Webster Street - Pedestrian Countdown Signals

I. Scope

The SFMTA requests that $1.4 million in Prop AA funds be programmed to fund the design and construction phases of the Webster Street Pedestrian Countdown Signal (PCS) project. The project will be implemented on Webster Street along a 0.7 mile stretch, between McAllister and California Streets. Webster Street is a wide (90 feet) four lane street, with two traffic lanes going north and south and includes, bike lanes, parking lanes and a median island. The project would involve installing PCS and other signal hardware improvements intended to enhance pedestrian safety at 6 intersections along Webster Street including: California, Sutter, Eddy, Turk, Golden Gate and McAllister. Without a PCS, people who walk may find it difficult to notice if there is enough time to finish crossing the street. In such cases, some people who walk may remain in the crosswalk while the green light indication has been given to vehicular traffic. By law, drivers are required to yield to pedestrians. However, pedestrians can be intimidated to finish crossing the street in such an environment. The existing signal hardware at the proposed 6 locations is approaching the end of its useful life and does not have the capability to accommodate PCS because it lacks the underground conduits required for installation. Other improvements included in this project are installing new poles, signals and improved street lighting.

The proposed project in Supervisorial District 5 includes the WalkFirst corridors of Webster and Turk Streets as determined by the Mayor’s Pedestrian Safety Task Force. WalkFirst Corridors are targeted for improvements because they comprise only 6% of San Francisco streets but contribute to 60% of the total pedestrian injuries in the City.

The SFMTA has also prioritized 300 intersections citywide that do not have PCS. The factors used in the prioritization include collision history, presence of nearby pedestrian generators like schools or commercial districts, public requests, condition of conduits, traffic patterns along the corridor, and where PCS are missing to cross major streets. Among the 300 locations identified, Webster Street has become a higher priority because of its WalkFirst corridor status.

In addition to the installation of PCS, this project will improve the visibility of the vehicular signals within the project area. The intersections of Golden Gate and Webster and Turk and Webster are included in the top 10 Citywide intersections for the highest number of collisions for the period of April 2008 to March 2013. Of the different types of collisions, these two intersections show a higher incidence of broadside-type collisions. One of the best countermeasures for broadside-type collisions is improved signal visibility by installing new poles, mast-arms and larger signal heads (12”). Improved signal visibility will help reduce potential for collisions across all modes, including pedestrians and bicyclists.

Although there are no Muni transit lines that run along Webster Street, the proposed project complements the transit mode that cross Webster Street: the 2-Clement and 3-Jackson lines at Sutter, the 31-Balboa line at Eddy, and the 5–Fulton line at McAllister.

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Pedestrian improvements also benefit transit riders who use the 22-Fillmore line that runs one block parallel to Webster on Fillmore.

The possibility to program Prop AA funds to the project is coming at a very opportune time because the SFMTA is already coordinating with the Department of Public Works (DPW) on the existing Webster Street Pavement Renovation project that is scheduled to be advertised in June 2014 and begin construction in the Fall of 2014. The $3.9 million paving project is funded by a general obligation bond and has the project boundaries on Webster Street from McAllister to Green Streets. The SFMTA is currently working with DPW to include the installation of underground signal conduits as part of the repaving project. The SFMTA has provided $196,000 in operating funds to design and install conduit at 5 intersections on Webster. By coordinating with DPW, the City saves money and time because the conduit and curb ramps will be in place after the street is repaved. The SFMTA intends to start the above-grade signal design work when the paving project is underway so that the signal upgrade can follow immediately after paving is complete.

As a part of the repaving of Webster Street, the SFMTA is exploring the addition of buffered bicycle lanes on to the Webster Street.

Under the New Signal Contract 62 funded by Prop K, the SFMTA is in the process of designing an additional signal to be installed at Webster Street and O’Farrell Streets. The existing intersection has an all-way STOP. When constructed, the additional signal will be the seventh upgraded signal along the Webster Street WalkFirst corridor with PCS.

With the existing coordination efforts and the proposed programming of Prop AA funds to the Webster Street PCS project, the City can go beyond a repaving project and deliver a complete streets project to improve the safety of people who walk, take transit, bicycle and drive on a corridor that has been identified as having a high number of collisions.

II. Evaluation Criteria

A. Screening Criteria:

1. The SFMTA is an eligible project sponsor for Prop AA funds.

2. The Webster Street PCS project is eligible for funding under the Pedestrian Safety programmatic category.

3. Prop AA funds are being requested for the design and construction phases of the project.

4. The proposed project is a part of Plan Bay Area under project number 240488 to “Enhance bicycle and pedestrian facilities.”

