It’s like this.
Looking directly down from Market Street:
Click to expand
Wow, we’re messy, huh?
Posts Tagged ‘subway’
Central Subway Boondoggle UPDATE: “Rescue MUNI” Sells Out But “Save MUNI” Remains on the Case
Monday, December 5th, 2011Here’s the latest from Save MUNI:
“Central Subway Boondoggle = Waste and Inefficiency
A Vibrant Citywide Muni System = Revival and Value”
But those sellouts at Rescue MUNI (who with regularity have the gall to complain about Save MUNI), or most of them, anyway, think that the politically-motivated Central Subway is A-OK as it is.
But You Make The Call.
Here’s Rescue MUNI’s “CS Fact Sheet,” which basically tears apart a straw dog, and here’s Save MUNI:
“SaveMuni.com Comments:
CENTRAL SUBWAY AUDIT
On November 15, 2011, the Transportation Authority held a hearing on the new MTA Audit and ignored the Audit’s 46-page “Appendix VI: Central Subway Project”. Several press articles reported that the Audit examined 29 construction projects, excluding the Central Subway Project. But in fact, the “Limited Scope Performance Audit” evaluated the Subway’s financial risks—although it did not study transit effectiveness because of the contract’s limited scope.
MTA & CENTRAL SUBWAY AUDIT: Central Subway, Pages 171-217.
Auditors may be constrained in their criticism—especially when the scope of work is narrow and their client is a likely future customer. But reading between the lines, the Audit forewarns of potential future fiscal troubles. SOME HIGHLIGHTS:
- · “The potential for variation in the final cost of the project is large” (Page 172): The Audit expands on the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) concerns about construction and financial risks. In the context of the Audit’s study of 29 MTA construction projects and their delays/ cost escalations, past performance is an indicator of future risks.
- · “The Central Subway Project is the highest risk project that the SFMTA has undertaken” (Page 184): The Audit expands on the FTA’s concerns.
- · “There is a 30% likelihood of the total project cost in year of expenditure dollars being equal to or less than $1,578 million” (Page 185). The audit couches potential cost overruns in terms of financial probability theory. Although construction contingency dollars and schedules have been increased, the history of large infrastructure projects, in the Bay Area and throughout the United States, shows astronomical cost overruns and unpredictability—within the same financial/ management models. Moreover, in latest project budgets, contingency dollars appear to have decreased.
- · “A study of the funds required for maintaining the state-of-good-repair expenditures revealed that SFMTA’s total assets on the FTA’s Condition Code were above the 2.5 out of 5 minimum required by the FTA” (Page 197). With the current $1.9 billion in deferred maintenance and $1.6 billion in budget deficits over the next 20 years, MTA should have already devoted higher expenditures to maintain assets in a state of repair. Instead, the Central Subway will only lead to more service cuts, life-safety threats and draconian revenue hikes—unless the project is halted.
- · “However, full funding is not guaranteed and the availability of funds when needed may still be an issue” (Page 198). Officials and the citizenry are increasingly scrutinizing the Central Subway’s data falsifications and misrepresentations—while the FTA reviews the final application and the State of California faces increasing budget deficits and bond indebtedness.
- · “The Audit Team is not aware of consequences for the [MTA] Board or the Board Members if performance is unsatisfactory, nor are there any criteria that define what constitutes unsatisfactory performance” (Page 210). By the Central Subway’s estimated completion date in 2019, most elected officials will not be in office and many MTA staff will be retired. History indicates that it’s too easy to spend other people’s money. The political benefits and quid pro quo of large infrastructure projects outweigh actual transportation benefits. Unless the MTA Board, staff, consultants, Supervisors and Mayor bear some personal liability, taxpayers will be singularly liable for future cost overruns and crippling deficits.
- · “Now, at the half-way point in the project, the cost estimates at completion are approximately double that at initiation” (Page 213). Again, past performance is an indicator of future performance.
- · “[SFMTA] will comply with Prop K policies to delay the expenditure of Prop K funds to the extent possible without putting the project at risk” (Page 271). However, the Subway’s budgets show $72 million of Prop K funds will be expended in the next two years. The recent MTA contract for tunnel boring machines usurped $57 million of Prop K sales tax funds—in lieu of restoring service cuts or improving citywide Muni.
Central Subway Boondoggle = Waste and Inefficiency
A Vibrant Citywide Muni System = Revival and Value
Regards,
Choose or lose!
