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Sunday Streets Starts This Weekend By Enrique Aguilar A full season of Sunday Streets starts this weekend! Check out the upcoming schedule below.   Sunday Streets 2023 is here, featuring three community parties, two signature mile-plus routes and the Third Annual Phoenix Day block party program. The 15th season will kick off on Galvez Avenue and Mendell Street in Bayview on May 21 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Residents and visitors alike will celebrate the neighborhood's vibrant diversity with cultural programming, health resources, local vendors and recreational activities for all ages. It is completely free and open to everyone! Each neighborhood's character makes the experience a distinct adventure. As the streets come alive with music, dance, and community spirit, SFMTA project experts will be on hand with updates and information on various transportation options. In partnership with Livable City and Into The Streets , the SFMTA proudly supports this series of events t...

San Francisco To Extend Parking Meter Hours Citywide By Pamela Johnson Much like real estate, parking is at a premium in San Francisco. For decades, most parking meters in the city have operated from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday. While drivers generally love free parking, they may not realize that it’s hard to find a space in the evenings and on Sundays in many neighborhoods because the meters are not running.  Beginning in July 2023 and continuing in phases through December 2024, the SFMTA will extend parking meter hours until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and add Sunday meter hours from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Parking meters already operate in the evenings or on Sundays in some areas, including Mission Bay, South Beach, the 18th Street business district in Potrero Hill and along the Embarcadero. This extension will make meter hours more consistent citywide, create more parking availability and generate revenue to help the agency sustain vital Muni...

Unsung Heroes of the Central Subway By Melissa Culross When is a subway more than just a subway? More than its tracks, tunnels and platforms? More than simply a way to get from point A to point B?   A subway is much more when people put their hearts and souls into building it, as so many who worked on the recently opened Central Subway did. The subway was decades in the making, and over the years, hundreds of SFMTA employees spent countless hours designing and constructing it. Every single contribution, no matter how large or small, was essential, and there are so many unsung heroes of the Central Subway whose collective legacy will be felt well into the future.   We want to introduce you to a few of those heroes, but please know that they are not the only ones.      Wyman Lee For Wyman Lee, building the Chinatown-Rose Pak Central Subway station was deeply personal. Lee, the SFMTA’s resident engineer for the construction, was born and raised ju...

Meet the People of the Next Generation CIS: Leon Yu By Deanna Leo Leon Yu, Graphic Artist, Creative Services   What do you do on the project?  I help design the user experience: What users see on the new displays, how they see it and how often they see it, down to the actual graphics.   How do you feel your work impacts our customers? Who will benefit?  My work communicates transit information to customers as cleanly and clearly as possible, so the information is easy for any member of the public to understand. We only have a small space to work with on the displays, so we must make it count. People  of all backgrounds, languages and abilities, so need to get this information quickly at a glance.   What was your favorite part of the project?  My favorite part is working with the team and all the different CIS systems. This is such a multidisciplinary project involving many staff and people I’ve never worked with before. Being able to coll...

Muni Rider Satisfaction the Highest in 10-years! By Bonnie Jean von Krogh Here at the SFMTA, we are focused on creating the fastest, safest and most reliable public transportation network for all San Franciscans. This is why we consider it a top priority to hear from our riders and non-riders alike about how we’re doing, what your public transportation priorities are, and ways we can improve. These findings help to inform budget, long-range planning and policy decisions. They also help build a better Muni for everyone traveling in San Francisco.  In recent months we conducted our Rider Survey as well as a broader Community Survey . Real-time data from our partners at Transit App in their North America Transit Rider Happiness Benchmarking Survey provides additional details about community feedback.   The good news? Rider satisfaction with Muni services is up across the board:  Per SFMTA’s Rider survey, 66% of Muni riders rate services as good or excellent — a 9% in...

