Smarter Traffic Signals Prioritize Transit and People

Smarter Traffic Signals Prioritize Transit and People
By Robert Lim

Have you ever wondered how traffic signals could better balance the needs of all road users, whether driving, bicycling, walking or taking Muni? The SFMTA is rolling out its Connected Corridor Pilot this month to use transit platform and traffic signal sensor data to inform signal timing adjustments. The pilot also aims to collect information to support transit efficiency and street safety improvements.  Traffic engineers use signal timing adjustments as a tool to prioritize the flow of travel in specific directions or for different travel modes – Muni, people walking or driving – to meet the changing demands of the road network across different timepoints in a day.

The Connected Corridors Pilot seeks to push the envelope of innovation by investing in advanced technologies, funded through a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant. These tools will better position the city to serve the potential future needs and differing priorities of various roadway users.  At the same time, the project will implement near-term improvements to our street network to make it safer and smarter. Our goal is to provide greater mobility for all users of San Francisco streets.

The sensors are mounted on traffic signal poles and transit platforms and can classify objects by size, speed and direction at a frequency of multiple times per second.  The data collected from these sensors will serve two main purposes – prioritize transit, emergency vehicle and pedestrian flows and  build dashboards to improve our data-driven decision-making processes.

Sensor mounted on a traffic signal pole

The pilot will take place along 3rd Street at 10 intersections in the Mission Bay neighborhood.  This corridor was selected based on the presence of upgraded traffic signal infrastructure and the opportunity to explore several operational challenges:

• Accommodating the time needed for people walking in crosswalks on wide streets while also prioritizing an extended green light for transit
• Reduced ability to prioritize signal timing in both directions of travel because of frequent  transit operating in both north and south directions of 3rd Street
• High volumes of people walking and bicycling due to the presence of a hospital, research hub, waterfront and two sports facilities in the area
• Variable waiting times for passengers to exit and enter at Muni Metro platforms impact the predicted arrivals of Muni vehicles on green lights further down the line

Muni Metro traveling on 3rd Street

These challenges provide opportunities for innovation. The project team seeks to build and test an integrated technical solution using real-time data and advanced traffic flow algorithms. These tools can  dynamically adjust the signal phasing based on actual traffic flow conditions and the presence of people using various transportation modes.  Real-time data availability and analysis will enable more precise predictions of when the train will reach the downstream intersections so that a green light is more likely to be provided, thus reducing the amount of time people on the transit are stopped at red lights.

Sensor installation is completed with the overall project scheduled to be completed by the fall. Check the project webpage to see future updates on project status, data analysis and reports.

 

Published May 27, 2021 at 01:57PM
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Muni Plans to Reach 98 Percent of San Francisco this August

Muni Plans to Reach 98 Percent of San Francisco this August
By Julie Kirschbaum

In August 2021, 98% of residents and 100% of equity neighborhoods could be within a ¼ mile of a Muni stop

Following major service restorations on May 15, with the KT Ingleside-Third and N Judah Muni Metro rail service resuming, historic street cars returning and subways reopening, the SFMTA is already hard at work planning to restore even more service later this summer. This effort will potentially close almost all of the Muni service gaps across the city, bringing 98% of San Francisco within two to three blocks of a Muni stop.

This August, pending the relaxation of pandemic protocols and physical distancing restrictions, the SFMTA is expecting to bring back more than a dozen bus routes that were temporarily suspended as part of pandemic-related service reductions at the beginning of the crisis, including:

• Route Restorations: 5R Fulton Rapid, 18 46th Avenue, 35 Eureka, 36 Teresita, 39 Coit  “school trippers”
• Altered Route Restorations: 23 Monterey, 52 Excelsior, 56 Rutland, 57 Park Merced, 66 Quintara
• New Route: 58 Lake Merced
• Route Extensions: 12 Folsom, 48 Quintara/24th Street

With these plans for significant service increases, the SFMTA continues to be focused on citywide connectivity, maximizing the limited number of operators and vehicles available to safely operate as the city reopens. And we are doubling down to increase Muni access in neighborhoods identified by our Muni Service Equity Strategy. As of January 23 this year, 100% of residents in these neighborhoods can conveniently access a Muni stop within two or three blocks of their home.

Here are some additional details on the service changes we expect to implement in August:

With current ridership on the 5 Fulton increasing, the popular 5R Fulton Rapid is slated to return.

The 18 46th Avenue is expected to head back into service, providing westside residents in the Richmond District, Outer Sunset and near Stonestown a critical north-south connection that should ease demand on the Great Highway and surrounding streets and provide a boost to local businesses.

Making a key east-west connection, the 23 Monterey from the Bayview District to West Portal Station would also come back online. This augmented restoration would close a gap on the hills around Sunnyside and St. Francis Wood. The 23 Monterey would terminate at West Portal Station providing a new link to Muni Metro and save time by no longer needing to travel along the more congested Sloat Boulevard section of the route.

The 36/52 Special launched on May 15 would be replaced by the restoration of the full 52 Excelsior and 36 Teresita routes. To provide additional access for hilly districts, the 52 Excelsior route would run along a segment previously covered by the 6 Parnassus along 9th Avenue and Quintara in Golden Gate Heights.

The 56 Rutland would restore access to residents in sections of Visitacion Valley and Little Hollywood. In addition, a new extension to Mansell would provide direct connections to the 29 Sunset and Burton High School. Over the past year, the 57 Park Merced saw much higher demand in the Park Merced portion of the route than the eastern portion along John Muir Drive, so with the August service changes, the route is being segmented. The new 58 Lake Merced route picks up the both the John Muir portion of the 57 and Sloat section of the 23 Monterey while still connecting to BART. It would also offer new connections to popular shopping districts at Stonestown, Lakeshore, John Daly Boulevard and Top of the Hill in Daly City.

The 66 Quintara would be restored and extended, first eastward to UCSF and Haight Street via Parnassus and westward to Ocean Beach via Vincente.

Two other routes wouldl be extended: The 12 Folsom would be extended to Rincon Hill, SOMA, and the Mission District. The 48 Quintara/24th Street would be extended from West Portal to Ocean Beach via Quintara.

In addition, just in time for the new school year, some of Muni’s “school trippers” - additional runs on key routes at peak school hours – would be reinstated as well.

As part of the SFMTA’s commitment to bring back Muni better, these service improvements would allow more people to ride safely on each bus, reduce the number of buses needed on the existing routes and allow for additional routes to open in the future. These efforts are only possible because of the leadership of our staff and operators, district supervisors, community members and other stakeholders and customers who have continued to work hard to overcome constraints to restoring service.

Below is the complete list of proposed service changes. Please note that these restorations are dependent on the relaxation of pandemic protocols and physical distancing restrictions and are subject to change. For the most up to date information with free language assistance and accessibility, please call 311 or 415.701.2311 or see the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan.

August COVID-19 Muni Core Service Changes

Service hours for each route are noted below. For more information on frequency and hours of service, read more on the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan.

Route Restorations

• 5R Fulton Rapid service would be returning from La Playa to the Transit Center Bus Plaza.
• 18 46th Avenue would connect customers from the Richmond and Outer Sunset to Sonestown.
• 35 Eureka would provide additional access from hilly districts to Muni Metro and BART.
• 36 Teresita full route would be restored.
• 39 Coit would return, providing high-frequency service in North Beach and Fishmen’s Warf.
• Muni “school trippers” would run during peak school hours.  

