This Weekend: Charity Marathons

This Weekend: Charity Marathons
By Schad Dalton

Events: The winter rains have subsided, the holidays are a distant speck in the rearview mirror and it's now the time of year when events around the city become more prevalent. This weekend is a prime example as multiple events are scheduled, including the return of bonfire season at Ocean Beach from March 1 to October 31. Head to Union Square on Saturday for a free pick-your-own tulips event during American Tulip Day. On Sunday, the Hot Air Music Festival celebrates its 11th year with a celebration of contemporary music at the San Francisco  For those looking to support a good cause as well as dive into the frigid waters of the Bay, head up to Aquatic Park for the 2020 Dash and Splash. On Sunday, the 42nd annual Chinese New Year YMCA Run will take place, benefiting the Chinatown YMCA Community Center. Be sure to check out all of the city's free monthly museum days, too, as each weekend presents new opportunities to visit one (or more!) of San Francisco's many museums for free. Read more about our featured events below.

The Chinatown YMCA on Sacramento Street on December 21, 2012. Photo credit: Don Barrett/Flickr.

2020 Dash and Splash

Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Aquatic Park

Spring may be soon upon us, but that doesn't mean the water around the city has gotten much warmer. This fact comes in handy for this Saturday's Dash and Splash, a 5K/10K race and polar plunge for charity. If that weren't already enough to set this event apart, participants are encouraged to don the wackiest costumes they can find or create while taking part in the plunge and the race. Proceeds and donations will support upwards of 24,000 Special Olympics athletes in year-round training, education and leadership programs.

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How to Get There on Muni: Participants, costumes and all, may take the F Market and Wharves Line, as well as the 19 Polk, 28 19th Avenue, 30 Stockton, 47 Van Ness, or the 49 Van Ness/Mission routes to the area of the event in Aquatic Park.

Muni Service Notes: There are no planned service changes for this event. 

Chinese New Year YMCA Run

Sunday, 8 to 9:30 a.m.
Chinatown

Now in its 42nd year, the Chinese New Year 5K/10K Run benefits the Chinatown YMCA Community Center, which serves more than a thousand youth and families of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Beginning at Sacramento and Grant streets, the race will take runners, joggers, and walkers along a scenic route through Chinatown, into North Beach, out along The Embarcadero, and then back into Chinatown to the finish line on Kearny Street between California and Sacramento streets.

How to Get There on Muni: Take the 1 California, 8 Bayshore, 10 Townsend, 12 Folsom/Pacific, 30 Stockton, 39 Coit, and 45 Union/Stockton routes as well as the California Cable Car Line to near the starting line at Grant and Sacramento avenues.

Muni Service Notes: The 10 Townsend and 12 Folsom/Pacific routes will have re-routes. The 1 California, 8 Bayshore, 30 Stockton, 39 Coit, 45 Union/Stockton routes and the California Cable Car Line may see minor delays near the race course.

Remember that you can take Muni for the entire day for a single $5 fare. The new $5 Day Pass, available on MuniMobile®, is part of Muni’s recent fare changes. The pass is intended to encourage a safe, convenient way to pay your fare and quickly board Muni vehicles, which reduces overall travel time for everyone. The $5 Day Pass is Muni bus, rail and historic streetcars only.

“On Tap” gives you a heads up about the big events in town and what Muni routes and lines will get you to the party. Look for this feature to be posted usually on Thursdays for a look ahead to the weekend. Check out our Weekend Traffic & Transit Advisory for more details.

Published February 29, 2020 at 12:53AM
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Muni's Unsung Heroes of Black History

Muni's Unsung Heroes of Black History
By Jeremy Menzies

Black History Month is a great opportunity to tell big important stories, but also to highlight the smaller, less noted stories of everyday people. This week, we're looking back through Muni history at a few people whose day-to-day achievements may not have made headlines but whose contributions nonetheless made a difference to breaking down racial barriers in San Francisco's transit industry.

In September 1950, Muni started the "Courtesy Citation" program to honor the hard work of Muni operators. Operators who received commendations from the public would be recognized in the railway's newsletter and entered into the running for "Muni Man of the Month", an award that brought greater recognition in the form of a $50 check and a special card featuring the winner's photo inside Muni vehicles.

