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1st appeared 05 January 2001

Campus to Seek Approval for Changes on Parnassus

University officials are asking for the campus community’s cooperation and understanding as they prepare for major construction and renovation projects that will add to existing traffic and subtract from the already limited amount of on-street parking on Parnassus Avenue.

In San Francisco, where every square inch is at a premium, the loss of even a few parking spaces can be problematic. But campus officials say they have no other option since they must make room for the growing number of delivery vehicles working on site.

One of the goals is to is to provide more curbside space for commercial vehicles, especially large delivery trucks and contractor vehicles.

To better accommodate commercial loading and parking needs and ensure pedestrian safety, UCSF campus planners recently completed a draft plan that seeks city approval to rezone curbs, add signage and make other changes. After community input is received, the plan will be submitted to the San Francisco Department of Parking and Transportation for approval of permanent recommendations to change curb colors and signage and to the San Francisco Department of Public Works for approval of temporary recommendations to establish construction zones on the busy street.

The goals of the plan are to reduce traffic hazards and congestion on Parnassus Avenue caused primarily by illegal parking in the center turn lane and double parking in traffic lanes, says Judy de Reus, a campus planner who drafted the Parnassus Avenue Commercial Loading and Parking Plan. Other goals aim to improve pedestrian safety at all crosswalks and to provide more space at curbside for commercial vehicles, especially large delivery trucks and contractor vehicles.

Beginning in August 2000, when both the Chilled Water and Health Sciences Ledge projects started, the demand for contractor parking increased substantially, according to campus planners. The situation will worsen this month when work begins on the Parnassus Services Seismic Replacement Building (PSSRB) or animal research facility. In April 2001, soon after the PSSRB site clearance starts, campus planners expect that there will be 75 more contractors working at Parnassus Heights on any given day.

Campus planners say by adding parking and increasing the parking time allowed for contractors, the University may reduce its high cost of construction as parking citations to illegally parked contractors’ vehicles are passed on as construction expenses.

The demand for contractor parking will remain high with the construction of the PSSRB building, slated to begin in November 2001 and end in April 2004, and the planned subsequent construction of the Environmental Health and Sciences (EH&S) building and new Toland Hall. While not all contractors need to park near the construction sites, it is estimated that about one-third of them need close and quick access to their vehicles for equipment and supplies, and to run errands periodically throughout the day, campus planners say. In addition, vendors who currently park in the "pit area" near these construction sites will be displaced, requiring additional loading space on the street, according to campus planners.

These construction and renovation projects will exacerbate the existing parking shortage and traffic congestion on Parnassus Avenue. As a result, parking enforcement efforts will be boosted to minimize illegal parking in all parking, loading, bus and shuttle zones.

Specifically, if approved by the city departments, the campus plans include:

• Reducing the number of green-metered parking spaces from 44 to 33 on a permanent basis and to 13 on a temporary basis during construction;

• Adding one disabled parking space in front of the campus library and moving the one in front of the Clinical Sciences Building closer to the entrance ramp;

• Installing audible signals at crosswalks in front of UCSF Medical Center and the Millberry Union to assist the visually impaired;

• Increasing the size of Moffitt circle for better traffic flow;

• Relocating three white-zoned, five-minute passenger loading spaces to more convenient locations;

• Painting zebra stripes on four crosswalks without signals to improve pedestrian safety;

• Setting traffic lights to flash yellow from midnight to 7 a.m. for pedestrian safety at night;

• Increasing shuttle service in the afternoon between Parnassus and the Kezar parking lot and partially subsidize parking in the lot for other contractors;

• Installing signage allowing parked vehicles to be towed from UCSF shuttle bus zones and prohibiting people from making U-turns and left turns in front of UCSF Medical Center to reduce traffic congestion.

Part II -- Parking a Perennial Problem

Source: Lisa Cisneros, Newsbreak Editor

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