hour travel lane reduction.

MTA and City Official contacts: 

MTA Board:   mtaboard@sfmta.com and roberta.boomer@sfmta.com

Mike Sallaberry, project manager:  mike.sallaberry@sfmta.com

Manito Velasco, project engineer:  manito.velasco@sfmta.com

CAC: roberta.boomer@sfmta.com and yvette.torres@sfmta.com 

Mayor Ed Lee:  mayoredwinlee@sfgov.org 

Supervisor London Breed: london.breed@sfgov.org 

Supervisor Mark Farrell: mark.farrell@sfgov.org 

Supervisor Eric Mar: eric.l.mar@sfgov.org

Email all of them, and cc us at info@savemasonic.com 

Forward this email to your friends, family and neighbors who support our campaign, and post it to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Thank you!

It's about anti-carism, not safety

Photo by Mike Koozman, SF Examiner

Letter to the editor in today's SF Chronicle:

Save the safe passage

So let me get this straight: People are saddened because a pedestrian was killed crossing Sunset Boulevard, a busy and dangerous six-lane thoroughfare in San Francisco. Yet apparently the same people want to eliminate the Fillmore overpass that allows pedestrians (and local traffic) to safely cross Geary Boulevard, a busy and dangerous six-lane thoroughfare in San Francisco.

Am I missing something?

Raphael Stricker, 

San Francisco

Rob's comment:

Yes, Raphael, you're overlooking City Hall's relentless anti-car policies. When the city isn't preying on motorists as an important source of revenue to support its growing bureaucracy (see Homeowners: City Hall's ATM, by George Wooding), with the help of the Bicycle Coalition and Walk SF, City Hall is making it as difficult and expensive as possible to drive in San Francisco, even though that's a massive inconvenience to most city residents, will delay Muni lines, and, if continued, damage the city's economy.