5. The proposed project is consistent with San Francisco Pedestrian Strategy Plan that was adopted by the Mayor’s Pedestrian Safety Task Force in April 2013. The task force is an interagency collaboration among the Department of Public

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Health, the SFMTA, the Department of Public Works, Police Department, the Planning Department, District Attorney’s Office and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.

B. General Prioritization Criteria:

1. Project Readiness: The Webster Street PCS project will be ready to start the detailed design phase by July 2014 and begin charging staff labor towards the grant. Signal conduits and curb ramps will be included in the Webster Paving project to be constructed later this year.

2. Level of Urgency: The Webster Street PCS project will address safety issues for people who walk along two WalkFirst corridors on Webster and Turk Streets. The WalkFirst corridors have been designated by their disproportionately high number of pedestrian safety concerns. The PCS will reduce conflicts for people who walk as they access the neighborhood facilities such as schools, senior centers, supermarkets, transit, numerous churches, and a public housing complex. The proposed signal improvements intends to increase signal visibility and reduce the incidents of vehicular collisions at two of the City’s top ten highest collision intersections that are within the project boundaries.

3. Community Engagement/Support: The proposed project is consistent with San Francisco Pedestrian Strategy Plan that was adopted by the Mayor’s Pedestrian Task Force in April 2013. The task force is an interagency collaboration among the Department of Public Health, the SFMTA, the Department of Public Works, Police Department, the Planning Department, District Attorney’s Office and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.

4. Geographic Equity: The Webster Street PCS project will address documented safety concerns in WalkFirst Corridor where there are a disproportionately high number of accidents relative to the City at large. Two of the project intersections are in the top 10 Citywide list for collisions. The dollars to be programmed to this project will have a greater impact on improving safety than a non-WalkFirst corridor. The SFMTA project will also improve the quality of life for a densely populated neighborhood with a public housing complex.

5. Fund Leveraging: Although the proposed project is proposed to be 100% funded by Prop AA, it is indirectly leveraged by the $3.9 million DPW paving project budget that is funded by a general obligation bond and the $196,000 from the SFMTA’s operating funds to pay for the design and installation of conduit. By having the conduit and curb ramps in place from the paving project, the proposed project will reduce overall costs. The proposed programming of Prop AA funds will turn a repaving project into a true Complete Streets project for the citizens who live and travel along the Webster Corridor using the different modes of transportation.

6. Project Delivery Track Record: The Prop AA-funded Pedestrian Signal Countdown No. 1 contract is currently under construction. There was a slow

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start to the project because the SFMTA instructed the contractor to give high priority to the high profile pedestrian and bicycle improvement work, ahead of the Prop AA funded project. The contractor is back on track and is scheduling signal activations for the PCS 1 contract intersections from April to June 2014. At this point, the SFMTA anticipates that the contractor will meet the original contract schedule and duration.

C. Programmatic Category Prioritization – Pedestrian Safety

1. Hazard reduction: The Webster Street PCS project will improve pedestrian safety by minimizing the hazards to pedestrians and vehicles in a corridor that has been documented to have a disproportionate amount of accidents. Pedestrians will be able to better discern whether there is enough time to safely cross the street and reduce the incidences of remaining in the crosswalk when the light turns red. People who drive will also have improved safety with better signal visibility so that they can prepare to stop for signal changes earlier.

2. Consistency with WalkFirst Efforts: Yes. Webster Street has been identified as a WalkFirst Corridor by the Mayor’s Pedestrian Safety Task Force.

3. Improve access to schools and transit: The proposed Webster Street PCS project is ideally located to improve pedestrian access to schools and transit. The project area provides access to the Rosa Parks Elementary School, the Little Children’s Development Center, and improves access to 5 MUNI lines including the 2-Clement, the 3-Jackson, the 5-Fulton, the 22-Fillmore, and the 31 Balboa. Beyond schools and transit, the implementation of the Webster Street PCS project will improve access to seniors and all people who travel in the corridor. Also adjacent to the project area is the Rosa Parks Senior Center, a public housing complex, a Safeway supermarket and numerous neighborhood churches.

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Webster Street WalkFirst Pedestrian Countdown Signals (PCS)

Intersection

Walk First Area

PCS in placeMuni Lines

Total Collisions 4/08-3/13

Pedestrian Collisions 4/08-3/13

Broadside Collisions 4/08-3/13

Turk and Webster Y None None 27 3 13

Sutter and Webster

Y None 2, 3 13 2 6

Golden Gate and Webster

Y None None 23 0 18

Eddy and Webster

YPCS missing crossing Eddy

31 17 1 8

McAllister and Webster

YPCS missing crossing McAllister

5 13 3 4

California and Webster

YPCS missing crossing Webster

None 7 1 6

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