Draft Final 2024 Strategic Plan
SEEKING PUBLIC INPUT
District's 2024 Strategic Plan
As we exit the pandemic, the world has changed in ways that affect travel in the Golden Gate Corridor. While recreational and tourist travel have mostly returned, commute travel has not. Today, there are 150,000 fewer people in downtown San Francisco each weekday as compared to pre-pandemic. In downtown San Francisco, the office vacancy rate is over 29%, and the amount of vacant office space is greater than 20 Salesforce Towers.
Given the state of downtown San Francisco, demand for Bridge, Bus and Ferry travel during commute periods remains depressed. Commute Bridge traffic is averaging about 30% below normal, so only about 70% of auto commute travel has returned.
Not surprisingly, the absence of commute travel creates fiscal challenges for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (District). Revenues from tolls and fares are still down an average of about $1 million each week, and expenses continue to exceed revenues. Fortunately, expenses are down, due to the District offering less commute bus and ferry service.
DEVELOPMENT OF DRAFT FINAL STRATEGIC PLAN
In 2023, the District’s Board of Directors launched a strategic planning process to create a path forward regarding the District’s future activities and finances. Our Board leadership embarked on this critical process in order to prioritize financial and operational commitments that would provide resources and services for the communities we serve, while ensuring the District’s long-term financial sustainability.
The Board, through its Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, collected ideas on four broad topics: Transportation (including Bridge); Environment and Climate Change Mitigation/Adaptation; Finances (Revenue and Expenditure); and, Labor/Employee Relations. That effort has now culminated into the development of a Draft Final 2024 Strategic Plan, which the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee presented to the Board of Directors at its March 22, 2024 meeting. The Draft Final 2024 Strategic Plan Report can be found at the following weblink: https://www.goldengate.org/assets/1/25/2024-0322-boardmeeting-no10a-specorderbus-discussiondraftstrategicplan.pdf. The District welcomes any comments on this Draft Final Plan until close of business Friday, May 3, 2024. All comments will be considered towards the final plan which will be presented to the Board of Directors for approval at their Friday, May 24, 2024 meeting. We value your participation in this effort, and look forward to hearing from you.
WAYS TO COMMENT
1. Via Email:
districtsecretary@goldengate.org
2. Via Mail: Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District
Attn: District Secretary – Draft Final 2024 Strategic Plan
P.O. Box 29000, Presidio Station
San Francisco, CA 94129-9000
4. At the April Board of Directors Meeting:
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Attend in-Person: Friday, April 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.
Board Room, Administration Building,
Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94129
- Attend Remotely: (415) 569-6446