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Central Subway Gets Green Light
In today's Chronicle:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/...#ixzz0c4OhVGU8
Quote:
Federal transit officials gave San Francisco the green light Thursday to enter the final design stage of the $1.6 billion Central Subway project.
The approval -- long-awaited by city officials -- puts Muni in better standing to receive $942 million in transportation funding from Uncle Sam to build the 1.7 mile light-rail extension into Chinatown from China Basin.
'This is great news. It's a big step forward for public transportation in San Francisco,'' said project manager John Funghi.
The Federal Transit Administration said the city has shown it has adequate financial, technical and environmental plans to proceed with developing a more refined design.
However, federal officials tempered their congratulations with a few warning signs before more money will flow from the U.S. Treasury. Chief among them: Muni needs to secure $164 million in local, regional and state funding for the project by the end of 2011.
Federal officials also raised concerns that Muni may have difficulty maintaining the system's current level of service and properly maintaining the fleet once the Central Subway is added -- both requirements of the federal funding program. Muni officials voiced confidence that they can demonstrate that the Central Subway will not erode other service.
Muni officials expect the earliest they'll hear whether the full federal funding grant will be awarded is in late 2011. Plans call for starting service in 2018.
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"You need both a public and a private position." --Hillary Clinton, speaking behind closed doors to the National Multi-Family Housing Council, 2013
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