A Day in History: Market Street Subway Milestone

A Day in History: Market Street Subway Milestone
By Jeremy Menzies

Forty-five years ago on January 31, 1978, San Francisco Muni and city officials along with members of the press took an inaugural ride in the brand new Market Street Subway from Castro Station to Embarcadero.

The inaugural run traveled roughly three miles from Castro Station to Embarcadero Station.

The three-mile-long Market Street Subway forms the backbone of the Muni Metro system. Built alongside the BART tunnel which runs below, the subway provided faster service through downtown for local and regional travelers.

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Public Utilities Commissioner Claire Pilcher pose for a photo in the operator’s compartment of one of Muni’s first light rail vehicles.

In development for 50 years and under construction for another ten, the Market Street Subway took longer to implement than any other transit project before or after.

A large crowd of people and press came out for the ride and press conference at Embarcadero Station.

At the time of this event, San Francisco’s main transit tunnel was the Twin Peaks Tunnel, which opened in 1918. The Twin Peaks Tunnel shuttled people on the K, L, and M Lines from the Castro to West Portal, decreasing travel time from the southwest side of town significantly. Streetcars exited the tunnel at Castro Street and travel along Market to downtown. This trip along the busiest street in the city frequently negated any travel time savings in the tunnel.

Capping off the celebration was a ribbon cutting led by Mayor Moscone.

With the Market Street Subway linked to the Twin Peaks Tunnel, Muni began a new era of rail service using Light Rail Vehicles. Designed to increase capacity, LRVs could run on the surface then enter the subway and travel unimpeded by street traffic five miles from downtown to West Portal and back. This first train ride and ribbon cutting marked the end of a long wait and the beginning of a new subway system for San Francisco.

Published January 31, 2023 at 03:50AM
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Help Shape the Future of Active Transportation in SF!

Help Shape the Future of Active Transportation in SF!
By Eillie Anzilotti

The Active Communities Plan will making biking safer, more accessible and more joyful for all.  

San Francisco is creating a new plan for active transportation — and every person has a role to play in shaping it!  

We are excited to share that the Active Communities Plan officially launches this month. Here, you can learn more about what that means, and how you can get involved. 

What is the Active Communities Plan? 

The Active Communities Plan (ACP) is the first update to the Citywide Bicycle Master Plan since 2009. A lot has changed in the last 13 years. People now use the bike network for all kinds of travel, including scooters, skateboards, powerchairs, and other electric mobility devices. As network use grows, people need better and safer places to ride. Supporting safe, low-carbon travel is more important than ever, but many communities also have concerns about the implications of these changes. We need your input to build a plan that reflects community needs and values and helps prioritize and direct investments. 

The ACP provides a 10-15 year roadmap for projects and programs to support biking and rolling in San Francisco. It will expand and improve the existing bike network with recommendations for new protected lanes, Neighborways, or Slow Streets. It will also recommend improvements to bikeshare and scootershare, new device parking, and programs to support and encourage new riders. The co-creation process will be inclusive, forward-thinking and community-driven, resulting in a plan that reflects the needs and vision of all San Franciscans.  

What are the goals of the Active Communities Plan?  

The ACP will make active transportation safer, more accessible and more joyful for all.  

Being able to roll or bike through San Francisco can be an empowering choice when it is inclusive and safe. It avoids vehicle congestion and reliance on schedules. It supports door-to-door trips and, quite often, creates feelings of freedom and joy. Through this plan, we want to ensure that people of all ages and abilities who want to participate in active transportation can choose to do so. Our year-long outreach process will center community input and create a plan that improves transportation options for everyone, advances equity and repairs past harms, builds trust, supports safety, and simply reduces stress in people’s daily lives. We will prioritize engagement with people often not centered in conversations about transportation: people with disabilities, communities of color, young people, seniors, and monolingual residents. With deep collaboration from the outset, we will ensure a broad, diverse range of needs are heard and addressed.   

While in-depth outreach and engagement is central to the ACP, there is real urgency behind the plan. Our citywide goals for eliminating traffic deaths and reducing our carbon footprint depend on making active mobility safer and more accessible to all. We’re excited to begin this transformative process and look forward to hearing from you! 

How can I get involved? 