Muni Metro Fix-It Week Maintains the Subway Infrastructure By Jessie Liang Track crew removing old rail at the Van Ness crossover  The first Muni Metro Fix-It Week of 2023 was a resounding success in March, and it’s also the first Fix-It Week since the SFMTA launched the Central Subway in early January of this year. Here is a behind-the-scenes video recap . Fix-It Week is the SFMTA’s quarterly effort to optimize work time by closing Muni Metro early for critical maintenance. The SFMTA’s Maintenance of Way (MOW) teams did an excellent job maintaining the subway and preventing future breakdowns.  Fix-It Week helps the Muni Metro get a 20% improvement in speed and about a 20% improvement in reliability in the subway. It takes fewer minutes to take the N Judah from the Outer Sunset to Embarcadero now than it did in 2019.   From March 16 to March 22, 2023, the Muni Metro Subway between Embarcadero and West Portal closed at 9:30 p.m. to provide SFMTA maintenance crew...

Track Work Through the Years By Jeremy Menzies San Francisco’s unique rail system brings together 150-year-old cable cars, historic electric streetcars of all shapes and sizes and modern light rail vehicles.   Many trades across the SFMTA play a critical role in keeping the system moving. This month we look back in time at the work of one such group, the Track Department. While the lines and technologies of SF’s street railway have changed over the years, some of the base-level work, tools and skills needed to maintain our tracks are the same today as they were over 100 years ago.  A decade before Muni was founded, the United Railroads Company (URR) dominated San Francisco’s transit system. URR owned and operated nearly 400 miles of street and cable car track all over the city. To keep this network in service, their track department was fully equipped to handle any possible construction or repair job.  All hands were on deck for this job outside the Ferry Build...

SFMTA Retires the Orion, First Hybrid Bus in Cleanest Transit Fleet By Clive Tsuma San Francisco’s first low-emissions electric hybrid Orion bus Muni’s Orion hybrid buses are headed for retirement as we phase in a brand-new batch of El Dorado hybrid electric buses . It’s the end of an era for San Francisco’s first low-emissions electric hybrid fleet that travels the city’s toughest routes. Orion hybrid fleet tackles Muni’s toughest routes starting in 2007 The Orion buses have been a testament to the SFMTA’s commitment to the latest green transportation technologies . Muni, which previously had relied on a diesel bus fleet in coordination with our electric trolley bus fleet,   transitioned to its first 30-foot Orion diesel hybrid-electric buses in 2007. This was the start of the SFMTA’s addition of these lower emission vehicles to one of the greenest fleets in the country , ensuring better air quality city wide. The Orions brought the agency closer to achieving its goal of a...

There’s a Community Shuttle Coming to the Bayview By A new shuttle to serve Bayview’s diverse communities A new community shuttle is coming to Bayview-Hunters Point in January of 2024, and we need your help designing it! The SFMTA is partnering with the California Air Resources Board and nine community-based organizations to launch a dynamic service community shuttle that truly meets your needs. A community shuttle has been a long-desired service for this geographically isolated community, and was identified as a top priority in the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan . This program builds off of previous community shuttle efforts like the Bayview Moves program. To share your voice, take our survey now or attend one of our upcoming community partner events . A “dynamic service” shuttle is one that doesn’t have a fixed route like a bus line, but instead operates in a “service area.” The shuttle will pick up and drop off riders anywhere within the Bayview area and c...

10 Reasons to Love San Francisco Parking Control Officers By Andrea Buffa SMILE, ready for our close ups!  To learn more about the day in the life of a hard working Parking Control Officer (PCO), take a look here . It isn't easy being a parking control officer (PCO) in San Francisco. None of us likes to get a parking ticket, and we sometimes wrongly take out our frustrations on the PCOs who are simply doing their job to keep San Francisco moving. To help you avoid veering off into negativity during your next encounter with an SFMTA Parking Control Officer, we’re providing you with this list of reasons you should actually love PCOs. Keep your favorite reason in mind next time you see a PCO on the street. Instead of getting angry with them, you might even consider appreciating them for dedicating themselves to this tough job rain or shine. Top 10 reasons to love San Francisco Parking Control Officers:  They keep the intersections in the Financial District clear — and pe...

