Transportation accounts for 62% of greenhouse gas emissions in San Rafael. To reach the goals set in the City's Climate Change Action Plan, it is critical to shift to zero-emissions vehicles in our local government, businesses, and homes. The Climate Change Action Plan calls for adoption of a comprehensive EV Strategy, as well as a number of other steps towards zero-emission mobility. Our position statements below offer specific ways in which pending and envisioned projects should be improved to support reaching these goals.
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Our key policy positions supporting the shift to zero-emission transportation are posted below.
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101/580 Project eir scoping comments
November 15, 2024
To: Transportation Authority of Marin
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: 101/580 EIR Scope
Sustainable San Rafael continues to question the early decision not to examine the alternative of improving the portion of Sir Francis Drake between the two freeways as a landscaped parkway and requests that a series of items be included in scope of the Project's EIR.
To: Transportation Authority of Marin
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: 101/580 EIR Scope
Sustainable San Rafael continues to question the early decision not to examine the alternative of improving the portion of Sir Francis Drake between the two freeways as a landscaped parkway and requests that a series of items be included in scope of the Project's EIR.
| ssr_eir_scoping_comments_on_101_580_interchange_11_15_24.pdf |
San Rafael Transit Center
March 4, 2024
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: San Rafael Transit Center
Sustainable San Rafael has been pleased to serve on the Community Design Advisory Group for the new Transit Center. The conceptual design presented to the Council includes the following key elements needed for success, all of which call for continued community involvement to realize their full potential to create a welcoming gateway to downtown.
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: San Rafael Transit Center
Sustainable San Rafael has been pleased to serve on the Community Design Advisory Group for the new Transit Center. The conceptual design presented to the Council includes the following key elements needed for success, all of which call for continued community involvement to realize their full potential to create a welcoming gateway to downtown.
- Integrated transit operations
- Distinctive paving demarking passenger areas
- A restored transit depot
- A landmark quality bus canopy
- Integration of the multi-use path
- Tall trees framing the Center
- Avoiding more traffic congestion
| ssr_letter_on_transit_center-2024-03.pdf |
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY OF MARIN - BUDGET CHANGE
May 24, 2023
To: Board of Commissioners /Transportation Authority of Marin
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Draft Budget for FY 2023-24
The Transportation Authority of Marin has proposed $100,000 cut from the fiscal year 2022-23 budget for Measure B EV. This letter urges the Board of Commissioners not to reduce this funding for the critical transition to EVs.
The Marin and State goals of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 will not succeed without increased support for electric vehicles and other transportation alternatives, when gas vehicles continue to spew over half of the emissions driving climate change in Marin. The proposed reduction of already insufficient support sends exactly the wrong message, just as Marin's jurisdictions are
considering stepped up actions pursuant to the new countywide EV Acceleration Strategy.
To: Board of Commissioners /Transportation Authority of Marin
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Draft Budget for FY 2023-24
The Transportation Authority of Marin has proposed $100,000 cut from the fiscal year 2022-23 budget for Measure B EV. This letter urges the Board of Commissioners not to reduce this funding for the critical transition to EVs.
The Marin and State goals of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 will not succeed without increased support for electric vehicles and other transportation alternatives, when gas vehicles continue to spew over half of the emissions driving climate change in Marin. The proposed reduction of already insufficient support sends exactly the wrong message, just as Marin's jurisdictions are
considering stepped up actions pursuant to the new countywide EV Acceleration Strategy.
| ssr_tam_letter_5_24_23.pdf |
PROPOSED 101/580 INTERCHANGE IN SAN RAFAEL
November 7, 2022
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Proposed 101/580 Interchange in San Rafael
This letter raises a number of questions and concerns about the project to connect 101 /580 and its impact on San Rafael. We focus on issues of equity and the potential impact to the Canal Neighborhood and San Rafael generally, as well as other possible alternative and better uses of the funding.
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Proposed 101/580 Interchange in San Rafael
This letter raises a number of questions and concerns about the project to connect 101 /580 and its impact on San Rafael. We focus on issues of equity and the potential impact to the Canal Neighborhood and San Rafael generally, as well as other possible alternative and better uses of the funding.
| final_ssr_101_580_interchange_letter_11_7_22.pdf |
Transportation Committee Update on San Rafael Transit Center
December 13, 2023
To: Raymond Santiago Project Manager, Golden Gate Bridge and Transportation District
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Transportation Committee Update on San Rafael Transit Center
In this letter, Sustainable San Rafael weighs in on the best option for the proposed San Rafael Transit Center as a follow up to the Dec. 6 public workshop.
