comments from community

I attended the Engineering Public Hearing of the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency on Friday morning. This hearing was chaired by John Newlin, whom is an ex-police officer in San Francisco

The meeting started off with John Newlin giving the microphone over to those opposing the shelter on the inbound #19 line at the northwest corner of Hyde and Turk Streets. Their comments gave way to many inaccuracies and false characterizations. One person claimed he had never seen seniors and persons with mobility problems using the bus stop. Others said that the shelter was used by persons engaged in criminal activities, rather than seniors and others with mobility problems. Many of those in opposition are not Muni riders and are certainly not seniors or persons with disabilities.

Then Captain Gary Jimenez from the Tenderloin Police Station got up and said that he was asked by the SFPD Command Staff to speak against the re-installation of the shelter so desperately needed by senior and disabled riders. He basically stated that his command was unable (unwilling?)to deal with the sale and use of drugs in our neighborhood and rather focusing on the drug problems of the neighborhood he wants to penalize the frail elderly and mobility impaired residents of the area. He spoke of increased problems created by the methadone clinic, but the shelter is an easier target. If he was so concerned about what was happening in the neighborhood he could have patrol cars stationed on the northeast corner and have foot patrol officers focus on the drug problem on the northwest corner and the problem with sidewalk sales so prevalent on the northeast corner. If the captain feels he is not up to the job at hand, maybe there is a desk job waiting for him somewhere.

Muni Disability Services and other Muni representatives gave a wonderful presentation. The representative from the Mayor's Office on Disability was forceful in her comments on the need for this shelter. David Villa-Lobos dynamically spoke about the issue and emphasized the support of those seniors and persons with disabilities from the community that signed the petition.

When I came to the podium I spoke to the needs of seniors and the mobility impaired in regard to the shelters re-installation. My comments made it clear that the criminal activity in the neighborhood should be addressed by the police, as there is going to be criminal activity in the area regardless of whether there is a shelter there or not. I gave the analogy of doing away with the #14 line because there was a stabbing of a man that came to the aid of a senior woman that was being assaulted on a bus. I also stated that I had spoken to Muni staff about the charge of there being a problem and was told there had not been any serious reports in the matter.

John Newlin stated in his decision that we should come together and come to an agreement, but sided with the people wishing to discriminate against the seniors and disabled residents living in the area. Rather than making a final determination he could have continued this item to a future date. In my mind I have to ask would they do this in a more affluent neighborhood or whether the fact that the hearing officer (a former police officer) gave the captains comments greater weight.

Result of Hearing 10-26-07 on bus shelter

Re: Removal-Re-installation of MUNI # 19 Polk Bus Shelter ( Northwest Corner of Hyde at Turk )

At the DPT hearing today ( 10-26-07), the hearing officer after hearing public comment both in opposition-support for the bus shelter's reinstall decided to uphold the removal of this much needed bus shelter.

DPT Order No. 3424 October 15, 2007

SFMTA home > About Us > Boards & Meetings > Engineering Hearings > October 26, 2007, Hearing Notice


Pursuant to DPT Order No. 3424 adopted October 15, 2007 the Department of Parking and Traffic will hold a public hearing to solicit public input on the following proposed changes. The hearing will be held as follows:
Date/Time: Friday, October 26, 2007 at 10 AM
Location:Room 416 (Hearing Room 4) City Hall, San Francisco
(located on Van Nes Avenue, between McAllister and Grove Streets) ____________________________________________________________________________
METERED MOTORCYCLE PARKING - ESTABLISH
Washington Street, south side, from Montgomery Street to 161 feet easterly; and,
Clay Street, north side, from 96 feet east of Montgomery Street to 66 feet easterly.
RED (NO PARKING ANYTIME) ZONES - ESTABLISH
Stanyan Street, east side, from 10 feet to 40 feet south of Parnassus Avenue
YELLOW ZONE, 8 AM TO 6 PM, MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY - RESCIND
YELLOW ZONE, 8 AM TO 4 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY - ESTABLISH
199 Parnassus Avenue, south side, from 7.5 feet to 82.5 feet east of Stanyan Street (75-foot yellow zone)
BLUE ZONE - RESCIND
Balboa Street, north side, from 101 feet to 121 feet west of 37th Avenue (mid-block blue zone).
BLUE ZONE - ESTABLISH
Balboa Street, north side, from 17 to 24 feet west of 37th Avenue (northwest corner).
VEHICLES OVER 6 FEET TALL PARKING PROHIBITION - ESTABLISH
Judah Street, north side, from 29th Avenue to 30 feet easterly
BUS SHELTER – RE-INSTALL
Hyde and Turk Streets, northwest corner.
RESIDENTIAL PERMIT PARKING AREA "S" (2-HOUR TIME LIMIT, 8 AM - 9 PM, MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) - ESTABLISH
21st Street, both sides, between Noe and Sanchez Streets (3700 block).
Sanchez Street, both sides, between 22nd and Hill Streets (part of the 800 block);
Noe Street, both sides, between 21st and 22nd Streets (800 blocks); and
Hill Street, both sides, between Noe and Sanchez Streets (400 block).
NO PARKING ANYTIME - RESCIND
Napoleon Street, south side, from 494 feet to 325 feet east of Jerrold Avenue (in front of 244, 202, 200, and 196 Napoleon Street).
ONE-WAY STREET - ESTABLISH
Stone Street, southbound from Jackson Street to Washington Street.
Dianne Feinstein Elementary:
PART-TIME PASSENGER LOADING ZONE, 7:15 AM TO 8:30 AM, 1:15 PM TO 2:30 PM, SCHOOL DAYS — REVOKE
“2537” 24th Avenue, west side, from 5 feet to 45 feet south of the north property line. (40-foot zone)
PART-TIME PASSENGER LOADING ZONE, 7:15 AM TO 8:30 AM, 1:15 PM TO 2:30 PM, SCHOOL DAYS — EXTENSION
“1346” Vicente Street, north side, from 120 to 244 feet east of 25th Avenue. (124-foot zone)
__________________________________________________________________________
A copy of this hearing notice can be obtained at www.sfmta.com/engineering. Opinions on these proposed changes may be filed in writing prior to the hearing with the City Traffic Engineer at the Traffic Engineering Division, 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5417. Written opinions may also be transmitted to the Traffic Engineering Division via fax at 701-4737. Submitted opinions will become part of the official public record and will be brought to the attention of the person(s) conducting the hearing. Information on the proposed changes may be obtained from the Traffic Engineering Division at the above-referenced address or by telephone at 701-4500.

Department of Parking and Traffic
Bond M. Yee, Executive Director

Hearing on Shelter on Hyde & Turk

Hearing onShelter on Hyde & Turk