JUST THE FACTS

Transportation planning principles

Transportation planning for UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay is guided by several objectives, which include the need to meet functional requirements of hospital uses while respecting traffic patterns in adjoining neighborhoods, and doing so in the context of overall transportation planning for the Mission Bay area. The main transportation planning principles guiding the current site plan include:

• Proposing development that would not result in greater traffic impacts than would have been generated by uses previously planned for the site under the Mission Bay Commercial-Industrial (MBCI) zoning for the site, which included planned office, retail, and research and development uses;
• Directing traffic away from Mariposa Street by providing a continuous open space with no vehicular curb cuts along the north side of the Mariposa blocks to minimize effects on residences in the Dogpatch neighborhood;
• Using Owens Street as the primary vehicular access to the medical center by locating the entrances and exits to parking and service facilities on Owens Street, thereby facilitating direct vehicular access to and from the I-280 freeway;
• Minimizing traffic conflicts on 3rd Street, a major transit corridor, by limiting vehicular curb cuts along 3rd Street to only a truck entrance and exit facilitated by a truck turnout lane;
• Minimizing traffic conflicts on 16th Street, a designated bicycle route and a transit-preferential street; and
• Using 4th Street as a mixed-traffic street that incorporates patient drop-off turnouts, a shuttle stop, traffic-calming features, a bike route and open space consistent with the vision of city-approved plans to design 4th Street as a pedestrian-friendly street with low traffic volumes.

Population

The population of the project in phase 1 and at buildout would be less than the population previously assumed for the site under the Mission Bay Commercial-Industrial zoning, estimated as follows.

Population Group Phase 1289+ Beds 278,500 gsf Outpatient Space* Buildout550+ Beds 436,500 gsf Outpatient Space MBCI Zoning Employees 1,000 1,900 5,000 Students 170 330 n/a Patients/Visitors/Vendors 4,550 7,440 6,400** Total 5,720 9,670 11,400

* Phase 1 population figures presented here are slightly greater than population figures presented in the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay Environmental Impact Report due to a modest increase in outpatient space in phase 1, as discussed in that document (pg. 4.6-17).

** Includes business-oriented visits (e.g., business meetings).

Traffic impacts

• Traffic analysis indicates that the number of vehicular trips generated by the project in phase 1 and at buildout would be less than the number of trips previously assumed to be generated by the site under the Mission Bay Commercial-Industrial zoning and identified in the 1998 Mission Bay Subsequent Environmental Impact Report, as follows:

Vehicle Trips Phase 1289+ Beds 278,500 gsf Outpatient Space* Buildout550+ Beds 436,500 gsf Outpatient Space MBCI Zoning Daily Vehicle Trips 4,870 8,570 12,760 P.M. Peak Hour Vehicle Trips 560 1,015 1,490

• As part of the approval of the 1998 Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan, traffic mitigation measures, among other improvement measures, adopted by the city and county of San Francisco are required to be implemented when warranted by traffic volumes.
• The UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay Environmental Impact Report (EIR), certified by the Regents of the University of California on September 17, 2008, determined that phase 1 of the project would not result in significant traffic impacts. Phase 2 of the project could result in significant traffic impacts on Owens Street at 16th Street and Owens Street at the center garage access, but those impacts could be mitigated. Since phase 2 of the project has not yet been designed, the Owens Street/center garage access intersection will be monitored and additional traffic analysis will be conducted during planning for phase 2. (See UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay EIR, Chapter 4.6, for more information.)
• UCSF is considering an alternative to the project in which 4th Street would not be open to vehicular through traffic between 16th and Mariposa streets. Under this alternative, the University would instead develop the street right-of-way with open space and culs-de-sac that would include passenger drop-off zones. The city and county of San Francisco would need to approve this alternative before it could be implemented. The EIR traffic analysis determined that, under this alternative, phase 1 would result in no significant traffic impacts. Phase 2 could result in significant traffic impacts at intersections around the perimeter of the site, but those impacts could be mitigated with additional lanes, lane restriping and a traffic signal. UCSF would voluntarily incorporate those traffic mitigation measures into the project in the event that 4th Street is not constructed. (See UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay EIR, Chapter 6, for more information.)
• As part of the Mission Bay Redevelopment Plan, a class 2 bicycle route is planned on 4th Street, including the portion of 4th Street at the project site. The UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay project would continue to provide a class 2 bicycle route or, in the event 4th Street is not constructed, would upgrade to a class 1 bicycle route for a portion of the route within the project site.

Urgent Care Center/Emergency Room access

The hospital complex would have an Urgent Care Center/Emergency Department serving UCSF Children’s Hospital at Mission Bay. The Urgent Care Center would take same-day appointments for non-emergency care. Preliminary estimates are that the Urgent Care Center/Emergency Department would receive about four visits per day by ground ambulance.

The general public and emergency vehicle entrance and exit are planned on 4th Street. Additionally, UCSF would work with the community to identify pre-designated siren shutoff points on surrounding streets and incorporate those restrictions into our contracts with ambulance providers.

Parking

The analysis indicates that there would be a peak parking demand for about 970 spaces in phase 1 and about 1,760 spaces at buildout. The goal of the project is to accommodate all parking demand on-site, and the specific ways in which this would be achieved (in surface lots and parking structures) will be identified as the project evolves.

Before construction, UCSF would work with the contractor to develop a plan to accommodate the parking needs of construction workers. It is anticipated that during phase 1, construction worker parking could be accommodated on the site itself and at the Mission Bay campus. During phase 2, some construction worker parking could be accommodated at the Mission Bay campus, but UCSF would need to investigate options for other temporary off-site parking facilities, as well, such as any remaining undeveloped blocks on the UCSF campus or in the Mission Bay area.

Alternative transportation

To encourage employees and visitors to leave their cars at home and to minimize traffic, parking and air quality impacts, UCSF would continue its existing Transportation Demand Management programs to promote shuttle services, ride sharing and bicycle programs.

• The UCSF shuttle system, which has a ridership of 2.2 million passenger trips annually, would be extended to serve the hospital site.
• UCSF’s current program allowing employees to purchase transit passes on a pretax basis would be available to employees at the Mission Bay hospital site.
• The Mission Bay hospital site is within walking distance of two public transit lines: the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) T 3rd Street light rail line and the 22 Fillmore bus line.
• Bicycle parking would be provided at UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay at a ratio of not less than one bicycle parking space for every 20 vehicular parking spaces.
• There is currently a City CarShare pod at the Mission Bay campus. UCSF would investigate the expansion of City CarShare (or other vehicle-sharing service) at the Mission Bay campus and at the Mission Bay hospital site.
• Prior to occupancy of UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, UCSF staff would be encouraged to participate in an online survey that would allow participants to receive a “match list” of others who share similar commutes, enabling them to more easily utilize carpools and vanpools.