Outreach for the ACP begins in January and will continue through all of 2023. Every San Franciscan will have the opportunity to participate. While outreach and engagement opportunities will span the whole city, the ACP will center the following equity priority communities: SoMa, the Tenderloin, Western Addition/Fillmore, Bayview-Hunters Point, the Mission and Outer Mission/Excelsior. In each of these communities, the SFMTA is partnering with local organizations that will host and participate in a range of outreach and engagement opportunities to learn more about their unique needs and experiences: 

• Mission District & Outer Mission/Excelsior: PODER’s Bicis del Pueblo program develops bicycling skills and environmental justice awareness in low-income communities of color. 

• Bayview-Hunters Point: Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates empowers residents around transportation and environmental justice issues. 

• Tenderloin: The Tenderloin Community Benefit District provides services and programming to create a vibrant community for all. 

• SoMa: SoMa Pilipinas manages the Filipino Cultural Heritage District and focuses on economic, social and transportation justice. 

• Western Addition/Filmore: New Community Leadership Foundation works to transform and empower disenfranchised communities across the city. 

There will also be many opportunities, from interactive websites to community bike audits, for people across San Francisco to weigh in - with The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition providing additional staffing support for our citywide outreach work. To learn more about how to get involved, keep an eye on our website and subscribe to project updates. 

For next steps and opportunities to get involved, visit the Active Communities Project Plan page (SFMTA.com/ActiveCommunities).

Published January 27, 2023 at 11:34PM
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New T Third Connecting Chinatown to Sunnydale Starts Saturday

New T Third Connecting Chinatown to Sunnydale Starts Saturday
By Christopher Ward

New Muni Metro map.

This Saturday the T Third starts its long-awaited new route connecting Chinatown-Rose Pak Station from 4th & King in Central Subway, Mondays through Fridays, 6 a.m. to midnight every 10 minutes and Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to midnight every 12 minutes.  

The K Ingleside will now travel between Balboa Park and Embarcadero Station. Customers using Embarcadero & Folsom, Embarcadero & Brannan and 2nd and King platforms should transfer to the N Judah at Powell Station or 4th & King.

Watch the new Muni Metro service map animations.

The following bus service changes also start this Saturday:

• The T Third Bus will now run along 3rd and 4th Streets in SoMa and on Stockton Street north of Market Street to align with the new T Third rail line and will no longer travel on the Embarcadero and Market Street. 
• The 6 Haight/Parnassus will now run until 12 a.m. daily instead of 10 p.m. to cover the service gap on Haight Street.
• The 21 Hayes will now run to Fulton Street and 8th Avenue on weekdays after 7 p.m. and weekends all day to provide access to Golden Gate Park. There will be no additional stops between Stanyan Street and 8th Avenue.
• The terminals on the 12 Folsom/Pacific and 36 Teresita are changing to provide better operator relief points, with minor reroutes near Cesar Chavez and Valencia Streets.
• Service will be added on 28 19th Avenue and 38R Geary Rapid to help reduce crowding.
• The bus stops at 4th and Folsom streets and 4th and Howard streets will be consolidated into one stop in front of the new Yerba Buena/Moscone Station to provide better connections for customers as part of 4th Street Improvement Project.

Customers traveling to stops along the Embarcadero or the baseball stadium at 2nd & King should use the N Judah.

Customers going to Sunnydale should catch the new T Third at the new Union Square/Market Street Station.

Watch how to get around with our video, Connecting Communities: How to Navigate the Central Subway. 

For more travel and connections tips read our Frequently Asked Questions.

The new Central Subway tunnel runs underneath the Market Street subway, which means the stations are deeper and have very long escalators – the longest in the United States west of the Mississippi. There are also two glass elevators at each station from street level to concourse level and from concourse level to platform level for accessibility.

At Union Square/Market Street Station, the elevators are in the center of the concourse with their own fare gates.

MuniMobile and Lifeline customers may use any of the wide fare gates at the Union Square/Market Street Station – at the Geary escalators, the Ellis escalators or the elevators in the center of the concourse.

WiFi Connectivity in the New Subway Stations

All three new Central Subway underground stations are equipped with WiFi, and cellular service will be set up soon. To connect to the free, open WiFi network, open your phone’s WiFi settings and select #SFWiFi and enjoy connectivity on all station platforms and concourse levels.

To report WiFi connectivity issues please take note of the exact location in the station where the signal is low or nonexistent and call 311 You can also write to us here with any feedback or questions.

Enjoy your ride on Muni!

Published January 06, 2023 at 06:01AM
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Ride to Chase Center Events Along the New T Third

Ride to Chase Center Events Along the New T Third
By Christopher Ward

Starting January 7, take the S Shuttle Mission Bay on the new T Third line via Central Subway to Chase Center events.

