San Francisco’s Environment Commission Votes to Support Transit and Street Safety

Over the past month, San Francisco’s Environment Commission passed two resolutions supporting San Francisco’s Vision Zero policy and the Muni Forward project. The Environment Commission sets policy for the Department of the Environment and advises Mayor Lee and Board of Supervisors on environmental matters. 

Cars and trucks produce close to 40% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to human-made climate change. The Environment Commission supports programs that contribute to the health and safety of San Francisco, and increase walking, bicycling, taking transit and ridesharing to achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals.

Vision Zero Resolution

Each year, over 200 people are severely injured or killed in traffic collisions in San Francisco.  To address this, the Board of Supervisors passed Vision Zero, an action policy reducing traffic fatalities for all users, pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles to zero by 2024 through a combination of engineering measures, education and enforcement.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has committed to implementing the first 24 Vision Zero projects by January 2016.

View the Environment Commission’s resolution in support of Vision Zero.

Muni Forward Resolution:

In 1973, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors enacted the city’s Transit First Policy by adopting a resolution to give transit priority over other vehicles on San Francisco streets.  The SFMTA implements San Francisco’s Transit First Policy by planning and implementing projects, such as the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP). The TEP, completed in early 2014, combined technology, technical expertise and community insight to better understand and solve the challenges affecting San Francisco’s transit network, representing the first major evaluation of the Muni system in 30 years.

Muni Forward, focuses on implementing the enhancements and modifications recommended by the Transit Effectiveness Project.  It looks beyond the bus to the complete experience—from the walk, to the wait, to the ride – benefiting transit riders in four distinct areas:

• Creating a rapid network
• Improving reliability
• Making the system smarter
• Enhancing safety and access

View the Environment Commission’s resolution for Muni Forward.

More Information

The City of San Francisco’s Climate Action Strategy details strategies to reduce the harmful emissions that cause climate change at a citywide scale, including increasing multi-modal options for all residents, commuters and visitors to and around the city.