We remain concerned that pedestrians and passengers need to be given priority in all aspects of the design, especially those relating to bicycle access. To that end, we strongly endorse the multi-use Option 3 presented at the December 6 public workshop for treatment of bike access at the public plaza fronting the east side of the restored Depot building. This option would integrate bikes and pedestrians in a single shared space, with signage and textured paving to signal cyclists that the space is predominately pedestrian, requiring appropriate speed and care to be exercised by all users.
The multi-use option corresponds with the multi-use bicycle and pedestrian path included in the 2008 SMART ballot authorization, which is fulfilled by the North-South Greenway multi-use path through San Rafael. See the full letter attached below.
To: Raymond Santiago Project Manager, Golden Gate Bridge and Transportation District
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Transportation Committee Update on San Rafael Transit Center
In this letter, Sustainable San Rafael weighs in on the best option for the proposed San Rafael Transit Center as a follow up to the Dec. 6 public workshop.
We remain concerned that pedestrians and passengers need to be given priority in all aspects of the design, especially those relating to bicycle access. To that end, we strongly endorse the multi-use Option 3 presented at the December 6 public workshop for treatment of bike access at the public plaza fronting the east side of the restored Depot building. This option would integrate bikes and pedestrians in a single shared space, with signage and textured paving to signal cyclists that the space is predominately pedestrian, requiring appropriate speed and care to be exercised by all users.
The multi-use option corresponds with the multi-use bicycle and pedestrian path included in the 2008 SMART ballot authorization, which is fulfilled by the North-South Greenway multi-use path through San Rafael. See the full letter attached below.
| ssr_ggbd-2023-12-13.pdf |
UPDATE ON DOWNTOWN SAN RAFAEL TRANSIT CENTER
October 16, 2022
To: Principle Planner Golden Gate Transit District with cc to San Rafael City Council
From Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Update on Downtown San Rafael Transit Center
This letter is a follow-up to issues raised about the Scoping for the San Rafael Transit Center EIR (Environmental Impact Review). After a review of the Draft EIR, Sustainable San Rafael finds that most of the issues raised have been satisfactorily addressed.
Additional comments are offered in hopes they may further improve the ultimate design with a request that the final EIR include responses to a number of remaining questions detailed in this letter. They concern: public ownership of an expanded site, a bike-pedestrian greenway, efficiency of bus service, the safety and amenity of passengers accessing the project, as well as those arriving by car or taxi.
To: Principle Planner Golden Gate Transit District with cc to San Rafael City Council
From Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Update on Downtown San Rafael Transit Center
This letter is a follow-up to issues raised about the Scoping for the San Rafael Transit Center EIR (Environmental Impact Review). After a review of the Draft EIR, Sustainable San Rafael finds that most of the issues raised have been satisfactorily addressed.
Additional comments are offered in hopes they may further improve the ultimate design with a request that the final EIR include responses to a number of remaining questions detailed in this letter. They concern: public ownership of an expanded site, a bike-pedestrian greenway, efficiency of bus service, the safety and amenity of passengers accessing the project, as well as those arriving by car or taxi.
| ssr_transit_center___attachment_10_16_22.pdf |
| transit_center_initial_design_comments.pdf |
FLEET PURCHASES - TRANSITION TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES
September 6, 2022
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Fleet Purchases (Agenda Item 4.j)
We celebrate the forward-thinking sustainability work by the City to shift towards fleet electrification. We also make additional suggestions and recommendations about how the City can keep the need for such vehicles visible to the public and keep abreast of the changing capabilities of EVs that can be leveraged for the City's fleet.
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
Re: Fleet Purchases (Agenda Item 4.j)
We celebrate the forward-thinking sustainability work by the City to shift towards fleet electrification. We also make additional suggestions and recommendations about how the City can keep the need for such vehicles visible to the public and keep abreast of the changing capabilities of EVs that can be leveraged for the City's fleet.
| ssr_fleet_purchase_letter_9_6_22.pdf |
MERRYDALE MULTIUSE PATH
April 15, 2022
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: Merrydale Multiuse Path
With the prospect of funding from the City's development agreement with Northgate Town Square, the time has come to move forward with the plan for the long promised North San Rafael Promenade along Merrydale, between the Northgate Center and the Civic Center SMART Station. The path will provide pedestrians and cyclists ready access to transit at the Civic Center SMART station, without the need of driving.