10 Reasons to Love San Francisco Parking Control Officers By Pamela Johnson SMILE, ready for our close ups!  To learn more about the day in the life of a hard working Parking Control Officer (PCO), take a look here . It isn't easy being a parking control officer (PCO) in San Francisco. None of us likes to get a parking ticket, and we sometimes wrongly take out our frustrations on the PCOs who are simply doing their job to keep San Francisco moving. To help you avoid veering off into negativity during your next encounter with an SFMTA Parking Control Officer, we’re providing you with this list of reasons you should actually love PCOs. Keep your favorite reason in mind next time you see a PCO on the street. Instead of getting angry with them, you might even consider appreciating them for dedicating themselves to this tough job rain or shine. Top 10 reasons to love San Francisco Parking Control Officers:  They keep the intersections in the Financial District clear — and ...

A Decade of Rolling out the Red Carpet for Riders By Cassie Halls An animated map showing the expansion of red transit lanes in San Francisco. View as a PDF . Accessible version of the expansion of red transit lanes:  Red Transit Lanes Over Time in San Francisco from 2013 to 2023  There is nothing quite like looking out the window at gridlock traffic while your bus coasts down a red transit lane. This may feel like an “only in San Francisco” pleasure – after all, San Francisco was one of the first U.S. cities to “roll out the red carpet” by painting bus lanes red. But red transit lanes have now become a popular way to keep buses out of traffic in more than 25 cities across the country.  The SFMTA is celebrating a decade since the installation of San Francisco’s first red transit lane on Church Street on March 23, 2013 . You can help us celebrate by riding that first red transit lane between Duboce and 16th Streets on Muni’s 22 Fillmore and J Church along with thousands o...

San Francisco’s Transit-First Policy Turns 50 By Melissa Culross Transit on Market Street in downtown San Francisco, 2018 It’s been a half-century since the San Francisco Board of Supervisors put transit needs above all other traffic initiatives, and now, the city’s Transit-First policy is celebrating its golden anniversary. The policy guides the city’s work on major infrastructure projects and planning efforts. Its principles drive San Francisco officials to promote incentives that reduce traffic congestion and solo vehicle trips, support transit investments including the purchase of Muni buses and light rail vehicles, and regularly evaluate how well our transportation network functions.  Adopted on March 19, 1973, the original Transit-First policy was born out of an effort to reshape the Municipal Railway so it could serve San Franciscans' needs more effectively. The goals were very specific:  Create exclusive bus lanes and prohibit automobiles from streetcar and ca...

San Francisco’s Transit-First Policy Turns 50 By Michael Delia Transit on Market Street in downtown San Francisco, 2018 It’s been a half-century since the San Francisco Board of Supervisors put transit needs above all other traffic initiatives, and now, the city’s Transit-First policy is celebrating its golden anniversary. The policy guides the city’s work on major infrastructure projects and planning efforts. Its principles drive San Francisco officials to promote incentives that reduce traffic congestion and solo vehicle trips, support transit investments including the purchase of Muni buses and light rail vehicles, and regularly evaluate how well our transportation network functions.  Adopted on March 19, 1973, the original Transit-First policy was born out of an effort to reshape the Municipal Railway so it could serve San Franciscans' needs more effectively. The goals were very specific:  Create exclusive bus lanes and prohibit automobiles from streetcar and cabl...

Reimagining Potrero Yard – A Community Open House, Saturday, March 18 By John Angelico This conceptual rendering shows one of the proposed spaces in the Potrero Yard project designated for small businesses and non-profits at the intersection of 17th and Hampshire streets. (Image: Arcadis IBI Group)  This Saturday we’re joining the Potrero Neighborhood Collective (PNC) developer team to host a community open house for the Potrero Yard Modernization Project , the nation’s first joint development of a bus facility with integrated housing and retail. Learn about how we’re improving transit by replacing a century-old bus yard with a modern facility, as well as addressing SF’s need for affordable housing. Please join us to view the latest designs and give your input on this groundbreaking project.   Join us! Reimaging Potrero Yard. Saturday, March 18,  2023, 1-3 p.m. KQED, 2601 Mariposa Street, SF. (Conceptual rendering from Arcadis IBI Group) What : Reimagining Pot...

