SAN FRANCISCO—Mayor Edwin Lee and theSan Francisco Board of Supervisors has introduceda proposed $500-million general obligation bond for the Novemberballot that would go toward infrastructure projects aimed atsignificantly improving San Francisco'stransportation network—without raising propertytaxes. The bond would increase MUNI reliabilityand travel speed, upgrade transit stops and stations, improvepedestrian and bicycle safety and prepare for growth on the city'sbusiest travel corridors.

Key investments planned for the bond include:

• MUNI Forward Rapid Network capital projectsand other transit-improvement projects: $230 million
• MUNI maintenance facility upgrades: $70 million
• Pedestrian safety enhancements: $68 million
• “Complete Streets” projects, including new orenhanced bikeways: $52 million
• Transit-stop accessibility improvements: $30 million
• Traffic-signal replacement: $22 million

The bond will not raise property-tax rates and would includecitizen oversight and regular audits to assure accountability andtransparency. It is one of several recommendations of theSF 2030 Transportation Task Force, which Leeconvened last year, as GlobeSt.com reported in February, to examine the city'stransportation-infrastructure needs and prepare for its future. Thetask force found that to meet current need and future demand, theCity requires a $10-billion investment in transportationinfrastructure through 2030.

The City has identified $3.7 billion in funding, leaving a$6.3-billion funding gap over the next 15 years. The bond measure,which will begin to address the transportation-funding gap andallow the City to invest in much-needed local infrastructure, ispart of its 10-year capital plan, which prioritizes criticalcapital projects that impact public safety and improveneighborhoods.