Adjusted Route Restorations

• 23 Monterey would terminate at West Portal Station and no longer use the Sloat section of the route.
• 52 Excelsior would run along a segment previously covered by the 6 Parnassus along 9th Avenue and Quintara in Golden Gate Heights.
• 56 Rutland would be extended to cover Mansell Street and provide direct connections to the 29 Sunset and Burton High School.
• 57 Park Merced would connect Stonestown and Park Merced directly to BART and the M Ocean View.
• 66 Quintara would extend to UCSF and Haight Street via Parnassus Avenue and to Ocean Beach via Vincente Street.

New Route

• 58 Lake Merced would pick up the John Muir Drive portion of the 57 Park Merced and Sloat section of the 23 Monterey, connect to BART, Stonestown, Lakeshore and John Daly Boulevard at and Top of the Hill in Daly City.

Route Extensions

• 12 Folsom would extend to Rincon Hill, SOMA, and the Mission District.
• 48 Quintara/24th Street would be extended from West Portal to Ocean Beach via Quintara Street.

Published May 25, 2021 at 11:45PM
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An Action Plan for Racial Equity at the SFMTA

An Action Plan for Racial Equity at the SFMTA
By

In a pre-COVID session, Director Jeff Tumlin and SFMTA staff discuss the agency’s priorities

As the manager of San Francisco’s streets and transportation network, the SFMTA has the immense responsibility of ensuring dignified access and freedom of movement for all through its community engagement, planning and service delivery. The agency also has a significant responsibility to its almost 6,000 employees to dismantle any harmful cultures, practices and policies that reinforce anti-Blackness, structural racism and/or bias in the workplace.

The agency developed our Racial Equity Action Plan as a process and strategic plan for SFMTA, guided by the citywide racial equity framework, to enact institutional and structural change to achieve racial equity.

With leadership from the SFMTA’s newly appointed Race, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Josephine Ayankoya, and Human Resources Director Kimberly Ackerman, the plan commits the SFMTA to ongoing action, reflection and refinement leading to structural change. In particular the plan identifies concrete actions in hiring and recruitment, retention and promotions, discipline and separations, diverse and equitable leadership, mobility and professional development and a culture of inclusion and belonging.

A number of human resources actions are already underway at the SFMTA:

• Permanent Civil Service: A form has been created for HR analysts to use in the hiring process to better understand ethnicity and gender trends at different stages of the hiring process.
• Cost control decisions: The agency’s cost control group membership has been expanded to include a more diverse group of staff, ensuring that a broader set of backgrounds and experiences shape important budget decisions.
• Disciplinary dashboard: Managers will begin using a consistent tracking system across the agency to measure and monitor disciplinary actions.
• Blanding report updates: The agency will make quarterly updates that respond to findings of the 2019 Blanding Report, which outlined racial equity deficiencies at the agency.

 Next steps

The SFMTA Office of Race, Equity and Inclusion has also initiated an agencywide series of listening sessions. These discussions are be a space for staff across the agency to give input on:

• Challenges related to racial and social inequities experienced by staff
• Resources needed to advance racial equity within the workforce
• Perspectives on what should be prioritized in the SFMTA’s racial equity work

Moving forward, the Office of Race, Equity and Inclusion will hire additional staff based on feedback from over 100 meetings with staff members across the agency.

In its next phase, the Racial Equity Action Plan will also extend its efforts to include external equity issues including the services rendered by the SFMTA, the projects we plan, the ways we engage the public and how we support staff who work directly with the public. This will be done in accordance with guidance from the Office of Racial Equity under San Francisco’s Human Rights Commission.

 

Published May 21, 2021 at 02:46PM
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Get Out and Get Going on Bike to Wherever Day, May 21

Get Out and Get Going on Bike to Wherever Day, May 21
By Pamela Johnson

Heading out to run an errand, meeting friends, taking in the sights at the Botanical Garden or Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park (both now open) or getting a bite to eat? On May 21, join people across the city bicycling for this year's annual Bike to Work Day event in the form of Bike to Wherever Day. 

Bike to Wherever day is a celebration of bicycles as a fun and healthy way to get around the city, hosted by The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition encouraging people to pedal to their destinations for the day. The event promotes the bicycle both as an alternative commute and as a healthy and safe alternative to driving to…wherever!

The SFMTA encourages everyone, including those who don't usually bike, to get out and bike on this special day.  After grabbing a bike (your own or a bikeshare bike), stop by one of the 12 energizer stations that will be hosted citywide as you get going around town. There, you can pick up your free Bike to Work Day canvas tote bag, filled with goodies and collectibles, courtesy of the SF Bicycle Coalition.

Resources to Help You Plan Your Bicycle Trip

The SFMTA has developed handy resources to help you plan your bicycle trips.  Visit the interactive bike network map, that highlights recommended routes and shows bikeshare station locations. At our Get Out, Get Going website you can find an interactive multi-mode map with information about other sustainable ways to get you to your destination that you could pair with your bicycle trip, including walking and using shared mobility devices, like a scooter or moped.  

Like never before, people are riding bicycles all across San Francisco. The SFMTA supports sustainable transportation modes like the use of bicycles, especially for everyday travel. To help meet the needs of an increasing number of people riding bicycles in San Francisco, we support bicycling by building dedicated bike lanes around the city, and by making streets safer and more comfortable for bicycling. We also implemented the Slow Streets Program with nearly 30 new corridors implemented since the start of the pandemic as a way to limit traffic on certain residential streets to be used as a shared space for people traveling by foot and by bicycle.

The SFMTA is proud to sponsor Bike to Wherever Day, San Francisco's favorite biking holiday.  Be sure to check out the history of walking and bicycling in San Francisco through the years. Remember when bicycling on Bike to Whenever Day to ride predictably by following rules of the road and to have fun.

Published May 20, 2021 at 04:59PM
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Pay-By-Plate Coming to Parking Meters

Pay-By-Plate Coming to Parking Meters
By Pamela Johnson

A change from pay-by-space to pay-by-license plate is coming to half of all parking meters in San Francisco on the heels of a four-month pay-by-plate parking meter pilot focused on Indiana Street in the Dogpatch that ended in March 2021.  

How it Works

Instead of entering your space number to pay for parking, you will enter your license plate number. When you pull into a parking space, head to the nearest paystation on the block, or reach for your smartphone, key in your license plate number and pay. Since the PayByPhone app stores your license plate number, you won’t have to remember or type it in every time when using the app. New overhead signage and decals on the paystations will let you know that the pay-by-plate system is in effect.

Look for signs that indicate Pay by License Plate is available

This new system comes with many benefits. Pay-by-plate gives you the option to pay at any pay station on your side of the block as you head to your destination. If you pay for parking but leave before your paid time expires, you may return to the same block and park without having to pay again, as long as you are within the original paid time. It also streamlines enforcement, giving parking control officers more time to focus on safety issues like double-parking and neighborhood concerns like residential permit parking enforcement.