Muni Safe Driver Awards 2023 By Sophia Scherr Keep an eye out for one of our Safe Driver Award PSA’s on your next Muni ride & don’t forget to thank your operator!  Driving through San Francisco’s winding and hilly terrain in any vehicle is tricky. Doing so in a 40-foot bus, cable car or streetcar is not as easy as our operators make it seem. Despite these challenges, every day our Muni operators connect San Franciscans to where they need to go safely.   This Saturday marks the 50th Safe Driver Awards, where we celebrate our transit operators who have put safety first in their efforts to deliver you to your home, work and communities. This year 249 operators earned the distinction of being a Muni Safe Driver. Receiving a Safe Driver award is a hard-earned career milestone — to achieve it, operators must have driven at least 1,952 hours during the past fiscal year (July – June) without a preventable incident or collision. Quite a few operators have maintained their Safe...

Take Muni’s Safety Survey! By Greer Cowan Everyone should feel safe on Muni. Help make Muni safer by taking the SFMTA’s survey about personal safety and harassment in the Muni system.   As part of the MuniSafe Safety Equity Initiative launched in August 2022, the SFMTA has partnered with the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies to better understand Muni riders’ experiences and develop safety recommendations, tools and policies aimed at preventing harassment and assault on Muni.  Take the 5-minute survey   Survey information will also help the SFMTA understand Muni customers’ specific safety needs and challenges, and help us identify valuable trends and patterns so we know where, when and how harassment shows up in the Muni system.  Incidents often go unreported, but the SFMTA is working to change that with new reporting options. As of October 2022, Muni customers can report incidents of  harassment by calling 311, using the 311 mobile app or using t...

N Judah Motorization Allows City Partners to Complete Critical Maintenance Work By Jessie Liang MOW Crew Repairing Damaged Pavement Around Tracks on 9th Avenue Kudos to the SFMTA’s Maintenance of Way (MOW) teams for successfully completing critical work during the N Judah motorization on Feb. 18 and 19. The purpose of the motorization was to provide access for work to be done in Muni’s right of way by Public Works, PG&E and the SFMTA, including utility pole replacements at Cole and Carl, sewer investigation, repairs at 18th Avenue and Judah and 41st Avenue and Judah. The SFMTA was also making improvements to the J Church surface route between Duboce Park and the Balboa Park Station to increase service reliability, enhance street safety and reduce travel times.  To maximize the benefits of the motorization, the MOW teams took advantage of the opportunity to complete project milestones and critical maintenance work  for traction power and overhead lines, mechanical...

Scooter Permittees Receive Feedback from Students with Disabilities By Maddy Ruvolo On a recent Monday in Golden Gate Park, 28 students and staff from AccessSFUSD gathered on JFK Drive to test-ride adaptive scooters. The group took turns riding adaptive devices from two scooter companies permitted to operate in the city, Lime and Spin . Adaptive devices are designed to meet the needs of riders with a variety of disabilities and provide additional stability features, such as a seat, a wider base, and an additional wheel. After trying the scooters, the students shared their feedback about a variety of design elements, including the wheels, seat, throttle, basket location, foot plate width, and the ease of getting started.  Adaptive scooter demo in Golden Gate Park Students embraced the opportunity to ride scooters and provide feedback. AccessSFUSD is a community-based program for students 18-22 with disabilities. Located across 11 sites in San Francisco, the program focuses o...

New Express Service Comes to the 1 California By Melissa Culross Newly painted Muni flag stop indicating the pilot 1X California Express Beginning February 21, 2023, a pilot program will offer express bus service on the new 1X California Express between the Richmond neighborhood and the Financial District. The SFMTA plays a significant role in San Francisco’s economic recovery, and this pilot that serves downtown is part of that.  We have been working on improving travel time and reliability over the last several years. Travel times are now 11% quicker on the 1 California thanks to new transit lanes on California, Clay and Sacramento streets. But our work is not done on the corridor! The new 1X California express will provide another option for riders to zoom from the inner Richmond into and out of downtown even faster. We also expect this service to ease crowding on the 1 California as more people head back to the office.  Three morning 1X California Express buses will ...