San Francisco was awarded a federal grant in 2018 that it was forced to return in 2022 because it couldn't start construction by 2025.
The Better Market Street project, approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 2019, has hit a snag: San Francisco is returning $15 million in federal grant funding for a project project because it expects to miss a construction deadline set for 2025.
Richard Cano reports on the details of the planning and bureaucracy failure for the San Francisco Chronicle.
"When San Francisco officials approved the ambitious Better Market Street project in 2019, they envisioned it would come with the construction of a rail loop for its historic streetcars," writes Cano."But the turnaround loop for Muni’s F line, planned just east of United Nations Plaza at Seventh and McAllister streets, has become the latest item in the project to get delayed or scaled back."
J.K. Dineen reported on the $15 million grant when it was awarded through the BUILD Grant program.
The loop for the F line has been moved to a later phase of construction. "Project leaders filled the $15 million funding hole with bond funds, and it’s unclear when, or if, the project will advance beyond its first phase of construction," according to Cano. Despite the setback, the Better Market Street project has already had an impact on the city's central business district, closing the street to most automobile traffic in January 2020.
FULL STORY: S.F. must return $15 million in grants to revitalize Market Street after failing to hit deadline
Pedestrian-Friendly Makeover of a Busy Toronto Street Stops Short of the Car-Free Ideal
The yongeTOmorrrow project is heading toward the finish line with widespread support from advocates, but a few want the plan to go one step further.
Car-Free Market Street Benefits Micromobility, Transit Without Ruining Car Commutes, Studies Say
Multiple studies have quantified the early results from a project in San Francisco that blocked most private automobile traffic from Market Street in the city's downtown.
Car-Free Streets Aren't a Silver Bullet
The San Francisco Chronicle's urban design critic tempers expectations for Market Street in San Francisco, where the city this week undertook an ambitious, but perhaps over-sold, redesign of the busy street.
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
Washington State Plans Ambitious ‘Cycle Highway’ Network
The state is directing funding to close gaps in its existing bike network and make long-distance trips more accessible.
Homeowners Blame PG&E for Delays in ADU Permits
The utility says it has dramatically reduced its backlog, but applicants say they still face months-long delays for approvals for new electrical work.
Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland