Sent to the Glen Park Association:
Hello,
I’m writing to give you an update on where the SFMTA is at with the Extended Meter Hours study we worked on over the summer for extending the hours of operation of parking meters. I wanted to make sure that you knew that the study will be presented to the SFMTA Board as an informational item on October 20.
I want to reemphasize how this study fits into a larger SFMTA vision for parking management – good parking policy is part of making San Francisco’s transportation system work better. Parking meters create parking availability, which helps:
· Drivers by making parking more convenient
· Businesses by making parking easier for their customers to find
· Muni speed and reliability by reducing the delays caused double-parking and people circling for parking
· Safety for all road users by reducing double parking and the right and left turns associated with circling for parking
· Sustainability by reducing fuel waste and greenhouse gas emissions from unnecessary circling for parking
Though no one likes to pay for parking, surveys show that people dislike the unpredictable and often time consuming search for parking even more. Also, in line with the City’s voter-mandated Transit First Policy, parking-related revenues help fund Muni and other environmentally-friendly ways of getting around such as bicycling and walking.
Given the loss in state funding and General Fund allocation for public transit, parking-related revenues remain as one of the few ways to maintain Muni service levels as mandated by voters. Also, during the budget process last spring, we heard clearly from the Board of Supervisors and transit riders that burden of balancing the deficit was disproportionately placed on raising transit fares. However, regardless of the financial situation, the bottom line is that the SFMTA would be advancing this proposal for parking management with or without budget challenges because it is fundamentally good public policy for San Francisco .
We are proud of the study, which much improves the original proposal from last April to extend all meters until 10pm every day as well as on Sundays. That one-size-fits-all approach needed refinement, as directed by the SFMTA Board of Directors and Board of Supervisors in May. If our Board of Directors approves this proposal, we will implement it with a sound communications plan to make sure that people know what is coming and understand the changes.
We know that this study will inspire significant discussion and feedback. We welcome that discussion, and believe the study will elevate San Francisco ‘s always passionate dialogue about parking and move us closer to better matching our parking management approach with the needs of our city.
You can download a pdf of the study at www.sfmta.com/extendedhours
If you have any thoughts when reading the study, please let me know.
Thanks again,
Jay Primus
Jay Primus
SFpark Manager
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
Tel: 415 701 5413
Fax: 415 701 4736
1 South Van Ness , 8th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-5417