tomradulovich.com

I am running for reelection to the BART Board of Directors this November.

Experience and qualifications

I have served on the BART Board of Directors for 11 years. I serve as executive director of Livable City, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a more just and sustainable San Francisco. Livable City works to make San Francisco a more livable, sustainable, accessible and affordable city by promoting sustainable transportation, neighborhood planning, and better designed streets and public spaces.

I have been active in environmental, transportation, and housing issues since moving to the city in 1992, including the campaigns to build the Octavia Boulevard (1997-1999), bring Caltrain Downtown to a rebuilt Transbay Terminal (1999), create the Municipal Transportation Agency (1999), renew San Francisco’s Transportation Sales Tax (2003), and to increase Muni funding and defeat a Republican-backed parking initiative (2007).

I have served on many local task forces and advisory committees, including the Central Freeway Citizens Planning Task Force, the City’s Sales Tax Reauthorization Committee (which I chaired), The Live/Work Task Force, Muni’s Transit Effectiveness Citizen’s Advisory Committee and Policy Advisory Group, the Western SoMa Citizens Planning Task Force, and the Visitacion Valley Citizens Advisory Committee.

Accomplishments

During my time on the BART Board of Directors, I have worked to improving accessibility and reliability, addressing long-term capital needs and financial stability, reinvesting in the urban core of the system, securing funding for earthquake retrofit of the system.

BART has room for improvement, but is in much better shape than I found it. BART carries 40% more riders than when I took office, is in sound financial shape (budget surpluses, AA bond rating, etc), and enjoys high satisfaction ratings from our customers, while carrying an unprecedented number of passengers each day. In 2003, the American Public Transportation Association awarded BART the #1 transit system in America.

I championed several local projects, include the renovation of the BART plazas at 16th Street, the new staircase, escalator, and faregates at Balboa Park, a new faregate array at Powell Street, and accessible fare gates in every BART station. We will break ground on a new station entrance and pathway to Ocean Avenue at the Balboa Park Station this fall. We will complete a re-lighting project at 16th and 24th Street stations this spring.

What I’m working for

I am running for reelection because I want to continue BART’s progress towards greater reliability, effectiveness, accessibility, sustainability, beauty and comfort. I am also convinced that the present moment is public transit’s moment – accelerating climate change, depleting oil reserves, and an increasing desire among Americans to live in walkable urban places present both a huge opportunity and a huge challenge for public transit. We need to expand BART’s capacity to carry more people – despite the capacity investments we have made, the current increase in ridership is pushing us towards BART’s the current limits of our system. We also need to continue to expand access to our stations, connect seamlessly to other transit systems in the region, and build livable, walkable communities around our stations to accommodate the region’s growth in jobs and housing. 

• Station access, safety, and comfort: BART must continue to improve access to its stations by sustainable modes (walking, cycling, public transit, and paratransit), and improve access for seniors, people with disabilities, and parents with kids. Since arriving at BART, we have worked with the City of San Francisco to improve station access, and have completed or funded projects at Civic Center, 16th Street, 24th Street, Glen Park, Balboa Park, and Daly City stations, as well as systemwide projects (bicycle parking, train interior modifications, platform edge tiles, and accessible fare gates). We need to continue to expand bicycle parking, and work with cities to improve safe and accessible routes to our stations. I am also chair of BART’s accessibility and stations committee, which is prioritizing investments in BART stations to improve access, station wayfinding and signage, lighting, energy efficiency, safety, and comfort.
• System capacity and reliability: BART needs to continue to invest in the system to maintain and improve reliability, and to expand the system’s capacity to carry more riders in safety, convenience and comfort. These investments include: upgrading, replacing and expanding BART’s railcar fleet; station improvements, including more staircases and escalators, better elevators (more interior room, transparent glass walls, and more central location in the station), and adding faregates and new exits; and upgrading our train control system to increase the number of trains per hour, increase speed and decrease travel time, improve reliability, and improve energy efficiency.

Selected Endorsements

• San Francisco Democratic Party
• San Francisco Green Party
• The Sierra Club
• San Francisco League of Conservation Voters
• Noe Valley Democratic Club
• Alice B. Toklas Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club
• Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club
• SEIU Local 1021
• AFSCME Local 3993
• International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 6
• San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Association
• Chinese American Democratic Club

Donate

Tom Radulovich for BART Board
53 Cumberland Street
San Francisco CA 94110

Political contributions are subject to state limits on political contributions. I am observing BART’s voluntary prohibition on accepting contributions from firms with business currently before the BART Board; if you have questions about whether this affects you, please inquire.