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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 15/10/2023

Huge thanks to Anthony and his fellow SFMTA paint shop workers who did the paint work for the bus stop relocations between 1 and 6am yesterday morning! The new paint looks amazing and smells like...transit priority.

Smiling man in high-biz jacket and holding painting gloves standing in front of a pickup truck filled with street painting stencils.

Street under dark skies with white paint marking the words BUS STOP and a line demarcating the bus stop area.

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 06/09/2023

It was great to hear London Breed connect the approval of the Geary Boulevard Improvement Project to new housing on the Westside in her Transit Month speech today. We need a fast, reliable, and efficient transit system for all our neighbors, new and old!

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 06/09/2023

Whoops - forgot to post the victory post on Bsky! Blast from the past (Aug 15th): YESSSS, the SFMTA Board has unanimously passed the Geary Boulevard Improvement Project, including the quick build for this year as recommended by staff. Transit lanes and safety improvements IN THE GROUND in 2023!

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 15/08/2023

There's no evidence that delaying infrastructure upgrades, in order to avoid the tiny net parking loss incurred by this project, will bring the economic revitalization that the merchants seek. Our press release in advance of tomorrow's hearing on Geary: bit.ly/FSG-press

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 09/08/2023

@RichmondFamilySF is small, nimble, and fearless, and was early in publicly supporting the Geary Boulevard Improvement Project during the final push this spring and summer. Here's their flyer from early May, rolling out the red carpet for it. Thank you for leading, Richmond Fam!

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 09/08/2023

Study after study has found that retailers overestimate the number of their customers who drive, and underestimate walking, biking, and transit. So when cars are reduced on shopping streets, merchants are often pleasantly surprised by the boost to sales.

Retailers in many countries believe the majority of people travel to their stores by car. Study after study has shown this to be largely incorrect. When quizzed, retailers often overstate the numbers who they think drive; and understate modes such as walking, cycling and taking public transit. Removing cars from shopping streets often increases trade. For instance, a 2015 study of Queen Street West in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood found that half of the local business owners estimated that more than 25% of their customers arrived by car. In fact, it was 4%. And the number for those who walked or cycled? 72%.

Similarly, closing central Madrid to cars in 2018 resulted in a 9.5% boost to retail spending, found an analysis of 20 million anonymized transactions.

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 05/07/2023

So, what’s the catch? This project will reduce parking along the corridor by an average of 0.9 spots per block. Some of my merchant friends are worried. I love all my small businesses friends and will continue to talk with them about the benefits of a faster, safer Geary.

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 05/07/2023

4) Small businesses: 77% of shoppers who come to this stretch of Geary walk, bike, or take transit. Studies show that pedestrian street improvements drive revenue. Business owners often become their biggest champions after the changes! This is the economic revitalization that San Francisco needs.

How did you travel to Geary Boulevard today?

49%: Walk or Bike
28%: Transit
22%: Auto

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Faster Safer Geary @fastersafergeary.bsky.social · 05/07/2023

3) Climate: This project will reduce San Francisco's CO2 emissions by 5600 metric tons every year--equivalent to 700 households switching to renewable energy. To help San Franciscans shift more of their trips to lower-carbon modes, transit has to be competitive with cars.

Reduced greenhouse gasses

7,100 Estimated car trips that switch to transit due to project = 5,600 annual reduction in Carbon Dioxide (CO2 in metric tons)

Equivalent to CO2 reduction from:
10 Square miles of forest planted
or
700 Homes switching to sustainable energy

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