Keeping cars off the tracks
By: Will Reisman
Examiner Staff Writer
February 18, 2009
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| Muni officials are looking at ways to keep drivers out of the Duboce Tunnel. (Cindy Chew/The Examiner) |
SAN FRANCISCO — When you come to the fork in the road at Duboce Avenue and Noe Street in The City, Muni wants to make sure you know which way to steer your vehicle.
It may seem like common sense for autos to stay on the road while light-rail vehicles stick to the tracks, but instances of cars driving into Muni tunnels in the past two years has the Municipal Transportation Agency looking for ways to prevent future mishaps.
The most recent incident of a wayward driver occurred in the early morning hours of Feb. 11, when an allegedly drunken driver entered the Sunset tunnel. The man, who was not identified, made it about 100 yards down the train-only artery before his Volvo station wagon became stuck, according to Officer Art Howard of the Police Department.
The man, who police say smelled strongly of alcohol, reportedly confessed to officers that he was still paying off fines from a previous drunken driving infraction, Howard said.
After failing a field sobriety test, the man was taken into custody and arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Howard said.
The man’s station wagon was towed away and no damage was inflicted on the Muni tracks, according to Howard.
The incident, which occurred about two hours after service stopped running on the N-Judah, was the fourth reported time in the past 20 months that a driver ventured into one of the Muni train tunnels.
Two of the previous reported incidents were also the work of alleged drunken drivers, and the other involved an 87-year-old woman.
Muni spokesman Judson True said the transit agency is conducting a site review on the Sunset tunnel to determine security and safety improvements that would prevent future incidents.
True said the transit agency recently increased signage warning drivers not to enter the Twin Peaks tunnel, and that security cameras and alarms were in place at the train tunnel on The Embarcadero.
Only the elderly woman drove into the tunnel during operating hours, but alert Muni officials prevented any accidents from occurring when they quickly scuttled underground train service. The woman, who was not cited in the incident, drove from the West Portal Muni station to an abandoned train exit on Market Street, a total of 1.8 miles.
“Drivers have to remember that these tunnels are for trains,” True said. “You have to be pretty confused to think that these are tunnels for cars.”
Muni doesn’t keep official statistics on how often vehicles travel into the system’s underground tunnels.
Steer clear
Four vehicles have driven into two tunnels in the past 20 months.
Sunset Tunnel Entrances:
- Duboce Avenue and Noe Street on the eastern side
- Carl and Cole streets on the westen side
- June 2007: Toyota Prius entering from Duboce
- February: Allegedly drunken driver gets stuck on tracks after entering from Duboce
Entrances:
- West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street on the southern side
- The Embarcadero near Folsom Street on the northern side
- April: Allegedly drunken driver travels 2 miles after entering from West Portal
- June: Elderly woman traverses tunnel and subway from West Portal to Market
