Friday, September 13, 2019

Whereas, $564,460 to get kids on bikes

SF Bicycle Coalition

A proposed resolution from the SFMTA:

SAN FRANCISCO 
MUNICIPAL TRANSPORTATION AGENCY 
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 
RESOLUTION No. ______________ 

WHEREAS, In 2017, the Department of Public Health (DPH) applied for funds for the Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Project (Project) for the 2019-2021 school years; and, 

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) was budgeted in the grant application to receive $564,460 to provide technical assistance and to assist with outreach and communications for the Project; and, 

WHEREAS, As San Francisco’s Congestion Management Agency, the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) is responsible for programming San Francisco’s share of One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) Cycle 2 funds; the OBAG program is an initiative of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC); and, 

WHEREAS, The SFCTA programmed OBAG funds for the Project, in part, on the condition that grant oversight of the Project be transferred to the SFMTA; and, 

WHEREAS, The OBAG funds originate from the Federal Highway Administration, and are administered by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans); and, 

WHEREAS, On March 6, 2018, the SFMTA Board adopted a Resolution of Local Support for the Project, as required by MTC; and, 

WHEREAS, When Caltrans approved the grant application, it also approved sole sourcing to SFBC a contract for technical assistance and outreach, as set forth in the grant application; and, 

WHEREAS, There is no Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subcontracting participation requirement for this Contract; and, 

WHEREAS, On July 24, 2019, the SFMTA, under authority delegated by the Planning Department, determined that Contract No. 2019-40 is not a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations Sections 15060(c) and 15378(b); and, 

WHEREAS, On February 1, 2019, Caltrans determined that the Project, including the services in Contract No. 2019-40, qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion under 23 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 771.117(c): activity (c)(1) and as such, there is no requirement to prepare an Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and, 

WHEREAS, Copies of the CEQA and NEPA determinations are on file with the Secretary to the SFMTA Board of Directors and are incorporated herein by reference; now, therefore, be it, 

RESOLVED, That the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors approves SFMTA Contract No. 2019-40, with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to provide services to support the Safe Routes to School Non-Infrastructure Project, for a contract amount not to exceed $564,460, and for a term of two years. 

I certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors at its meeting of September 17, 2019. 

______________________________________ 
Secretary to the Board of Directors 
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Rob's comment:
For children riding a bike is more dangerous than football, according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, but what do they know?

A story in the SF Chronicle: "Bicycling was No.1 [cause of injury] for 8- to 11-year-olds, and it was the only activity to be in the top five for kids of all ages." Later: The Chronicle's headline on this story is a lie ("Basketball, football top youth injury list")Our leading daily couldn't bring itself to highlight bad news about its long-time support for the misguided bike revolution. See also this.


If the Bicycle Coalition and Walk SF think city streets are so dangerous, why do they encourage children to ride bikes on those streets?

The answer: because they are fanatics for whom everything and everyone---even the city's children---are mere accessories to their anti-car crusade in San Francisco.

The Bicycle Coalition strikes a note of urgency: Don't let your children miss out.

Streetsblog and Mayor Breed support this foolishness.

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