San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Howard Streetscape Improvement Project USDOT (2022) RAISE Grant Data Repository

This is the online document library for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Howard Streetscape Improvement Project USDOT RAISE (2022) Grant Application.

Description

The Howard Streetscape Project (Project) is a truly transformative project of regional significance that will improve the safety and efficiency of San Francisco’s (“the City’s”) transportation system, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and critically enhance mobility for the neighborhood’s high concentration of low-income residents who depend upon transit, walking, and bicycling.     

Existing Conditions

The inadequacy of existing walkways and bikeways and a street design that supports and prioritizes high vehicles volumes have resulted in two bicyclists and one pedestrian fatalities on the corridor between 2014 and 2019.

Overall challenges with the existing street configuration include:

• Wide street and high vehicle volumes that increase crash risks.
• Multiple lanes and fast vehicles make it hard to cross the street.
• Bikeways that are narrow with limited protected for bicyclists.
• Demand that is growing for safer bicycling and pedestrian facilities.

Benefits

The Project will provide direct benefits to residents of the Project Area who are heavy users of the transit system and are most likely to walk for commute and non-commute trips. Residents of the Project Area are racially diverse, with about 29% of the population identifying as non-Hispanic white. 10% of residents are African American/Black, 42% of residents are Asian American, and 14% of residents identify as Latinx/Hispanic.    

1. Road Diet – Reducing Howard Street from three to two westbound travel lanes reduces vehicle speeds, collisions, as well as pedestrian crossing lengths and time.   
2. Bicycle Improvements – Establishing a seven-block two-way protected bicycle lane that responds to bicyclists’ demand for an eastbound connection. New separate bicycle signals will eliminate interactions between right-turning vehicles and bicyclists at intersections. Two-stage left turn areas, protected intersections, and new traffic signal phasing will reduce motor vehicle and bicycle conflicts. New concrete buffers will physically separate bicyclists from drivers increasing comfort for all users.
3. Pedestrian Improvements – Raised crosswalks located at alleyways increases pedestrian visibility. Curb ramps provide access between the sidewalk and roadway, and traffic signals with pedestrian head starts, bulb-outs and no parking at intersections will improve pedestrian visibility and reduce crossing distances and times. New pedestrian-scaled streetlights, trees and landscaping will create a more inviting pedestrian environment.
4. Curb Management – Reducing the amount of parking and placing commercial and passenger loading zones where they are most effective creates more space for bicycle corrals, bikeshare stations and vehicle turn pockets as well as reducing double-parking and congestion, common causes of collisions. ADA compliant passenger loading zones accommodate people using wheelchairs to access parked vehicles.

Project Funding

Local funds, including developer impact fees and SFMTA operating funds will leverage the SFMTA’s request for $23 million in FY 2022 RAISE discretionary grant funds to build the Project.

Project Schedule

The Project will enter the detailed design phase in late 2022 and contract bidding is expected to begin in late 2023 so that construction can begin by late 2024 or early 2025. This will enable funds awarded through a RAISE grant to be obligated in calendar year 2022. Construction is expected to be completed in two years, likely November 2026. 

The Folsom Streetscape Project, located one block south of the Project Area, is at 99.9 percent detailed construction design. The project cost estimate is $49.2 million, which is based on the Folsom project’s completed cost estimates (the Folsom Project is very similar to the Howard project with similarities in scope and location), and the Howard Project being at 30 percent design . The major difference in project scopes is that the Folsom Street project includes a new transit-only lane for electric trolley buses, a new overhead wire catenary system, and transit boarding islands. 

Sponsor

SFMTA Authorized Representation - Authorized Representative: Joel Goldberg, Manager, Programming and Grants

Related Links and Documents 

The documents and related links below are included in the Howard Streetscape Project application narrative.