Justin Ryan Beck is Back! OccupySF = Hippie, Cop, Nervous Pup, Hipster, Black Power Salute, MUNI 1057 (Cincinnati, 1948)
Monday, October 31st, 2011Famous San Francisco street photographer Justin Beck has bounced back from losing his camera on the mean Streets of San Francisco, looks like. He’s got another Nikon to work with so that’s nice.
Check it, a canary yellow streetcar.
Is this an album cover?
Via JRB – click to expand
Poor pooch. Daijoobu, daijobu. Gambate!
Central Subway Boondoggle Update: Government Audits & Oversight Committee Hearing This Thursday
Tuesday, October 25th, 2011Well, here it is, coming up at 10:00 AM on October 27th, 2011:
“Hearing on the recently published 2010-2011 Civil Grand Jury report entitled “Central Subway Too Much Money For Too Little Benefit.”
Leave us review why the Central Subway sucks so much:
It has a pattern of increasing cost estimates.
San Francisco will be responsible for any cost overruns which could be substantial.
The addition of a new subway line will add to an existing operating deficit and could stretch the existing maintenance environment to the breaking point.
There are no plans to address existing problems on the Stockton corridor before project completion.
There is no effective transfer to the Muni Metro and BART systems.
It ignores service to the Financial District.
It ignores current transportation trends
So, the reply from the Central Subway people is that these criticisms are the same old thing. But they’re still valid criticisms, right?
A premature celebration?
Save Muni will be on the scene at City Hall, looks like:
“SaveMuni strongly condemns Mayor Ed Lee’s careless and highly inaccurate response to the Grand Jury’s carefully researched report on the Central Subway
On October 27, the Board of Supervisors Government Audits and Oversight Committee will consider the results of the Grand Jury’s seven month investigation of the Central Subway debacle. SaveMuni will support the well reasoned conclusions of the Grand Jury’s report and provide new information about the Central Subway and its failings.
SaveMuni will also expose and rebut the MTA’s weak response to the Grand Jury report, which consists mainly of vague generalizations intended to defend the status quo at all costs. Because of MTA’s and Mayor’s inadequate responses we will call upon the Board of Supervisors to table the matter until such time as the MTA and Mayor Lee have provided detailed and well thought out responses to each of the Grand Jury’s findings and recommendations.
Government Audits & Oversight Committee
Civil Grand Jury Report: “Central Subway – Too Much Money For Too Little Benefit”
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011, 10:00 AM
City Hall Room 263, San Francisco
Agenda: http://www.sfbos.org/Modules/
All right, see you there!
Ever more deets:
September 17, 2011 - Central Subway Charts: Compares ridership, costs and trip Times. Highlights SFMTA’s deceptive marketing practices.
September 9, 2011 – San Francisco City Attorney and Mayoral candidate Dennis Herrera comes out strongly against the Central Subway.
September 9, 2011 - San Francisco Examiner: “Central Subway federal funds in jeopardy”.
September 4, 2011 – San Francisco Chronicle editorial blasts Central Subway.
August 31, 2011 – Former Board of Supervisors Presdent Aaron Peskins strongly opposes Central Subway.
August 29, 2011 – SaveMuni.com summary of how the Central Subway was deceptively marketed to San Francisco.
August 23, 2011 – San Francisco Bay Guardian comes out against the Central Subway.
August 23, 2011 – Wall Street Journal editorial blasts Central Subway.
https://sites.google.com/a/savemuni.com/save-san-francisco-s-muni/wall-street-journal—august-23-2011
August 18, 2011 – Jake McGoldrick, former Chair, San Francisco County Transportation Authority, announces his strong opposition to the project.
August 14, 2011 – Other Muni improvements. For a plan for Stockton Street click on Download. For other Muni improvements click on https://sites.google.com/a/savemuni.com/save-san-francisco-s-muni/save-muni-summit
July 22,2011 – Cal Watchdog digs into the Central Subway mess.
July 16, 2011 – Judge Quentin L. Kopp blasts the project.
July 1, 2011 – San Francisco Grand Jury Releases Report is released.
May 9, 2011 – Sierra Club Resolution calling for Central Subway funds to be put to better use on behalf of Muni.