The SFMTA is currently testing the pay-by-plate system to make it as effective as possible before rolling it out more widely. In early April, based on experience with the Dogpatch pilot, the SFMTA switched parking meters from pay-by-space to pay-by-plate on the 000 - 100 blocks of 10th Street, between Market and Howard Streets.  By December of 2022, half of the 28,000 parking spaces in San Francisco are expected to be converted to pay-by-plate.

According to Ted Graff, Director of Parking for the SFMTA’s Streets Division, “The move to pay-by-plate makes on-street parking more efficient. It takes advantage of new technology to streamline enforcement and reduce costs. And we plan to reinvest the time and money we save to make the parking experience, and parking enforcement, better all around the city.”

To learn more about the Dogpatch Parking Meter Pilot,  or how to pay for parking at a meter please visit the SFMTA parking website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published May 12, 2021 at 08:03PM
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Temporary HOV Lanes Approved for Historic Pilot Program

Temporary HOV Lanes Approved for Historic Pilot Program
By Stephen Chun

Muni buses and private vehicles with two or more occupants will soon see an innovative solution for San Francisco: High Occupancy Vehicle lanes (HOV) on city streets, approved by a 5-1 vote on April 20 by the SFMTA Board of Directors. The historic pilot program, in partnership with Caltrans, aims to increase person-carrying capacity and improve transit reliability on several major corridors through Golden Gate Park, the Marina District and Cow Hollow.

This HOV pilot will help customers who ride the 28 19th Avenue Muni line

The HOV lanes will be in effect weekdays from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the far-right lanes on State Route 1’s Crossover Drive (southbound only), Park Presidio Bypass and Park Presidio Boulevard between Lincoln Way and just north of Lake Street, and on U.S. 101’s Lombard Street and Richardson Avenue between Francisco and Lyon streets and Franklin and Gough streets.  

Caltrans is currently in the final stages of roadwork on Lombard Street.  Once that work is complete and Caltrans grants final approvals of the changes, the new HOV lanes will be striped. Park Presidio Boulevard should be restriped shortly thereafter. 

With these changes in place, the far-right lane can continue to be used by motorists for right turns, driveway access and access to curbside loading and parking spaces. No parking and loading spaces will be removed as part of the project. 

The pilot will end within 120 days after the city’s COVID-19 state of emergency order is lifted. The project could not be made permanent without an extensive public process and a second round of approvals by the SFMTA Board. A few weeks after implementation, the Agency will begin evaluating the project and gathering community input to determine if the pilot should be made permanent. 

Project Benefits 

In alignment with the Agency’s mission, the aim of these HOV lanes is to assist in moving more people as quickly and efficiently as possible. Efficient transit brings shorter and more reliable travel times for those who rely on public transit the most. These continued efforts to provide quicker travel times also improve the sustainability of our recovering economy.  

Studies conducted late last year show that one-third of vehicles on these routes already carry two or more occupants. As each of the project’s roadways is three lanes, there should only be minimal impact to traffic initially. Over time, if the share of single-occupant vehicles increases, transit and high occupancy vehicles would be protected from increasing traffic congestion.  The lanes could be converted from HOV-2 to HOV-3 later, increasing the required occupants per vehicle to three or more people if both the SFMTA and Caltrans agreed that doing so would further increase the total capacity of the roadway. 

Published May 11, 2021 at 12:15AM
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Subway Stations Reopen and Historic Streetcars Return May 15

Subway Stations Reopen and Historic Streetcars Return May 15
By Shalon Rogers

PDF version

The COVID-19 Muni Core Service plan, effective May 15, showing all Muni service including new and returning Muni lines.

The SFMTA will reopen all of its Muni Metro subway stations on Saturday, May 15, with the return of rail service on the N Judah and KT Ingleside-Third routes.  To continue maximizing Muni access citywide, we’re also adding a new bus route: the 36/52 Special,  serving the hilltop neighborhoods of Forest Hill, Miraloma and Sunnyside. In addition, we are excited to bring back San Francisco’s historic streetcar route--the F Market & Wharves.

N Judah Metro rail service will resume its full route between Ocean Beach and 4th and King Street (Caltrain), and the T Third will be extended to West Portal and then continue on, running as the K Ingleside to Balboa Park Station. With the return of rail service to these routes, customers will have faster transit times downtown, as well as to other popular destinations including the Castro, City College, Ocean Beach, Golden Gate Park, Oracle Park, Chase Center, UCSF Parnassus, UCSF Mission Bay and Caltrain.

The J Church will remain a surface-only route from Balboa Park to Church and Market streets. For subway service, customers may transfer at Market Street to any train downtown, or the KT outbound, at the Church Street Station. The L Taraval and M Ocean View buses will continue to operate in lieu of rail service.

After working closely with Castro, mid-Market and Fisherman’s Wharf merchants, the full F Market & Wharves route from Fisherman’s Wharf to Market and Castro will return to service on our beloved, historic streetcars to help support the city’s reopening and return of tourism.

In response to customer feedback for improved service to connect hospitals, grocery stores and vaccination sites in hilly areas, we are also introducing a temporary new combined route--the 36/52 Special. This bus route will serve the hilltop neighborhoods of Forest Hill, Miraloma and Sunnyside in a loop between Forest Hill Station and Glen Park Station.

We continue to work closely with district supervisors, community members and other stakeholders to bring back additional service and modify existing service to serve customers’ needs as the city continues to reopen and recover. Since January 23 of this year, 91% of San Franciscans have been within 2-3 blocks of a Muni stop. And, this includes 100% of residents in San Francisco’s neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Strategy. By mid-August, SFMTA is aiming to add back additional routes to close service gaps so that 98% of San Franciscans will have access to Muni within 2-3 blocks .
 

Below is the complete list of service changes. Please note that details are subject to change. For the most up to date information with free language assistance and accessibility, please call 311 or (415) 701-4311 or visit the Core Service Plan webpage.

May 15 Muni Service Changes

Service hours for each route are noted below. Owl network service hours are 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily. For more information on frequency and hours of service, read more on the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan.

F Market & Wharves

• The historic streetcar will return to service between 17th and Castro streets and Jones and Beach Streets. Service hours:
  
  • From Castro: Approximately 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (first trip departing from Castro Station is 10:50 a.m.)
  • From Fisherman’s Wharf: Approximately 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Use the L Bus or L Owl for local service along Market Street during the hours when the F is not running.  

KT Ingleside-Third: The K Ingleside and T Third will interline as the KT Ingleside-Third, expanding service between Balboa Park and Sunnydale. This route will use the newly reopened Muni Metro subway, serving all stations between West Portal and Embarcadero.

• Service hours
  
  • Weekdays: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Weekends: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Between the hours of Owl service (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and rail service, Muni Metro buses will provide service from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.
  
  • The K Bus will run between Balboa Park and West Portal Station from 9pm to 10pm daily.
• During the weekend, for the hours between Owl service (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) and rail service, the K Ingleside bus will run between Balboa Park and Embarcadero-Ferry Plaza from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and the T Third bus will run between Embarcadero-Ferry Plaza and Sunnydale.

N Judah

• Rail service will resume for the entire route with two-car trains replacing Metro buses.

• Service hours
  
  • Weekdays: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Weekends: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Muni Metro buses will cover the hours between Owl Service and rail service, running 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

K Bus, L Bus and L Owl

• These lines will no longer serve Forest Hill Station directly. Please visit K Bus,  L Bus and L Owl route pages for more information. 

