Muni bus facility project will leverage a transportation upgrade into various community benefits including open space and affordable housing

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which operates the Municipal Railway (Muni), received today notification from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) that its Phelan Loop Project has been awarded $6.8 million under the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant—Livability Bus Program. The Phelan Loop Project will reconfigure the current Muni bus turnaround on Ocean Avenue just west of Phelan Avenue, leveraging a transportation upgrade into a variety of community benefits including a new open space, retail areas and new affordable housing within walking distance of a major transit hub and San Francisco City College. Read more.

Sunday Streets new activities include San Jose Sharks, Circus Bella and more.

San Francisco’s Sunday Streets program will occur in the Mission for the second time this year on July 11, 2010. The event promises to be full of fun and features several special activities: The San Jose Sharks will host hockey demonstrations (Harrison St. between 18th and 19th Streets), and Circus Bella presents a free noontime circus performance (Harrison at 20th in the O’Connell High School lot). Sunday Streets will feature popular local cultural performances from Mission-based artists, dance studios and performers in addition to health and fitness oriented activities along the 3 mile route.

“Sunday Streets has become a great way for families from all over the Bay Area to enjoy our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Newsom. “It has also become a national model for creating a safe, fun, car-free place for people to get out and get active.” Read more.

New Program Changes Also Strengthen Local Workforce Requirements and Encourage Use of Local Installers

Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced that the City’s highly successful solar initiative, GoSolarSF, is online for the new fiscal year and accepting applications beginning today. All applications postmarked July 1, 2010 or after, will be processed by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). For the 2010 – 2011 fiscal year, the SPFUC is allocating $5 million, of which $2 million will be dedicated to low-income residential applicants. The remaining $3 million is available for all incentive levels; business, residential and non-profit. Since launching in July 2008, GoSolarSF has dramatically increased the number of solar installations in San Francisco from 795 to 1,934, and also created at least 40 new “green-collar” jobs with local companies.

“GoSolarSF has more than doubled the number of solar installations in our City and created dozens of jobs,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “This program is literally transforming how our homes and businesses generate and consume electricity rooftop by rooftop.” Read more.

Mayor Gavin Newsom today announced that the City has exceeded this fiscal year’s paving goal of 300 blocks by 10 blocks, with the Department of Public Works (DPW) paving 310 blocks by today, the last day of the fiscal year. The Mayor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2010-11 includes $50.5 million to design and pave 400 blocks.

“I’m proud that, despite the lingering economic recession, we have steadily increased our commitment to street repaving and exceeded our goal for the year,” said Mayor Newsom. “Street paving and maintenance is vital to our economy, public safety and our quality of life, and we must do more. As we continue to make vital repairs and upgrades to our infrastructure, we must also work together to develop a viable, long-term plan to further increase funding for street repaving and improve the overall conditions of our streets.”

Several paving projects this year were made possible by the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, including Turk Street from Market Street to Van Ness Avenue, Jones Street from Market to California Street, several blocks along 7th Avenue and Laguna Honda Boulevard, and Divisadero Street from Waller to Geary Boulevard. Read more.