November 9, 2010 – SaveMuni.com Central Subway White Paper relased
Dennis Herrera Throws Down: Central Subway “Poses Graves Risks to MUNI” – Plus, a MUNI Rider Rant
Tuesday, September 27th, 20111. Here’s what’s first up:
“SAN FRANCISCO (Sept. 27, 2011) — City Attorney Dennis Herrera today issued the following statement through his campaign for Mayor of San Francisco on a Board of Supervisors resolution expressing support for the controversial Central Subway project. Herrera published his 11-page issue paper on Sept. 8 outlining his opposition to the project as currently conceived on the basis of extensive evidence. The campaign issue paper detailed Herrera’s rationale for why the Central Subway project has ceased to be a prudent investment; why it will not improve MUNI service; and why it does not fulfill the objectives of a modern citywide transit system.
Herrera’s conclusion mirrored findings of the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury, whose July report after a seven-month investigation concluded that the Central Subway project was “too much money for too little benefit,” and should be redesigned.
The following is Dennis Herrera’s statement on the Board resolution today:
“Reasonable minds can disagree, but I strongly believe that the roughly $1-billion-per-mile cost of the Central Subway cannot justified by its purported benefits. As currently designed, it poses grave risks to MUNI’s financial stability and will adversely impact transit riders citywide. I respect the views of Board members who support the project, and I think we can all agree that the enormous costs and risks of this project to San Francisco taxpayers deserve a serious, substantive discussion about its relative merits. I welcome that debate, and hope it is one all the mayoral candidates will have in this election season.”
Herrera’s issue paper on the topic, entitled, “It’s Time to Rethink the Central Subway.”
http://herreraformayor.com/
OK, fine.
2. Now, let’s hear from a MUNI rider, who also has some thoughts on the horrible, politically-motivated Central Subway.
Read the whole thing from John Murphy right here. An excerpt:
“Supervisors -
I am dismayed to hear your commentary regarding the Central Subway in the Board of Supervisors today. Certainly it has become a political football as we all know.
Full disclosure – in my opinon, there are better options for rider service than digging a tunnel. However, I think a well designed tunnel has a lot of benefit that might scale to larger solutions, so I cannot oppose the idea of such a tunnel.
However, if this subway does get built I feel it is imperative to move the Union Square station to connect directly at Powell. If we spend “over a Billion” dollars on this project, we must do it properly, otherwise it will not draw the support that will get us the money to extend the system further.
The transit dependent citizens of Chinatown – and transit dependent citizens of other neighborhoods – will be done a huge disservice if the subway goes in as it is designed. Every Saturday AM I ride the BART from the outer neighborhoods towards the East Bay. It is absolutely packed with senior citizens from Daly City who are headed to Chinatown, and whom transfer to the 30 at Powell Street Station. The reverse trip is also very common. Those people deserve a legitimate connection from BART and MUNI Metro to the Central Subway – not a series of escalators and a long walk to Union Square. The Central Subway supporters claim that the Union Square/Powell connection does exist, but as a reference the “combined” station will resemble the “Chatelet” station in Paris, which is used as a connection primarly by confused tourists who have yet to realize that the connection is worse than going above ground and walking to your destination.
This echos Supervisor Chu’s call for outer neighborhood connectivity – the current design reduces that connectivity! The average age of the riders I see on those trains is well over 60. In theory the 30 Stockton will still exist, but the operations funding needed to run the Central Subway will reduce the ability to run that line at frequency….”
I learned a thing or two there, didn’t you?
I mean, I just don’t understand how on Earth the Central Subway, as it’s proposed, makes sense.
3. Do you know that after they cancelled the Bridge to Nowhere, Sarah Palin went ahead and built the $26,000,000 connecting road anyway? It’s called the Road to Nowhere.
See it? They were going to build a Golden Gate Bridge so people in town could get to the airport on a road instead of on a ferry. The bridge was going to go in right at the lower right of the photo:
Click to expand
Why should the federal government fund projects that can’t get financed on a more local level?
Oh well.
Hey, Why Don’t We Spend Our Money on Critical Transit Infrastructure Instead of the Central Subway Big Dig 2?
Friday, September 23rd, 2011Here’s the news of the day, from Will Reisman:
“San Francisco Central Subway costly even if aborted“
Well, sure.
Duh.
Costly mistakes such as the politically-motivated Central Subway project can be costly. Yes.
The question now is what to do about it, right?
Now, what about the hundreds of thousands of dollars we’ve given to Tom Otterness? If we say we’ve made a mistake, go away Tom, keep the money we’ve already given you, well then yes, that will cost us money. But it’d the right thing to do at this point.