36/52 Special*

• Temporary new combined route between Forest Hill Station and Glen Park Station serving the Glen Park, Sunnyside, Midtown Terrace and Miraloma communities. The route will serve Laguna Honda Hospital.
• The inbound (clockwise) route will include an additional loop on Clarendon.

8 Bayshore

• The current 8AX Bayshore “A” Express service will become the 8 Bayshore short between City College and Kearny at Pacific. Service for this route ends at 7:30 p.m. daily.
• The 8 Bayshore long will continue to travel between City College and Fisherman’s Wharf.
• The 8 Bayshore will return to its pre-pandemic route traveling north on Kearny, instead of Stockton.

Frequency Adjustments 
The following routes will have reduced frequency after 7 p.m. to better match resources with observed ridership demand.

After 7pm only	Routes
Daily from 10 or 12 minutes to 15 minutes	J Church (Muni Metro) 15 Bayview-Hunters Point Express 22 Fillmore 28 19th Avenue 29 Sunset 44 O’Shaughnessy
Daily from 15 minutes to 20 minutes	M Ocean View Bus 12 Pacific 55 Dogpatch
Daily from 20 minutes to 30 minutes	37 Corbett
Weekday only from 12 minutes to 15 minutes	30 Stockton 43 Masonic 45 Union-Stockton 48 Quintara-24th St
Weekend only from 15 minutes to 20 minutes	48 Quintara-24th St

36/52 Special*

• Temporary new combined route between Forest Hill Station and Glen Park Station serving the Glen Park, Sunnyside and Miraloma communities. The route will serve Laguna Honda Hospital.
• The inbound (clockwise) route will include an additional loop on Clarendon.

8 Bayshore

The current 8AX Bayshore “A” Express service will become the 8 Bayshore short between City College and Kearny at Pacific. Service for this route ends at 7:30 p.m. daily. 

• The 8 Bayshore long will continue to travel between City College and Fisherman’s Wharf.
• The 8 Bayshore will return to its pre-pandemic route traveling north on Kearny, instead of Stockton.

Frequency Adjustments 
The following routes will have reduced frequency after 7 p.m. to better match resources with observed ridership demand.

 

Published May 06, 2021 at 05:13PM
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The 115-Year History of Streetcars on Market Street

The 115-Year History of Streetcars on Market Street
By Jeremy Menzies

With the F Market & Wharves returning to service on May 15th, here’s a brief look back through the past 115 years of streetcar service along Market Street, our most traveled thoroughfare.

May 2, 1906 was the first day that an electric streetcar ran on Market Street. After the earthquake and fires on April 18, 1906, San Francisco was eager to rebuild, and public transit played a crucial role in getting the city back on its feet.

Prior to electric streetcars, transit on Market was dominated by cable cars, which ran from the Ferry Building to the Pacific Ocean, but were considered slow and inefficient compared to the newer electric streetcar technology. With the introduction of electric cars on Market Street, people had a faster way to get to downtown businesses and rebuild from the ashes of the disaster.

This photo documents the first streetcar to run on Market Street, just two weeks after the devastating April 18, 1906, earthquake.

In the years following the 1906 disaster, nearly all cable lines were converted to electric cars and Market Street became an incredible hub of streetcar traffic. By the 1930s, four different streetcar tracks ran along Market, operated both by the Municipal Railway and by the privately-owned Market Street Railway Co. Dubbed the “Roar of the Four,” due to the noise of hundreds of cars rolling through the urban canyon of Market Street, streetcars were certainly king of the road.

This 1940 photo shows morning streetcar traffic at Market and Geary at 8:14 a.m. Most public transit service in the city was provided by electric streetcars, and almost all lines merged onto Market Street at some point.

After the end of World War II, transit ridership was in steep decline across the nation as people embraced the “one car per family” dream of Postwar America. Streetcar ridership fell significantly during this time and the majority of Muni’s routes were converted to bus operation. Rail service was, however, retained for five lines (J, K, L, M, & N) because the exclusive rights of way in the Twin Peaks and Sunset Tunnels allowed for shorter travel times to the city’s outer neighborhoods.

Trolley buses and Muni PCC streetcars ply the roadway at Market and Powell in this 1958 photo. Bus conversion and the scrapping of hundreds of old streetcars in the 1950s meant fewer rail lines running on Market.

With the opening of the Muni Metro & Market Street Subway in the early 1980s, traditional streetcars disappeared from regular transit service on the surface of Market Street for over a decade. Replaced with Light Rail Vehicles running underground, San Francisco’s first subway system was born.

The opening of the Muni Metro system allowed new light rail vehicles to run underground between the Ferry Building and West Portal instead of jockeying with cars, buses, pedestrians and cyclists on the surface.

When the opening of Muni Metro removed surface rail on Market Street, residents and businesses began advocating for the creation of an historic streetcar service from Castro to Fisherman's Wharf. After years of planning and construction, the F line was launched on September 1, 1995.  Originally running from Castro to downtown, service was extended to Fisherman's Wharf in March 2000.

This month, we are happy to welcome the F Market & Wharves back to Market Street and Fisherman’s Wharf, along with more service increases that, just like 115 years ago, will help San Francisco recover.

Presidents Conference Committee (PCC) streetcar 1052 parades along Market for the opening of the F Market & Wharves in 1995. 

Check out more details in our previous blog about the May 15 return of the F Line.

Published May 06, 2021 at 12:37AM
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Join Us in Transforming Evans Avenue

Join Us in Transforming Evans Avenue
By Adrienne Heim

Pedestrian crossing Evans Avenue at Napoleon Street

This month we are reaching out to community groups and businesses along Evans Avenue for feedback on making this corridor safer and more inviting for everyone, by means of a Quick-Build project.

 Entering Evans Avenue from Cesar Chavez Street eastbound toward the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood, the street offers an unusual prospect for a corridor in San Francisco. Passing under freeway lanes and railway tracks, past industrial parks, retail and government buildings, the street eventually connects to Heron’s Head Park at Jennings Street.

Named after Robley D. Evans, a Commander in the U.S. Navy from 1864-1908, Evans Avenue served as one of three vital routes into the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard when it was operating from 1940 to 1974. Between Cesar Chavez and 3rd streets, the roadway consists of two travel lanes in both directions. The average traffic volume along this 0.7-mile stretch ranges from 12,000 vehicles per day (near 3rd Street) to 23,000 (near Cesar Chavez Street).  

Muni’s 19 Polk  serves Evans Avenue and connects to Muni lines including the T Third, 15 Bayview Hunters Point Express, 44 O'Shaughnessy and 91 3rd/19th Avenue Owl.

Why a Quick-Build project for Evans Avenue?

A quick-build project allows us to increase safety for all users of Evans Avenue by implementing relatively fast improvements with inexpensive treatments within months, such as: paint, traffic delineators, street signs and parking and loading adjustments. (See gallery below for examples of such treatments).

19 Polk turning off Cesar Chavez Street onto Evans Avenue

Evans Avenue is also a bike route, connecting bike lanes south of 3rd Street and on Cesar Chavez Street.