The next step is the development of a detailed design for the multiuse path that is welcoming and safe for both pedestrians and cyclists, and inclusive of natural elements such as the proposed bioswale and retention of existing trees, again as envisioned in the 2002 Promenade Conceptual Plan.
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: Merrydale Multiuse Path
With the prospect of funding from the City's development agreement with Northgate Town Square, the time has come to move forward with the plan for the long promised North San Rafael Promenade along Merrydale, between the Northgate Center and the Civic Center SMART Station. The path will provide pedestrians and cyclists ready access to transit at the Civic Center SMART station, without the need of driving.
The next step is the development of a detailed design for the multiuse path that is welcoming and safe for both pedestrians and cyclists, and inclusive of natural elements such as the proposed bioswale and retention of existing trees, again as envisioned in the 2002 Promenade Conceptual Plan.
| ssr_on_merrydale_multiuse_path.pdf |
MEASURE A TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX (ITEM 8.A)
March 18, 2018
To: San Rafael City Council
From Sustainable San Rafael
re: Measure A Transportation Sales Tax (Item 8.A)
This letter encourages a review of Measure A which funds our local transit and is thus critical to all three pillars of sustainability, our environment, economy and social equity. Measure A is thus key to climate pollution and traffic congestion. Measure A also reduces GHG emissions by supporting viable alternatives to driving like walking, biking and safe routes to schools.
But Measure A was first drafted 20 years ago, and its new iteration needs to be updated in one critical regard: funding for our local roads must include the public infrastructure needed to facilitate zero emission driving, with charging stations and other support for electric vehicles. With Marin already second in the State in per-capita EV registration, support for electric transportation is increasingly in demand.
Further, the revised Measure A expenditure plan recognizes climate impacts by including funds "to address sea level rise and resiliency." We ask that these funds be increased and more flexible to include reduction of sea-level rise impacts through the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution through further support of electrical vehicles.
Since the revised Measure A will take us to 2050, when sea-level rise is predicted to reach up to two feet, and we must reach the goal of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate catastrophe, let's make sure that the renewed Measure A provides the means to help us prepare for and shape that future.
To: San Rafael City Council
From Sustainable San Rafael
re: Measure A Transportation Sales Tax (Item 8.A)
This letter encourages a review of Measure A which funds our local transit and is thus critical to all three pillars of sustainability, our environment, economy and social equity. Measure A is thus key to climate pollution and traffic congestion. Measure A also reduces GHG emissions by supporting viable alternatives to driving like walking, biking and safe routes to schools.
But Measure A was first drafted 20 years ago, and its new iteration needs to be updated in one critical regard: funding for our local roads must include the public infrastructure needed to facilitate zero emission driving, with charging stations and other support for electric vehicles. With Marin already second in the State in per-capita EV registration, support for electric transportation is increasingly in demand.
Further, the revised Measure A expenditure plan recognizes climate impacts by including funds "to address sea level rise and resiliency." We ask that these funds be increased and more flexible to include reduction of sea-level rise impacts through the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution through further support of electrical vehicles.
Since the revised Measure A will take us to 2050, when sea-level rise is predicted to reach up to two feet, and we must reach the goal of 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to avoid climate catastrophe, let's make sure that the renewed Measure A provides the means to help us prepare for and shape that future.
| cc_measure_a_ev_3_19_18.pdf |
DOWNTOWN PARKING & WAYFINDING STUDY
January 10, 2018
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: Downtown Parking & Wayfinding Study
Significant changes are coming to our downtown and to transportation and retail in general. Our parking polices need to adapt to these realities and support a sustainable development of the downtown. The recommendations in the Downtown Parking and Wayfinding Study suggest simple zoning code changes and management guidelines that will bring our parking strategies up to date with developing realities. This letter outlines and supports specific changes required for the sustainable development of the downtown.
To: San Rafael City Council
From: Sustainable San Rafael
re: Downtown Parking & Wayfinding Study
Significant changes are coming to our downtown and to transportation and retail in general. Our parking polices need to adapt to these realities and support a sustainable development of the downtown. The recommendations in the Downtown Parking and Wayfinding Study suggest simple zoning code changes and management guidelines that will bring our parking strategies up to date with developing realities. This letter outlines and supports specific changes required for the sustainable development of the downtown.
| cc_parking_study_letter_1_10_18.pdf |