Similarly, the hundreds of millions already sunk into the Central Subway project will be “wasted” if the Feds pull the plug or if Congress changes its mind or if we just cancel it on our own. But it’d be the right thing to do at this point.
The politicians who say they support the Central Subway – you know what they really think about it? For a lot of them, they have a nuanced position, they’re not mindless cheerleaders the way they sometimes seem.
Can you think of any other big federal project that had such a negative grand jury report come out beforehand? I can’t.
What other large federally-funded project in American history, you know, a project designed ostensibly to benefit just one city, has had such strong local opposition?
We’re special! We’re unique!
At least the Bridge to Nowhere was eventually cancelled, right?
Anyway, just for laughs, since the politicians in charge wish to ignore it:
CENTRAL SUBWAY - TOO MUCH MONEY FOR TOO LITTLE BENEFIT.
Now, is the Central Subway the best way to spend transit dollars, the best way to improve MUNI? That’s the question.
It’ll cost $315,660 per new rider, minimum? What if it were a million – would the boosters still be boosting? Well, sure, that would mean more money for them, more money for the politically-connected builders, right?
It’s the same question now as four years ago:
“Central Subway: Visionary Project or Colossal Boondoggle?”
And the answer’s the same now – yes it’s a visionary project and yes it’s a colossal boondoggle.
Oh well.
Best San Francisco Examiner Newspaper Cover Ever: “Art Money for a Dog Killer” Re: Central Subway Art
Friday, September 16th, 2011There’s no reason for me to read the actual bit, AFAIAC, ’cause I already don’t like our troubled CentralSubwayBigDigSubwayToNowhere.
Click to expand
But as for you, enjoy.
Central T Subway: Connecting People, Connecting Communities, Giving Money to Dog Killers
BTW, here are the policies for the ridiculous Central Subway blog, you know, in case it gets a reader or commenter some day.
“Central Subway is Phase 2 of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) Third Street Light Rail Project. It will operate as an extension of the T Third line and will extend light rail service with a surface stop on 4th Street near Brannan Street, and subway service under the South of Market (SoMa), Union Square and Chinatown neighborhoods. The Central Subway project is a critical transportation improvement linking neighborhoods in the southeastern part of San Francisco with the retail and employment centers downtown and in Chinatown, and it will provide much needed and improved transportation to an under-served portion of the City.
The Central Subway Blog is monitored and maintained by the project’s Outreach Team.
Comment Policy
The Central Subway Blog serves as a forum for open communication about San Francisco’s Central Subway project. We welcome your comments and expect that our conversation will follow the general rules of respectful civil discourse – we expect this community to treat its members with respect.
Bloggers are fully responsible for everything they include in their comments, and all posted comments are in the public domain. We do not discriminate against any views, but we reserve the right not to post comments. The Central Subway Blog will remove any comments that include personal attacks, slurs, offensive language, or otherwise inappropriate content.
Thank you for visiting the Central Subway Blog!
Linking Policy and Disclaimer of Endorsement
The views expressed by official authors of the Central Subway Blog reflect the official opinion of the Central Subway project and SFMTA. The views of public comments may not necessarily reflect those of Central Subway, SFMTA or the City of San Francisco.
The Central Subway Blog includes useful hypertext links to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations and individuals’ blogs. The Central Subway and SFMTA share these links solely for the public’s information and convenience.
When you select a link to an outside Web site, you are leaving the Central Subway Blog and are subject to the privacy and security policies of the owners/sponsors of the outside Web site.
The Central Subway and SFMTA do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness or completeness of information contained on a linked Web site.
The Central Subway and SFMTA do not endorse the organizations sponsoring linked Web sites, and we do not endorse the views they express or the products/services they offer.
The Central Subway and SFMTA cannot authorize the use of copyrighted materials contained in linked Web sites. Users must request such authorization from the sponsor of the linked Web site. Those who provide comments are responsible for the copyright of the text they provide.
The Central Subway and SFMTA are not responsible for transmissions users receive from linked Web sites.
The Central Subway and SFMTA do not guarantee that outside Web sites comply with Section 508 (Accessibility Requirements) of the Rehabilitation Act.”
Come to This Thursday’s “Workout NightLife” Party at Our CalAcademy and See If You Can Find Jared, the Subway Guy
Monday, July 25th, 2011Our California Academy of Sciences is bringing it this Thursday night, July 28th, 2011 from 6:00 to 10:00 PM – it’s WORKOUT NIGHTLIFE just in time for the 2011 San Francisco Marathon on July 31st!