A person riding a bicycle eastbound on Evans Avenue

Evans Avenue is on San Francisco's Vision Zero High Injury Network, the 13% of San Francisco streets where 75% of the city’s traffic injuries and fatalities occur. From 2015 to 2020, 81 traffic collisions have been reported on Evans Avenue between Cesar Chavez and 3rd streets. This corridor is seeing rising traffic and the potential for conflicts due to ongoing and future development in the area.

 

We have developed three design concepts to improve transportation safety along this stretch of Evans. Now, we want your feedback.

You can take our survey online or place your cell phone camera over the QR code.

The survey will be open until May 21, 2021. 

We will analyze the feedback received from this survey and from direct outreach to local stakeholders before moving forward to the Engineering Public Hearing. After that, this project will be submitted to the SFMTA Board for review and approval. If given the green light, construction is expected to begin in fall 2021.

Learn more about the project and subscribe to project updates by visiting the Evans Avenue Quick-Build Project: Improving safety and access on Evans Avenue

 

 

Published May 05, 2021 at 01:11AM
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Welcome Back to the F Market & Wharves Historic Streetcars

Welcome Back to the F Market & Wharves Historic Streetcars
By Mariana Maguire

Photo: F Market & Wharves historic streetcar making its way up Market Street from the Ferry Building to Castro.

To support San Francisco’s economic recovery and reopening as tourism returns, the SFMTA will bring back the long-awaited F Market & Wharves historic streetcars on Saturday, May 15, between Fisherman’s Wharf and Castro and Market streets seven days a week.

SFMTA staff worked closely with Castro Merchants, SF Travel, Community Benefit Districts including Mid Market, Yerba Buena, Fisherman’s Wharf, Castro Upper Market, as well as district Supervisors and other key stakeholders in the effort to bring the F Market & Wharves back into service in time for the summer season. The F Market & Wharves is popular with tourists and visitors and is a priority for small businesses along Market Street and the Embarcadero.

Photo: One of SFMTA’s historic F Market & Wharves streetcars on display in the Castro.

Service Hours

With resources enabling a single daily shift, stakeholders were invited to select the specific hours of operation for the restored line. Based on their choice, trains from Castro to Fisherman’s Wharf will run from approximately 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Return trips from Fisherman’s Wharf to Castro, will run from  12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Read more about the full route and stops.

When Better Market Street begins construction, we plan to continue to run the F Market & Wharves full route as a combination of historic streetcar service and bus shuttle. The project team is exploring ways to limit construction impacts and will continue to work closely with businesses to support F Market & Wharves service.

Additional Rail Service Returning

On May 15th we will also reopen all Muni Metro subway stations. Full rail service will be restored on the N Judah between Ocean Beach and Caltrain. The combined KT Ingleside-Third will operate between Sunnydale and Balboa Park, through West Portal.

With the restoration of the F Market & Wharves, N Judah and KT Ingleside-Third on May 15th, the full Market Street corridor and several of the city’s major commercial hubs will have more service and connectivity. Since January 23rd, 91% of San Franciscans are now within 2-3 blocks of a Muni stop. And this includes 100% of residents in San Francisco’s neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Strategy.

Along with the Muni service being restored in May, we expect to be able to expand service so that 98% of San Franciscans will have access to Muni within 2-3 blocks by the end of the summer. SFMTA staff is working hard to support San Francisco’s economic recovery and reopening and the return of tourists, office workers and other visitors.

Published May 03, 2021 at 06:38PM
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Have Feedback on the COVID-19 Muni Temporary Service Plan?

Have Feedback on the COVID-19 Muni Temporary Service Plan?
By Shalon Rogers

In March 2020, due to unprecedented constraints on resources brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the SFMTA had to make significant transit service reductions. As of January 2021, the agency has been able to restore service to a level where 91% of San Franciscans are within a quarter mile of a transit stop. This is reflected in the SFMTA’s current COVID-19 Temporary Service Plan.  

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COVID-19 Temporary Service Plan Map

The SFMTA is committed to ensuring that our programs and services are compliant with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and therefore do not have a discriminatory impact based on race, color or national origin. As part of this work, we conducted a Title VI service equity analysis to evaluate the current COVID-19 Temporary Service Plan. The results of this analysis will be presented to the MTA Board of Directors on May 4.

The public is invited to attend and provide comments on the current service plan at the online MTA Board of Directors (MTAB) meeting where the results of the service equity analysis will be presented on May 4th at 1 p.m. There will be a second online MTAB meeting on May 18 at 1 p.m. To provide comments during the meeting, specific dial-in instructions are located on the SFMTA calendar item for each date.

For more information about Muni’s current service, visit the COVID-19 Temporary Service Plan website. You can also email feedback to TellMuni@SFMTA.com or call 415-646-2350.

Finally, we look forward to continuing to hear from our riders on our current service as we work towards a post-COVID-19 service plan.

 

Published April 29, 2021 at 05:43PM
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Permanent Relief for Muni Customers in SoMa?

Permanent Relief for Muni Customers in SoMa?
By Erin McMillan

Shortly after the pandemic’s onset, the SFMTA implemented Temporary Emergency Transit Lanes to make sure essential trips on Muni wouldn’t get caught in traffic. On Mission Street from 11th to 3rd streets in SoMa, the transit lanes have proven effective at protecting Muni travel times while traffic has increased. Now, with the city’s reopening generating even more traffic, keeping these lanes on the road permanently is as important as ever.

Paint Shop Crew Removing Old Pavement Markings for Installation of Temporary Emergency Transit Only Lanes on Mission Street on September 23, 2020

What’s Next?

Given that the data shows the lanes are effective, the SFMTA is now pursing making the full-time transit lanes, and their benefits, permanent. Following up on our initial evaluation of the project, we are now inviting the community to learn about next steps for making the lanes permanent. We are hosting a two-week virtual open house where you can check out this information via an on-demand recorded presentation or by reviewing a PDF of the presentation at your own pace. Still have questions? Join us for virtual office hours Thursday, April 29 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Travel on Mission Street South of Market

The SoMa segment of Mission Street from 11th to 3rd streets was the first corridor to get temporary emergency transit lanes. The project converted part-time, rush hour-only lanes into full-time lanes to help protect Muni customers from traffic congestion and a possible increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 on slower, more crowded buses. This better served the needs of the 14 Mission and 14R Mission Rapid that are busy all day, not just in the traditional peak commute hours. The corridor also serves regional transit from SamTrans and Golden Gate Transit, making these lanes important to regional as well as local travel.

Transit Lane Benefits

So far, the lanes on Mission Street have achieved their goal– keep transit moving even as traffic threatens to slow it down. Traffic has risen 20% since the summer of 2020, yet transit times are staying relatively consistent --meaning the transit lanes are effective in protecting buses from traffic. In addition to the transit data showing how effective the transit lanes are, 65% of community survey respondents said they wanted to keep the transit lanes permanently.

The project also helped simplify the street and traffic flow by widening the lanes that were previously too narrow to safely allow for buses. In addition, on some blocks parking shifted from one side of the street to the other, depending on the time of day. This new configuration is now easier and safer for all road users to navigate. Loading for businesses has also changed as part of the project, with the hours of when yellow zones are available increasing by over 40%.

For more information, visit the Mission Street SoMa Transit Improvements webpage, email us at TellMuni@SFMTA.com, or call (415) 646-2350.

