Community Updates

by Supervisor Katy Tang

 Welcome Capt. Robert Yick

This month we pause to focus on gratitude. The safety of family and friends is always at

the front of our minds and hearts. I thank our dedicated public safety officials, who risk

their lives to protect our communities.

I would like to extend my deep appreciation to Capt. Denise Flaherty for her three

years of service as captain at the Taraval Police Station. Since 2015, Flaherty has been an

excellent partner to our office on efforts to improve public safety in the Sunset District.

We wish her success in her next endeavor as captain of the SF Police Academy.

Taking the helm as our newest police captain is Robert Yick, who began his law

enforcement career in 1992 at the UC Berkeley Police Department. In 1994, he

transferred to the SF Police Department (SFPD) and worked as a field training officer

at Central Station in the North Beach area. He then transferred to Richmond Station and

worked as both a uniformed and plainclothes officer. He moved up the ranks and

became an inspector and sergeant, where he worked in the night investigations and

domestic violence divisions and the Operations Bureau as the patrol special liaison. He

has also worked in the Internal Affairs division and at the Mission District Station.

Yick has years of experience and a wide breadth of knowledge. We are looking forward

to having him represent our community and advocate for public safety for our residents.

Boat Playground Restroom Groundbreaking

The SF Recreation and Park Department will begin construction of a new restroom at the

Boat Playground within Golden Gate Park, located at 45th Avenue and Lincoln Way.

A group of neighbors, led by the 45th Avenue Neighborhood Association, built

community support and advocated for funding in collaboration with our office. The

newly built, free-standing restroom will also include improvements to the adjacent

pedestrian path, additional landscaping and a new irrigation system. Construction is

expected to begin in November and last about seven months.

West Sunset Field Opening

Come join me and the SF Recreation and Park Department on Thursday, Nov. 16, from

3:30– 4:30 p.m., for the reopening of the West Sunset Playground Athletic Fields, located

on 41st Avenue, between Pacheco and Quintara streets. We will celebrate the newly

renovated fields with a ceremonial first pitch, baseball clinics and more!

The completed project includes:

• Replacement of rusting and failing fencing and gates with new chain link fencing;

• Installation of new baseball backstops, dugouts and associated field amenities;

• Installation of two new batting cages;

• Replacement of the irrigation system on all athletic fields and landscaped areas;

• Upgrading of infrastructure to improve drainage;

• Installation of park furniture, including trash receptacles, drinking fountains,

aluminum bleachers, bike racks and park signage;

• Waterproofing the exterior concrete stadium surface to eliminate leaks;

• Painting the exterior of the structures;

• Replacement of damaged fencing and handrails; and,

• Renovation of restrooms in the lower bleacher structure.

If you have any further questions, please contact Dan Mauer of SF Recreation and Park

at Dan.Mauer@sfgov.org.

66-Quintara Bus Line Reconfiguration Meeting on Nov. 16

As part of an effort to bring better transit service to west-side residents, our office

requested that the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) analyze a potential re-

routing of the Muni #66-Quintara bus line, which currently serves the Inner

Sunset, Sunset Heights and Parkside District. Our office believes this bus route can be

enhanced to not only serve existing customers in those neighborhoods, but to also serve

additional riders seeking access to transit hubs.

Over the past several months, the SFMTA reached out to Sunset and Parkside residents to

learn how they use public transportation to travel in the area and across the City.

Outreach kicked off in July with a community meeting and surveying took place

throughout the summer to gather input, reaching more than 800 residents.

Since then, the SFMTA has evaluated a number of alternatives, shaped in-part by

community feedback, and are ready to present its findings at a second community

meeting, which will be held on Thursday, Nov. 16, from 6-8 p.m., at the

Abraham Lincoln High School cafeteria (2162 24th Ave.). The meeting will cover survey

findings, alternatives analyzed, potential route alignment alternatives and

service improvements.

For more information, contact Jessica Garcia at jessica.garcia@sfmta.com or visit the

website at http://www.sfmta.com/66study.

L-Taraval Rapid Project Hearing on Dec. 5

Elements of the pilot phase of the L-Taraval Rapid Project will soon be heard before the

SFMTA’s board of directors, before construction begins in 2018.

The full L-Taraval Rapid Project is designed to make Taraval Street safer and make the L-

Taraval a more reliable line. The plan includes:

• rail track and overhead line replacement; water and sewer line replacement;
• surface repaving; curb ramp upgrades;
• concrete boarding islands and pedestrian bulb-outs;
• traffic signals;
• landscaping and trees;
• public art.

In March, the SFMTA rolled out roadway changes as part of the early implementation

phase of the project. This included new

• “clear zones” at streetcar stops;
• painted safety zones at sidewalk corners;
• parking changes;
• six-month boarding zone pilot;*
• transit stop removal;* and,
• new transit only lanes.* (*Part of the pilot phase of the project.)

If you would like to weigh-in on the pilot phase elements that will be heard before the

SFMTA’s board of directors, please attend the Dec. 5 hearing at City Hall, Room 400,

at 1 p.m. Comments about proposed changes can be e-mailed to

LTaravalRapid@sfmta.com and MTABoard@sfmta.com.

Katy Tang represents District 4 on the SF Board of Supervisors and can be reached at

(415) 554-7460 or Katy.Tang@sfgov.org.