Bring your camera for when you spot Jared Fogle:
All the deets:
This week, NightLife works up a sweat in preparation for The San Francisco Marathon. CHEER SF will pump up the crowd with two performances in the East garden, followed by a costume contest for the best in workout attire (see below for categories). The SF Marathon crew and race partners will host interactive components including a chair massage station by Everest College, a yoga station from Lululemon, strategies from Bootcamp SF, UCSF RunSafe gait analysis and injury prevention advice, and contestants Ada Wong and Jesse Atkins from The Biggest Loser Season 10 leading a circuit workout. Plus, a series of creative short clips made just for planetarium domes at 6:30. Music by DJ Kap10.
Win a chance to run the 5k with “The Subway Guy,” Jared Fogle presented by The San Francisco Marathon! The “Where’s Jared” hunt will take place from 6pm to 9pm at NightLife. Dressed for the occasion, Jared will be in his finest workout attire. Be the first person to post 5 photos of Jared in 5 different locations at Nightlife to The The SF Marathon Facebook page and you will win an entry to the 5k event at The San Francisco Marathon on Sunday, July 31st!
Schedule of Events
6-9pm Snakes & Lizards- new exhibit! (Last entry at 8:45pm)/ Forum
6-10pm DJ Kap 10/ East Pavilion
6:30pm Best of DomeFest/ Planetarium
6:30-9:30pm SF Marathon Partners & Active Workshops / African Hall
7:30 & 8pm Performance by CHEER SF/ East Garden
7:30 & 8:30pm Life: A Cosmic Story/ Planetarium
8:30pm Workout Wear Costume Contest/ Piazza
San Francisco Pedestrians are the Worst Pedestrians in the World: “Stay Behind Yellow Line, Use X-Walk to Cross Street”
Monday, July 25th, 2011I have no idea what happened in this incident here,* involving a serious head injury and a MUNI bus on Market Street, but check out Famous Akit‘s recent first-hand experiences of people who don’t know enough to stay behind the yellow line right here.
Da Law is the Da Law, both above and below ground, right?
Here’s how it works, peds, and this applies the world over, you need to stay behind the yellow line and leave that airspace free for people who are driving buses and taxis and cars and motorcycles and bicycles, and, I don’t know, skateboards and Segways.
Leave us review:
“Use X-Walk to Cross Street, Stay Behind Yellow Line, Use X-Walk to Cross Street, Stay Behind Yellow Line…”
Click to expand
If you spend any time at all driving any kind of vehicle up and down Market Steet, you’ll know that, for some reason, San Francisco pedestrians feel:
1. It’s their innate right to jaywalk 24/7/365; and
2. There’s no reason for them to actually look for oncoming traffic before jaywalking because of #1 (see above), their innate right to jaywalk 24/7/365
The biggest threat to any pedestrian is the pedestrian him or herself, obviously.
And that goes double for the 415, home of the Worst Pedestrians in the World.
*I’m thinking that the initial reports of this tragedy had more certainty over what occurred. The ped in this case might be 100% not at fault.
“CitiReport” from Larry Bush is San Francisco’s BLOG OF THE YEAR for 2011: Mayor Ed Lee and “Run Ed Run”
Thursday, June 30th, 2011That’s it, it’s over. Newish, bloggish CitiReport from Larry Bush is so far ahead that it wins BLOG OF THE YEAR already, just halfway through 2011.
Here’s the latest:
“Run Ed Co-Chair’s Nonprofit Got $1 Million from Lee’s Office
by LARRY BUSH on 06/29/2011
“Gordon Chin, one of four co-chairs of the Run Ed Run campaign to draft Interim Mayor Ed Lee into this fall’s mayoral contest, heads a nonprofit awarded $1,136,000 directly from Mayor Lee’s office this year, an increase of more than $200,000 over the previous year.
“In total, Chin’s Chinatown Community Development Center received an additional million dollars from other city agencies and is in line for a multimillion contract as part of the Chinatown subway project. Between 2008/09 and the current year, the nonprofit has received $8,017,767 in city contracts, according to the Controller’s records.
“During this period, Chin and at least one of his board members have made political contributions to members of the Board of Supervisors and to candidates for the Board, despite a 2006 law that bans contributions from officers and directors of nonprofits that are negotiating or receive city contracts…”
And here’s the rest.