 

Published April 28, 2021 at 11:50PM
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Safer and Easier Parking in Every City-Owned Facility

Safer and Easier Parking in Every City-Owned Facility
By Pamela Johnson

Parking at any of our 22 city-owned facilities is now easier and safer than ever. Late last month we completed the Parking Access Revenue and Control Systems (PARCS) project. This four-year effort replaced aging parking equipment with modern technology and significant operational upgrades.

Customer using new PARCS kiosk at North Beach parking garage

Patrons will notice enhanced lighting, new wayfinding signs, audible alarms, cameras, gate arms, and payment machines with two-way digital intercoms. Behind the scenes is an all-new parking management system and 24/7 command center, connected to every machine.

Can’t find your ticket to pay for parking?  No worries!

Thanks to license plate recognition technology, cameras located at every facility’s entrance capture patrons’ plate numbers as they arrive. If a customer loses her ticket, the manager is able to re-issue a ticket based on her license plate number. Previously, the customer would have been required to pay for a full day of parking.

Safety and Ease of Use

“The new system is a significant operational upgrade from our prior 16-year-old equipment” said Robert Aicardi, Operations Manager of SFMTA’s Off-Street Parking unit. Aicardi, who oversaw the day-to-day delivery of the PARCS upgrade project, noted that “The upgrades make for easier and safer access in and out of a parking facility and a better experience.”

Ted Graff, the Director of Parking & Curb Management added that “Thanks to modern technology, we can better manage the customer parking experience in our parking facilities and facility operations. We’ve also improved auditing and credit card security to protect customers, enabled real-time data collection, which helps with the implementation of dynamic or demand-responsive pricing and enabled universal validation to create a more efficient parking experience.”

Highlights

• All payment machines have instructions in English, Chinese, and Spanish
• Cameras have been installed at every point of sale and point of entry/exit to augment the intercoms
• Both flashing lights and audible alarms are activated as vehicles exit the facility, improving safety in areas of high pedestrian traffic 
• Payment kiosks use industry-standard, end-to-end encryption for credit card transactions
• Every point of sale enables mobile app contactless payments (including. Android Pay and Apple)

 PARCS partners

 To complete the upgrades, SFMTA’s Streets Division Off-Street Parking unit provided day-to-day oversight of the project, in partnership with SKIDATA, the PARCS vendor. Walker Parking Consultants served as the architect of record, and San Francisco Public Works oversaw all demolition and utility upgrades, which preceded PARCS equipment installation.

Visit the SFMTA’s website to learn more about the PARCS project and see a map of Garages & Lots that received the PARCS upgrades.

 

 

Published April 26, 2021 at 10:25PM
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Celebrate Earth Day by Using Alternate Modes to Get Around San Francisco

Celebrate Earth Day by Using Alternate Modes to Get Around San Francisco
By Sophia Scherr

Happy Earth Day! Established in 1970, Earth Day gave voice to the growing public consciousness concerning the environmental state of our planet, and the collective search for ways to save it. This determined effort for a better environment based on proactive strategies for slowing down the effects of climate change is more urgent than ever.

People travel on Market Street in many ways: as pedestrians, on bicycles, scooters, by taxi and by bus.

Riding Muni is a great choice for reducing your carbon impact, as the majority of our fleet is powered by hydro-electric power and does not generate CO2 emissions. The SFMTA has also committed to having an all-electric bus fleet by 2035: we will exclusively purchase all-electric buses starting in 2025 to meet that goal. This Earth Day, we’re encouraging riders to get out to explore one of the many alternate modes available for getting around San Francisco.

An “alternate mode” is a fancy way of describing activities such as walking, biking or scooting to get to your destination. As San Francisco begins the re-opening process, we expect more traffic congestion due to people eager to explore after a year of being sheltered-in place.  

To better help you get around, we’ve put together resources that include an interactive map with Muni Core service information, San Francisco’s bike network of bike lanes, Slow Streets, bike share station locations, taxi stand and parking garage locations. There are also bicycling and walking resources, and even an online photo exhibition of the history of these modes in San Francisco. Visit SFMTA.com/GetGoing to plan your next alternate mode trip.

San Francisco Multimodal Transportation map

Published April 22, 2021 at 04:22PM
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Van Ness Improvement Project Nears Completion

Van Ness Improvement Project Nears Completion
By Nehama Rogozen

After years of planning and construction, work on the Van Ness Improvement Project is progressing rapidly and the end is in sight! Construction is projected to be finished by the end of this year, with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service running on Van Ness Avenue from Mission to Lombard beginning in early 2022.

Work on the red transit lanes between Broadway and Pacific is almost complete.

Crews have been busy on Van Ness Avenue. You may have noticed them building new medians and sidewalks, paving the roadway and installing poles that provide lighting and power to the BRT system. Most recently they have installed the red lanes that will allow buses to move Muni and Golden Gate Transit riders quickly along the corridor, without getting stuck in traffic. To ensure durability and reduce fading, these red transit lanes are made from poured red concrete, as opposed to red paint or thermoplastic on top of concrete.

We are also planting hundreds of trees along Van Ness Boulevard as a part of the project, with more on the way. These trees replace those that were removed during construction at a ratio of more than 2-to-1. There are four species of trees being planted: Lemon-Scented Gum in the median and London Plane, Brisbane Box and Palm in sidewalk tree wells where similar species were planted previously. These species were selected for their suitability to the neighborhood and growing environment along a state highway.

As the end of construction approaches, staff on the project are planning for the transition that will happen as construction winds down and testing to launch BRT service on the corridor begins. We are planning significant outreach to the public , to ensure that customers know how to ride the system safely and efficiently.

We know it’s been a long wait and we appreciate your patience with this long-term construction project. San Francisco’s first BRT corridor is almost here and we’re excited to welcome you aboard soon.

Check out the photos below for more of the work on Van Ness:

Published April 21, 2021 at 07:25PM
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Bringing Back Muni Better

Bringing Back Muni Better
By Julie Kirschbaum

Much of Muni service has already been restored since the pandemic-related service reductions at the beginning of the crisis, thanks to the dedication of SFMTA staff. As San Francisco emerges from the pandemic, we continue to increase service by focusing on maximizing citywide Muni access while providing high frequency on the city’s busiest routes.

The J Church returned as a surface route from Balboa Park to Duboce Avenue in December 2020

Since January 23, 91% of San Franciscans are within 2-3 blocks of a Muni stop. And this includes 100% of residents in San Francisco’s neighborhoods identified in the Muni Service Equity Strategy.

On May 15, Muni Metro service will be restored in the subway, providing subway service at all stations from Embarcadero to West Portal. The K Ingleside and the T Third will once again be “interlined,” operating as one route from Balboa Park to Sunnydale. The N Judah is also returning to rail service, giving customers more room and fewer pass ups, as the two-car train increases the N Judah’s capacity. F Market & Wharves service will return 7 days a week, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. And, a hilltop gap will be closed between Forest Hill and Glen Park with the temporary 36-52 Special Shuttle bus.

SFMTA staff are working hard and fast to overcome constraints to restoring service, and we expect to be able to expand service so that 98% of San Franciscans will be within 2-3 block of a Muni stop by the end of the summer. Here’s how.

As of January 23, 2021, 91% of San Franciscans are within 2-3 blocks of a Muni stop. We expect 98% of San Franciscans to have this access by the end of summer.

