Think San Francisco should spend $3 billion over the next 30 years on improvements to make Muni a world-class transit system? That’s possible, but then not a single dime would be spent on improvements to San Francisco’s freeway infrastructure or for biking and walking upgrades.
The region could invest $100 million to increase carpool lanes and other ride-sharing techniques, although that means it would be a lot harder to find money for grade-separated transit-only lanes on Geneva Avenue.
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A death on the Muni tracks Friday shut down the service in the subway for several hours, causing major delays to the underground Metro service for morning commuters.
A man was struck and killed by an N-Judah train at about 7:30 a.m. at Muni’s Montgomery Station. Investigators were working to determine why he was on the tracks. The manwas apparently walking in the tunnel between the Montgomery and Embarcadero stations when he was struck by the light-rail train, Muni spokesman Paul Rose said.
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Bay Area transit agencies boasted record ridership for the Giants’ World Series parade Wednesday, with the event bringing in more than 304,000 extra passengers to the public transportation network.
BART alone carried 568,061 riders, a record one-day tally for the regional train operator. The agency carries about 405,000 riders on a typical October weekday. Wednesday’s tally marked a 40 percent increase and easily bested the previous record of 522,198, set during the 2010 World Series parade, BART spokesman Jim Allison said.
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BART’s street-level escalators, exposed to the elements and the peculiar bathroom habits of some San Francisco citizens, could finally benefit from a little protection.
The transit agency is developing a canopy prototype for its escalators, a device that would shield the moving stairs from the wind and rain while also keeping people away from the structures during
off-service hours.
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With the capacity to fit nearly 65,000 people within its confines, Candlestick Park has plenty of ways to accommodate its visitors.
However, in the 41 years that the 49ers have been playing at the stadium, those accommodations have never included bike parking — until now.
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After a half-decade without any improvements, the condition of San Francisco streets may finally be on the upswing.
For the fifth straight year, streets received a grade of 64 out of 100 for their pavement condition from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the region’s lead transportation agency.
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The year-plus battle over a free Muni fare program for San Francisco’s low-income youths took another turn Tuesday.
Supervisor Scott Wiener introduced a nonbinding resolution urging that all available transportation funds be used for maintenance and repair work on Muni’s battered transit vehicles. It was a direct response to the recent approval of $6.7 million in federal funds for Muni, which many hope will be used to pay for a 22-month free fare pilot program for 40,000 low-income youths.
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When more than 1 million people pour into The City — something that’s likely to happen for the Giants’ World Series parade Wednesday—public transportation will likely suffer from overcrowding, delays and disruptions.
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After initially soliciting four separate bids for its Central Subway station construction projects, Muni has elected to consolidate the plans into one major contract, a move that could save the agency up to $30 million.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency originally made separate construction projects out of its proposed Moscone Center, Union Square and Chinatown stations, along with another project for operating systems management of the $1.6 billion Central Subway project.
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For years, BART’s train interiors have been bywords for dirt, grease and other filthy things most people would prefer not to know about.
However, the agency is finally starting to make strides in its never-ending battle against grime. During the most recent quarter of this fiscal year, BART actually met its goals for train interior cleanliness — the first time in the 15-plus years of its reporting that the agency has achieved that mark.
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Muni is poised to receive $6.7 million that could fund a free youth fare program, but some lawmakers believe the struggling transit agency should use the funds more productively.
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It is now possible to rent out picnic tables or find directions to the nearest neighborhood park using a smartphone, and it might not be long before people can purchase tickets for events, buy merchandise or pick up special passes.
Working with local startup Appallicious, the Recreation and Park Department recently launched its first mobile application program. The app has information on 1,200 different Rec and Park facilities, such as the location of bathrooms and the operating hours of museums and arboretums, said Appallicious founder Yo Yoshida.
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For four grueling months last year, San Francisco firefighter Denise Elarms underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer, an experience she could only compare to one thing.
“I’ve never been to hell,” Elarms said, “but I can’t imagine it’s any worse than chemotherapy.”
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The San Mateo-Hayward Bridge will be shut down to vehicles tonight as the first of two planned weekend closures this month takes place.
The span will be off-limits to cars in both directions starting at 10 p.m. and lasting through 5 a.m. Monday. The bridge will be closed for the same duration the following weekend.
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After six months of diminishing returns, Muni’s operating performance crept upward last month, but the agency is still far from achieving its goals.
From March to August, Muni’s on-time performance slid downward steadily, from 63.2 percent to 57.2 percent.
The agency has a voter-mandated goal of achieving an 85 percent on-time performance rate — a mark that has not been remotely approached since it became a benchmark in 1999.
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URL: http://www.sfexaminer.com/people/will-reisman?page=13
