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SF Board of Supes Addresses Muni's Challenges of Projected Population Growth

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — San Francisco Municipal Railway has a long way to go to meet the transportation needs of the future, according to population growth projections presented at Monday's Board of Supervisors hearing.

Without a major influx of money into the city, Muni faces meltdown in less than two decades, said San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director Ed Reiskin.

"In order to bring all of our current assets into a state of good repair, we would need to spend over $500 million a year for the next 20 years and we currently have half of that," said Reiskin, describing the challenges of the city's population, which is expected to add as many as 150,000 people by 2030.

Reiskin testified at the hearing called by Supervisor Scott Wiener to get up to speed on the growing transportation needs.

"It is something that we need to be focused on, frankly 10 or 20 years ago, but we certainly need to be focused on it like a laser, now and moving forward," Wiener said.

SF Board of Supes Address Muni's Challenges of Projected Population Growth

Current transportation projects in the works include dedicated bike lanes, street resurfacing, the construction of the new Transbay Terminal, special bus lanes on Van Ness and the new Central Subway.

The biggest problem discussed was how to get $6 billion in funding just to fix existing transit problems.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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