Vehicle Capacity and Availability Limits

As public health officials monitor San Francisco’s decreasing COVID-19 case numbers and increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates, we are working closely with the Department of Public Health to determine when distancing restrictions should be lessened, allowing more customers on each bus and train.

When distancing requirements are no longer needed, each Muni bus and train will be able to carry up to three times more customers comfortably. We will also return to industry standards of cleaning vehicles at the end of the day and stop our pandemic practice of returning a vehicle at the end of each operator’s shift for sanitization that currently limits vehicle availability.

Additionally, buses are currently substituting for Muni Metro lines while work on the first part of the Subway Renewal Program is completed, that is further reducing vehicle availability. The SFMTA maintenance, engineering and technology teams have worked hard over the last 10 months to ensure that the subway will open up with better reliability, as well as important customer facing amenities such as Wi-Fi and new station signage at Church and Castro. In May, the bus substitution will not be needed on the N Judah and K Ingleside lines and can then be used on other routes.

Muni Staffing and Funding

Also, essential to providing great Muni service is retaining staff talent. Due to a 15% vacancy rate pre-pandemic across the agency and very limited hiring over the past year, we have vacancies in many service critical positions from mechanics to supervisors. Before we can restore more service, we need to conduct exams, hire and train. Additionally, a high wave of June retirements is expected due to a reduced number of retirements during the pandemic. Since we are expecting a challenging summer due to high promotions and attrition, we are restoring Muni service with a schedule that can be filled 100% with available operators without gaps going forward. We want to make sure that as we start up service, we can sustain it long term.

In the short term, with ridership expected to take several years to reach pre-pandemic levels, we will be able to meet the city’s transit needs without over-extending our resources. However, I am confident that if we bring back Muni service that is reliable and convenient, demand will return stronger than ever.

Thanks to our diligent teams, we are making cost efficient improvements to Muni service. SFMTA staff looked closely where we had vulnerabilities and talked openly about how to learn from past mistakes. Union leadership has fought tirelessly for the needs of their team members and show up every day to solve tough problems. From headway management to installing temporary emergency transit lanes, we are creating an enhanced customer experience that will foster financial sustainability for the long term.

While we are on our way to increasing service, getting Muni back to 100% of pre-pandemic service — not to mention any increases—requires more sustained funding. Even before the pandemic, the agency had seen declining revenues from parking fees and transit fares. Now, with ridership slow to return to past levels and tax revenues down, our future is even less clear. One-time federal funding has saved the SFMTA from devastating cuts and layoffs, but this one-time funding runs out in 2023 and doesn’t solve the long-term funding challenge.

The SFMTA is exploring several options including revenue measures to secure our future. And while we plan to passionately pursue expanded funding, we will not expand service beyond what we can sustain with ongoing revenue to protect jobs and prevent future layoffs.

Muni is more than a transit system—it's a core part of our community and fabric of our city.  Our staff is committed to keeping San Francisco moving and is working hard to bring Muni service back better than ever.

 

Published April 20, 2021 at 07:34PM
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Welcome Back to the Westside, K Ingleside Trains!

Welcome Back to the Westside, K Ingleside Trains!
By

The K Ingleside exiting the subway at West Portal

On April 16, the SFMTA, along with Mayor Breed and District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, announced that Muni’s K Ingleside trains will return to the westside starting May 15.

The return of these trains is happening much earlier than anticipated thanks to the hard work of SFMTA staff to find creative solutions to ramp up Muni service to riders and support the city’s economic recovery. 

“This addition of Muni service is a true testament to the collaboration between Muni staff, our labor unions and community partners,” said Julie Kirschbaum, SFMTA Director of Transit. “We know that key transit connections are critical to the city’s economic recovery, and we’re thrilled to re-open the subway and ramp up service.” 

The K Ingleside will join the previously-announced N Judah as part of Muni Metro’s reopening, highlighting the agency’s commitment to maximizing transit access citywide. Recent subway repairs enable the K Ingleside to be interlined with the T Third line and run through a much more reliable subway system.

The pandemic enabled us to accelerate other upgrades and necessary maintenance work, provided by a rare, extended subway shutdown. These are part of the Subway Renewal Program, a systematic approach to upgrades over the next 10 years that addresses both longstanding issues predating the pandemic and other issues uncovered since the shelter-in-place began.

Key improvements include:

• Wi-Fi availability for customers from routers installed in stations and cellular antennas installed in the tunnels
• Installation of new wayfinding and directional signs at Castro and Church stations
• Quicker and smoother trips as a result of overhead line enhancements and rail grinding

The return of K Ingleside rail service is only one part of a larger roll out of Muni Metro rail updates happening May 15:

K Ingleside/T Third 

K Ingleside and the T Third will once again be “interlined.” This means that the two routes will operate as one route, from Balboa Park to Sunnydale, providing subway service at all stations from Embarcadero to West Portal. 

 N Judah 

The N Judah is also returning to rail service. Riders will have more room and fewer pass ups, as the two-car train increases the N Judah’s capacity.

J Church, L Taraval and M Oceanview

These lines will all continue to operate as they currently do, though the increased capacity on the K/T trains will soon provide even better connections for those traveling downtown or to the western neighborhoods.  

• The J Church will remain as a surface-only route from Duboce Avenue to Balboa Park
• The L Taraval will operate with buses from the Zoo to Downtown 
• The M Ocean View will operate with buses from Balboa Park to West Portal Station.

 

Published April 20, 2021 at 01:43AM
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Muni Emergency Measures Point to Longer Term Transit Goals

Muni Emergency Measures Point to Longer Term Transit Goals
By

The 38 Geary Temporary Emergency Transit Lane

Muni is a core part of our community’s urban fabric that, like so much, has been upended by the pandemic. Yet, as hard as the last year has been, the SFMTA is focused on bringing Muni back better than ever. As we shift to focus on recovery, we’re looking closely at the emergency efforts we’ve implemented during the pandemic and how their proven effectiveness can help support San Francisco long-term.

This includes promising performance data from our Temporary Emergency Transit Lanes  program and plans for service restoration and future improvements. As part of an emergency response over six miles of temporary emergency transit lanes have been installed, benefitting tens of thousands of Muni customers each day, and helping to protect key Muni corridors from traffic. With the prioritization of temporary emergency transit lanes on routes that serve neighborhoods identified by the Muni Service Equity Strategy, the goal is to protect low-income and historically underserved people traveling on Muni from traffic congestion as the economy reopens and traffic returns.

Recent Muni Forward improvements are working: where we have invested in improvements like transit lanes, transit signal priority and bus bulbs, Muni customers are experiencing quicker and more reliable trips. When more people choose Muni because it’s fast and reliable, there are fewer cars on the street, reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Temporary Emergency Transit Lane Program Benefits Riders

Several transit lanes have already been in place long enough to collect substantive data, and the results are showing benefits to Muni riders. The success of these corridors - Geary, 4th Street Bridge, 7th and 8th Streets and Mission Street in SOMA – show how beneficial making investments in transit can be.

Here’s a quick run-down of each of their successes.

