Transit

A construction worker watches a load for a crane operator at the site of the future Chinatown Muni station for the Central Subway on Tuesday, March 3, 2021. (Sebastian Miño-Bucheli / Special to the S.F. Examiner)

Major construction on Central Subway to end by March 31

SFMTA board approves renegotiated contract with new deadline, more contractor payments

 

Under the new plan, Twin Peaks Boulevard would be reserved exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists until Christmas Tree Point. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

SFMTA board approves new plan for Twin Peaks Boulevard

Cuts vehicle-free space by half. Neighbors say crime, vandalism will still abound

 

In announcing the upcoming return of The City’s iconic tourist attraction, Mayor London Breed said, “Now you know we are not San Francisco without cable cars.” <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Streetcars and cable cars to return later this year

F-line coming back in May, while Powell/Hyde will be restored in the Fall

 

Hikers walk along a closed stretch of Twin Peaks Boulevard on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

SFMTA board to vote on future of Twin Peaks Boulevard

The proposal would keep Burnett Avenue gate closed to vehicles, open Portola Drive

Hikers walk along a closed stretch of Twin Peaks Boulevard on Friday, Jan. 22, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Muni ridership is down more than 60 percent due to the pandemic, but limited service has been maintained to serve essential workers and those who cannot work from home. <ins>(Samantha Laurey/ Special to S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Supervisor Preston wants free Muni for duration of pandemic

Advocates say SFMTA should use federal relief funds to cover lost farebox revenue

Muni ridership is down more than 60 percent due to the pandemic, but limited service has been maintained to serve essential workers and those who cannot work from home. <ins>(Samantha Laurey/ Special to S.F. Examiner)</ins>
New protected bicycle lanes stretch from the city's Portola District to Bernal Heights. (Courtesy Bay City News)

City leaders celebrate protected bike lanes in city’s Portola, Bernal Heights neighborhoods

San Francisco city leaders on Thursday announced the completion of new protected…

New protected bicycle lanes stretch from the city's Portola District to Bernal Heights. (Courtesy Bay City News)
A 38R Geary Rapid Muni bus pulls up to a stop at Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard in the Richmond District on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

SFMTA operators deemed eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Frontline workers considered critical to city operations under ‘emergency worker’ Phase 1B category

A 38R Geary Rapid Muni bus pulls up to a stop at Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard in the Richmond District on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Federal legislation would require more highway funding to go toward bike lanes, bus stops and street safety improvements. (Shutterstock)

Federal legislation would direct more money toward street safety

Safe street infrastructure might soon become a national priority, pending passage of…

Federal legislation would require more highway funding to go toward bike lanes, bus stops and street safety improvements. (Shutterstock)
A cyclist crosses a clogged intersection at Market and Sixth streets. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

The City’s plan to keep cars off Market Street needs enforcement

Project team argues for emphasis on engineering over citations

A cyclist crosses a clogged intersection at Market and Sixth streets. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Poor communiation during construction on the Twin Peaks Tunnel in 2018 forced The City and contractor to go back and redo some of the work, causing delays and cost increases. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Audit finds SFMTA communication deficiencies cost the city time, money

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has cost the city millions of…

Poor communiation during construction on the Twin Peaks Tunnel in 2018 forced The City and contractor to go back and redo some of the work, causing delays and cost increases. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Close up of battery pack of an modern electric bicycle (Shutterstock)

Bay Area wants low-income residents to swap polluting cars for sustainable transportation

Low-income residents of the Bay Area can now swap their older, more…

Close up of battery pack of an modern electric bicycle (Shutterstock)
Cable cars were among the first transit lines to stop service last spring as The City began to shut down. (Mira Laing/S.F. Examiner file)

Bringing back cable cars would be a ‘heavy lift’

SFMTA officials respond to pressure to bring back iconic vintage transit vehicles

Cable cars were among the first transit lines to stop service last spring as The City began to shut down. (Mira Laing/S.F. Examiner file)
Muni is testing hand sanitizer with foam-based soap and mask dispensers on some vehicles. (Samantha Laurey/Special to S.F. Examiner)

SFMTA launches hand sanitizer, face mask dispenser pilots

Staff says they’ve seen ‘great success’ in early stages

Muni is testing hand sanitizer with foam-based soap and mask dispensers on some vehicles. (Samantha Laurey/Special to S.F. Examiner)
The N Judah line, which has seen strong ridership during the pandemic with crowded shuttle buses, will have increased capacity when subway trains begin running again in spring. <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Partial downtown-bound Muni Metro service to return in May

Subway travel will be possible from West Portal to Embarcadero

The N Judah line, which has seen strong ridership during the pandemic with crowded shuttle buses, will have increased capacity when subway trains begin running again in spring. <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>
Two BART Ambassadors patrol on a Richmond-bound “Fleet of the Future” train at Embarcadero station on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

BART community ambassadors celebrate one year on the job

Program part of a philosophical shift in agency’s approach to policing

Two BART Ambassadors patrol on a Richmond-bound “Fleet of the Future” train at Embarcadero station on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
A woman waits with her dog on a new traffic island, one of the new pedestrian and traffic safety measures of the Geary Rapid Project, at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Commonwealth and Beaumont avenues on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

SFMTA announces new pedestrian safety measures on Geary Boulevard

Improvements near Gough, Commonwealth are direct response to pedestrian death last year

A woman waits with her dog on a new traffic island, one of the new pedestrian and traffic safety measures of the Geary Rapid Project, at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Commonwealth and Beaumont avenues on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
Supervisor Connie Chan wants to develop a citywide COVID-recovery plan for restoring transit, including attention to Muni service. <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Supervisor Chan calls for comprehensive strategy to restore transit and mobility options

Supervisor Connie Chan has one question for San Francisco’s transit agency: What’s…

Supervisor Connie Chan wants to develop a citywide COVID-recovery plan for restoring transit, including attention to Muni service. <ins>(Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>
Supervisor Dean Preston says Lyft’s monopoly on the bikeshare program Bay Wheels is harmful to San Francisco residents.<ins> (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>

Preston calls on city to explore public bikeshare program

Current system, owned by Lyft, limits city control over equity and pricing

Supervisor Dean Preston says Lyft’s monopoly on the bikeshare program Bay Wheels is harmful to San Francisco residents.<ins> (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)</ins>
A map from a Bay Area Council report highlights current and future possible rail connections throughout the Bay Area and Northern California Megaregion. (Bay Area Council)

Rail providers back calls for second transbay crossing

BART and other regional agencies say integrated train system key to Bay Area’s future

A map from a Bay Area Council report highlights current and future possible rail connections throughout the Bay Area and Northern California Megaregion. (Bay Area Council)
More than 200 San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past year, although the agency says contact tracing suggests almost none of them caught it on the job. (Samantha Laurey/ Special to S.F. Examiner)

Transit operators ‘thrown under the bus’ in statewide vaccine distribution plan

Muni union leader says members are ‘disgusted’ at by move to de-prioritize them for protection

More than 200 San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency employees have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past year, although the agency says contact tracing suggests almost none of them caught it on the job. (Samantha Laurey/ Special to S.F. Examiner)