[TLC News & Alerts] Support Congestion Pricing for SF - Listen/call KQED Forum TODAY (6/8) at 9 a.m.

[Jeremy Nelson]

Dear advocates for a livable city-

The Transportation Authority has applied for federal grant to do a
feasibility study of a possible London-style congestion pricing program
for downtown San Francisco, and KQED's Forum (88.5 FM) will be
discussing this idea TODAY (Thurs 6/9) at 9 a.m. 

Guests include (Gregory Rosston, deputy director of the Stanford
Institute of Economic Policy, Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, chair of the
Transportation Authority), and Wade Randlett (president of S.F.S.O.S.,
"a quality of life advocacy group").

Please listen in to Forum (88.5 FM or http://www.kqed.org -click "Listen
Live") and call or e-mail your support for congestion pricing for San
Francisco (866-SF-FORUM or 415-863-2476 or mailto:forum at kqed.org).  

Talking points are below.

Best- Jeremy

===========================

Talking points:


1) Something must be done about traffic congestion in San Francisco:

- The average speed down Montgomery Street went from 12.4 mph in 2001 to
8.2 mph in 2004, according to a transportation authority study.
- 60,000 cars go through SOMA neighborhood streets every day, with most
of these headed to/from the Bay Bridge.
- On key transit corridors like Van Ness, Muni bus speeds are so slow
due to traffic congestion at peak hours, that it's often faster to walk
than take the bus.


2) Traffic congestion is only going to get worse in San Francisco unless
we do something now:

- In the 1970s and 1980s, San Francisco job growth and population growth
was faster than growth in car ownership.
- Since the 1990s, rates of car ownership are increasing faster than
population or job growth.
- In the past 5 years, there have been 50,000 new car registrations in
SF while we lost thousands of residents and job
- The Transportation Authority projects that if we keep doing what we're
doing, there will 500,000 new trips in San Francisco 
by 2025, and 250,000 of these will be new car trips.
- SF quality of life and economic competitiveness will be seriously
impacted by trying to squeeze A QUARTER MILLION NEW CAR TRIPS on our
limited street space, so we must so something now to reduce traffic
congestion.


3) Results from London show that congestion pricing works:

- Peak hour traffic congestion in central London reduced by 30%
- 65,000 fewer car trips (30% reduction)
- 29,000 more transit passengers (20% increase in trips by transit and
taxis) 
- Bus reliability and travel times have improved (buses experience 60%
less delay due to traffic)
- More buses purchased with revenue from surcharge
- Carbon monoxide pollution reduced
- Cyclists and pedestrians benefit from safer streets and cleaner air


4) Congestion pricing benefits all San Francisco residents, visitors,
and especially business owners:

- Makes our streets safer and less congested.
- Better for the environment due to less air pollution and CO2 emissions.
- Speeds up travel speeds for Muni buses but as well as travel speeds
for motorists.
- Helps downtown businesses by reducing costs for goods movement (more
reliable, on-time deliveries and shipments).
- Also helps downtown businesses by reducing lost productivity due to
employees being late to work/meetings due to traffic congestion or
transit being late/unreliable.
- In New York City, business groups recognize the economic benefits of
congestion pricing and are advocating for it.  Here at home, the Bay
Area Council and Small Business Advocates have been quoted as saying
congestion pricing is worth exploring.


5) Congestion pricing can be structured to promote social equity:

- Car ownership and commuting downtown is generally associated with
higher incomes, so congestion charges don't impact too many low income
folks.
- Extremely low income car drivers can receive a discount.
- Revenue from the congestion charges can be used for programs and
projects that disproportionately benefit low income folks (transit, ped
and bike safety, streetscape improvements).
- Low income neighborhoods (SOMA, Tenderloin, etc) adjacent to downtown
will benefit from a higher quality of life.