TEP Draft Environmental Impact Report - FAQs
1. What is the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP)?
2. What is the TEP Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?
3. When is the final TEP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) planned for release?
4. When is the TEP draft EIR open to public comment?
5. How do I provide comments about the TEP draft EIR?
6. How do I provide comments about specific TEP proposals and projects?
7. What are the next steps and how can I participate in the process?
1. What is the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP)?
The TEP is an on-going program that aims to improve service reliability, reduce travel time on transit, and improve customer experiences and service efficiency. As part of the Muni Rapid vision, and in conjunction with other Muni programs, the TEP will be the blueprint for making Muni a great transportation choice for our residents and visitors. The TEP calls for various service changes, which include route restructuring, frequency improvements, and vehicle type changes, as well as travel time reduction proposals, which are engineering changes aimed to specifically to address the delays transit vehicles face along key routes. For more information, please see the TEP Project Description page. Bottom line ... the TEP will reduce travel time by approximately 10% along eight project corridors and proposes implementing an additional 10% in service levels for the system.
2. What is the TEP Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR)?
The Planning Department is conducting an environmental review of the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The environmental review process provides decision makers and the general public with an objective analysis of the immediate and long range specific and cumulative environmental impacts of a proposed project on its surrounding physical environment. In California, an environmental review is two-fold in purpose: to disclose the impacts of a project and to ensure public participation.
The Planning Department conducted an Initial Study as a part of the TEP's environmental review process, which determined that the TEP would only havea potential impact on three features of San Francisco's environment: noise, air, and transportation.
The TEP draft EIR is an objective analysis (conducted by the Planning Department) of the immediate and long-range specific and cumulative noise, air, and transportation-related impacts of the TEP on its surrounding physical environment. The public comment period for the TEP draft EIR, which is open from July 11-August 25, 2013, provides decision-makers and the general public with an opportunity to provide feedback specifically on the environmental impacts of the TEP.
For more information, to review the draft EIR, and to provide comments, please visit the Planning Department's TEP page.
3. When is the final TEP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) planned for release?
The final TEP is planned for release in January 2014.
4. When is the TEP draft EIR open to public comment?
The TEP draft EIR public comment period lasts from July 11 to August 25, 2013.
5. How do I provide comments about the TEP draft EIR?
To provide feedback on the draft EIR, visit the Planning Department's TEP page. Please note that the Planning Department is ONLY responding to comments about the environmental review process, and not about the TEP's specific proposals themselves.
6. How do I provide comments about specific TEP proposals and projects?
The Planning Department is ONLY responding to comments about the environmental review process, and not about the TEP's specific proposals themselves. To submit comments about specific TEP proposals, such as plans for transit-only lanes, pedestrian and stop enhancements, and route service changes, send an email to tep@sfmta.com or call the TEP hotline at 415-701-4599.
7. What are the next steps and how can I participate in the process?
The draft EIR has a six week public comment period designed to gather feedback related to analysis of the environmental impacts. Please contact City Planning if you have specific comments on the analysis outlined in the draft EIR. In the Fall of 2013, discussions related to identifying the specific project implementation list will take place throughout the city.