The geary-fillmore underpass community planning study would develop transportation and land use concept designs that rethink the urban renewal-ERA geary expressway and advance a high-quality…

The Federal Highway Administration awarded a $2,000,000 Reconnecting Communities Pilot (CFDA 20.940) Discretionary Grant to the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) for the Geary-Fillmore Underpass Community Planning Study. This project will develop transportation and land use concept designs to rethink the urban renewal-era Geary Expressway, advance a high-quality multimodal, mixed-use transit-oriented area, and promote community stabilization between the Japantown and Fillmore/Western Addition neighborhoods in San Francisco. The study will engage the community, including representatives of the Black, Japanese, and Jewish communities displaced when the underpass was constructed, to develop goals, evaluation criteria, and scenarios. Recommendations will include multimodal connectivity and safety improvements, long-term transportation expansions, affordable housing and economic development strategies, anti-displacement measures, and urban design guidance. This grant-funded initiative demonstrates the SFCTA's commitment to enhancing urban transportation systems, connectivity, and community well-being through collaborative, community-engaged planning processes.

The geary-fillmore underpass community planning study would develop transportation and land use concept designs that rethink the urban renewal-ERA geary expressway and advance a high-quality multimodal, mixed-use transit-oriented area to connect the japantown and fillmore/western addition neighborhoods and promote community stabilization. The study would engage the community through a community-led outreach process to develop goals, evaluation criteria, and scenarios and by establishing a community council with representatives of the black, japanese, and jewish communities that were displaced when the underpass was constructed, as well as with newer community members. Recommendations will include multimodal network connectivity and safety improvements, long-term transportation expansions and enhancements, development feasibility analyses for potential affordable housing sites and economic development strategies, anti-displacement strategies, and concept-level urban design guidance.