Service on the new T Third Line from Chinatown Rose-Pak to Sunnydale starts January 7. With it, new event service to Chase Center will also start via Central Subway on the S Shuttle Mission Bay.

During events at Chase Center, shuttles will operate between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and UCSF/Chase Center every 10 minutes. These shuttles will start approximately two and a half hours before an event and continue for two and half hours after an event.

From Chinatown to Chase Center, riding the S Shuttle Mission Bay takes about 20 minutes. Best of all, your Chase Center event ticket is your Muni fare. No additional Muni fare needed!

• Both electronic and physical tickets for events – including Warriors games, concerts and other events – will serve as proof of payment for Muni service throughout the day.
• The ticket will be valid all day and expire at the end of the service day at 2 a.m. after the event.
• Passengers with a valid ticket can board through any door so we can quickly get you to the event or game! There is no need to show your Chase Center ticket to a bus or rail driver.
• Keep your event ticket handy for proof of ticket purchase. To avoid fines, you will need to show your valid event ticket as proof of purchase if requested by a Transit Fare Inspector.

The S Shuttle Mission Bay will operate between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and UCSF/Chase Center during Chase Center events.

Muni Metro and BART customers can transfer at Powell Station underground to Union Square/Market Street Station and board the S Shuttle Mission Bay southbound to the UCSF/Chase Center Station. At Union Square/Market Street Station, elevators to the platform are in the center of the station with their own fare gates.

Customers traveling past Chase Center should board trains with head signs that say “T Third Sunnydale” to avoid transferring at Mission Bay.

The 78X 16th Street Arena Express will continue to run express service between Chase Center and the 16th Street BART station two and a half hours before events and one hour after events.

Visit our Chase Center webpage (SFMTA.com/ChaseCenter) for more information.

Published January 05, 2023 at 05:31AM
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How To Navigate Transfers on the New T Third

How To Navigate Transfers on the New T Third
By Mariana Maguire

SFMTA Ambassadors are helping customers navigate the new Central Subway stations and Metro service changes.

As we prepare for the start of new T Third service on Saturday, January 7, between Sunnydale and Chinatown-Rose Pak Station, here are some important travel tips to help you plan your new connections.

New T Third service via Central Subway starts January 7 with service between Sunnydale and Chinatown-Rose Pak Station.

For J Church, K Ingleside, M Ocean View Customers

• For stops along the Embarcadero and King Street including 2nd & King (Oracle Park) and 4th & King (Caltrain), take the N Judah.
• For service north to Chinatown-Rose Pak Station or south to Yerba/Buena Moscone Station, 4th & King streets (Caltrain), UCSF/Chase Center and beyond to Sunnydale, transfer at Powell Station to Union Square/Market Street Station and take the new T Third. The N Judah will also continue to serve 4th & King (Caltrain).

For T Third Customers

• For service to Balboa Park, transfer at Union Square/Market Street Station to Powell Station and take the K Ingleside westbound. Or take any westbound J Church or M Ocean View.
• For service to 2nd & King (Oracle Park) and stops along the Embarcadero, take the N Judah at 4th and King streets, next to the Caltrain station.
• For service to all Market Street Metro stations, transfer at Union Square/Market Street Station to Powell Station and take the K Ingleside and M Ocean View for Embarcadero to West Portal Stations or take the N Judah and J Church for Embarcadero to Van Ness Stations.

Elevators to trains at Union Square/Market Street Station are located in the middle of the concourse with their own fare gates.

Accessibility at New Union Square/Market Street Station

The new Central Subway stations are more accessible to riders with disabilities, with level boarding between the train and platform and two glass elevators between each level for more reliability, light and visibility. Once service between Chinatown-Rose Pak and Sunnydale starts January 7, use our Elevator Status Page to help you plan your trip.

Here are a few key tips to consider if you are taking the elevators at the new Union Square /Market Street Station

• Elevators between street level and the concourse are located at two locations:
  
  • The new station entrance at Geary and Stockton, at Union Square.
  • The existing BART and Muni elevator on Market and Stockton streets. Exit the elevator to the left at concourse level and follow signs to Union Square/Market Street Station.
• The first set of fare gates at both entrances to the Union Square/Market Street Station lead to a long set of escalators. The elevators from concourse to platform level are in the center of the concourse with their own fare gates.

Find additional information about new connections and wayfinding in our new T Third service Frequently Asked Questions.

Published January 04, 2023 at 06:49AM
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