Mission Street (SOMA)

Mission Street in SOMA was our very first Temporary Emergency Transit Lane project and it is showing amazing results. The project took rush hour-only transit lanes and made them full-time. Here’s what we’ve learned:

• Though traffic is 20% higher than in the summer of 2020, transit times are fairly consistent and only show a difference of 2 to 4% showing that bus travel times are being protected despite an increase in traffic
• A public survey showed 65% of respondents support making the changes of the transit lanes permanent 

A 2-week online open house will be held Monday, April 19, through Monday, May 3, to inform the community of the outcome of the evaluation of the temporary project, and changes made based on feedback, prior to pursuing permanent legislation in June. For more information, visit SFMTA.com/TempLanes14.

Geary Boulevard (Richmond District)

Building upon the implementation of the Geary Rapid Project in the eastern half of the corridor, Geary Boulevard west of Stanyan is benefiting from new temporary emergency transit lanes, Muni head start signals and wooden bus bulbs. The data shows:. The data shows:

• Muni speeds have stayed consistent or even increased despite increases in traffic
• The biggest improvements have been for inbound 38R Geary Rapid passengers, whose trip got faster and more reliable across all times of day, with a 6% improvement in reliability in the morning rush hour commute

4th Street Bridge

T Third riders have long experienced delays near 4th and King Station – in front of Caltrain. New transit lanes on the 4th Street bridge, however, are showing real promise.

• Transit delay at the 4th and Berry intersection has decreased by over 60%, and less than 1% of trains are impeded by auto traffic thanks to the new Temporary Emergency Transit Lanes
• Trains are 2.5 times more likely to cross 4th and Berry, the intersection between the bridge and Caltrain, without stopping for a red light
• When trains do wait for a green light, the average wait is 70% shorter

7th & 8th Streets

Serving the 19 Polk, much of 8th Street and a smaller slice of 7th Street received temporary emergency transit lanes early in the pandemic. In fact, the project has been so successful, we have rerouted the 27 Bryant over to 7th and 8th in SOMA to take advantage of the time savings and improve reliability for the entire line. On this corridor, we’re seeing:

• 20% improvement in the 19 Polk’s on time performance despite a 35% increase in mixed traffic since April 2020
• No recorded instances of crowding on the 19 Polk line, despite a 33% increase in ridership since the beginning of the pandemic, thanks in part to the headway reliability that the temporary emergency transit lanes support (reduced gaps and bunches that contribute to crowding)
• Transit lanes have not caused traffic congestion to substantially deteriorate, demonstrating that transit benefits don’t need to negatively impact drivers

As the city reopens and traffic returns, temporary emergency transit lanes are being evaluated on their effectiveness with the goal of making the benefits of the temporary emergency lanes permanent.

Future Service Improvements

The benefits to Muni through the success of the temporary emergency transit lanes projects need to be protected. The success of the program is encouraging the SFMTA to pursue permanent changes along several of these corridors. Importantly, any long-term changes will incorporate public feedback to tweak the designs to better match emerging neighborhood needs. Making the Muni benefits we have seen through the Temporary Emergency Transit Lanes program permanent is one way that we can emerge from the pandemic stronger than before.

Legislation for permanent transit lanes on Geary and Mission Street in SoMa is under consideration.

In addition, two more temporary emergency transit lanes projects are being considered for approval by the SFMTA Board of directors today:

• 1 California
• Park Presidio Lombard Temporary HOV Lanes

Finally, we’re taking advantage of the current environment to advance major construction projects that will deliver long-planned (and long-delayed) improvements.

These include:

• The Subway Renewal Program
• L Taraval Improvement Program
• 16th Street Improvement Project
• 19th Avenue Combined City Project

All of these will add up to very real improvements for transit riders. If you want to learn more, check out this presentation prepared for the April 20, 2021 meeting of the SFMTA’s Board of Directors.

 

Published April 20, 2021 at 01:16AM
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Bayview Quick Builds: Uplifting Voices and Fostering Community

Bayview Quick Builds: Uplifting Voices and Fostering Community
By

When it comes to transportation planning in the Bayview, the SFMTA recognizes our involvement in the long history of past racist policies that have led to disinvestment in that community. Rectifying these injustices will take time but begins with near-term efforts like the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan and the Bayview Quick-Build Transportation Projects. The goal of this work by SFMTA staff is to begin the process of building trust with community members and uplifting their voices.

A recent example are the murals painted along the Bayview’s first Vision Zero Quick-Build Project, unveiled by the SFMTA and multiple community partners on Saturday, April 3. Vision Zero Quick-Build Projects are defined by their ability to rapidly install inexpensive, easily adjustable street safety improvements.  For this project, safety improvements required the installation of concrete barriers to delineate space in the roadway, which provided a canvas for community art.

Community participation plays a key role in how we develop quick-build improvements. The location of this particular quick-build was identified as a recommended corridor for traffic calming improvements in the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan (Bayview CBTP). That plan is a multi-year effort to foster a more collaborative and responsive relationship with residents of the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. Ariel Ward, SFMTA project planner and manager, who worked previously on the Bayview CBTP, brought her knowledge and relationships to help guide the Bayview Quick-Build project.

The project corridor along Evans Avenue, Hunters Point Boulevard, and Innes Avenue is on the Vision Zero High-Injury Network, the 13% of city streets that account for 75% of severe and fatal traffic injuries. Conversations with the community revealed that the location where Innes Avenue turns into Hunters Point Boulevard is often referred to by residents as “Dead Man’s Curve.” Over the past five years at this location, 20 collisions resulted in 32 injuries and one fatality, with many of these crashes caused by unsafe speeds, turns, and lane changes.

Influenced by the input received through the Bayview CBTP, the project team implemented quick-build improvements that include reducing the number of traffic lanes from four to two, a protected bicycle and pedestrian path using concrete barriers along Hunters Point Boulevard, upgrading and installing continental crosswalks and a creating a transit boarding island on Evans at Middle Point Road.

These improvements eliminate the possibility of drivers making high speed lane changes, encourage slower vehicle speeds, and provide protection for people to safely walk and bike along the corridor. While each of these tools has clear road safety purposes, Ariel viewed the concrete barriers as an opportunity to continue collaborating with the community and build on the relationships she established through the Bayview CBTP.

Through a call for submissions, the SFMTA worked with BMAGIC, Hunters Point Shipyard Citizens Advisory Committee, Shipyard Trust for the Arts, San Francisco African American Arts and Cultural District, and the India Basin Neighborhood Association, to select six artists who live and work in the Bayview to use the concrete barriers as canvases and helping to beautify the project. The community was able to raise $30,000 in philanthropic funds to paint murals along the entire length of the concrete barriers.

Listening to advocates and working with the community helps ensure that our traffic safety improvements benefit everyone. This requires fostering ongoing relationships by speaking directly with those who live and work in the project area to better understand their specific needs. Ultimately, the safety barriers will not only protect people walking and biking, but also celebrate the rich history, culture, and identity of the Bayview. We hope you’ll enjoy this celebration of a vision built in collaboration with artists, activists and community members over the years at Bayside Saturdays.

This effort would not have been possible without the generosity and time donated by BMAGIC, the Box Shop, India Basin Neighborhood Association, San Francisco African American Arts & Cultural District, Shipyard Trust for the Arts, Wendy MacNaughton, Livable City, SPIN and CEMEX.

View the slideshow below to learn more about some of the community members and groups who helped the murals come to life.

 

 

Published April 16, 2021 at 03:59PM
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