Lilburn Delaney, conductor on the H Potrero streetcar, leans out the back platform of a car in this 1948 photo.

Right away, nominations came in for many black Municipal Railway transit operators who were recognized by riders for their excellent public service. Lilburn Delaney became the first African-American man to be given the honor of "Muni Man" in February 1951. Delaney started at Muni in September 1945 as a conductor on the H Potrero streetcar line and at the time of his award, was a trolley coach operator on the 5 McAllister.

Reginald Simpkins poses for a portrait at the Muni Photo Lab in this 1951 shot. Winners of the Muni Man award like Simpkins were honored with a $50 check and advertisements featuring their photo inside Muni vehicles.

Several months after Delaney, Reginald H. Simpkins was honored as top operator in September of that year. Simpkins, a driver on the 43 Roosevelt bus route, had no shortage of praise from riders on his bus. One letter noted how Simpkins "never loses his dignity or efficiency..." even during busy and stressful rush hour runs and "his sense of humor is so outstanding that it is a real pleasure to ride on his bus."

Beverly Hopkins (Right) and Helen Carson make repairs to a bus at Woods Division.

In June 1978, Beverly Hopkins became one of the first black women to join the maintenance crew at Woods Division. By the time of Beverly’s hiring in the late 1970s, the Muni staff newsletter says the eight newly hired women comprised the “largest number of female automotive service persons ever to work for Muni shops. The need was there and they were qualified.”

Evelyn Wells, Muni's first female Inspector poses while at work in the field in this 1979 shot.

Evelyn J. Wells holds the honor of being the first African American woman to be appointed as a Muni inspector (badge #54). As an inspector, she was responsible for supervising service, helping investigate accidents, and clearing up delays on bus and rail lines. Working previously as an N Judah operator, Wells began as an inspector in May 1979 at age 28.

These brief highlights barely begin to tell the full story of the contributions or struggles of people of color in San Francisco's public transit history. While much focus goes to major figures and big breakthroughs in history, the day in day out work of these "unsung heroes" went a long way to break down racial barriers within the industry.

Published February 28, 2020 at 02:32AM
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Results Are In – How Should We Explore Extending The Central Subway?

Results Are In – How Should We Explore Extending The Central Subway?
By Phillip Pierce

The Central Subway is set to open in summer 2021 and will connect some of the city’s densest neighborhoods and job centers. It is expected to carry tens of thousands of riders everyday from Chinatown, through Union Square and SoMa before linking up with the current above-ground T Third line near the 4th/King Caltrain Station and on to Mission Bay, the Bayview, and Visitacion Valley.

While this new line will be vital for San Francisco’s growing population and workforce, we know that now is the time to continue planning for the future. 

In order to better understand the needs and goals of the community, we held open house meetings and developed an online survey to gauge interest and explore potential ways to extend the Central Subway. This online survey built on the prior 2015 feasibility study results and previous community meetings on the topic.

This interactive survey was given in English, Spanish and Chinese, and allowed users to drop markers in places where they thought subway stations should be analyzed. We were thrilled that the combination of interest in a new subway plus the ease of the survey technology on the web and mobile (thanks MetroQuest!) resulted in over 8,000 responses – a record for the SFMTA!

In general, the results showed that most people favored extending the subway to North Beach. It also showed clusters of interest in new connections near Fisherman’s Wharf, at the soon-to-be-complete Van Ness BRT and in the Marina neighborhood.

Results

After analyzing all 8,137 paper and online responses, which generated over 148,000 data points and 13,000 comments, we compiled the below graphics to summarize the results:

How do you currently get around San Francisco?

Typical travel choices of those that took the survey. Half of respondents regularly take Muni or walk. Most of those that take Muni do so 4 times per week or more.

Which transportation goals would you like to see prioritized?

Transit related goals were ranked as the three highest.

Would an extension of the Central Subway help meet your transportation goals?

When asked if an extension of would help people meet their transportation needs, 79% either agreed or strongly agreed.

Should Central Subway be extended to North Beach using existing tunnels, with a new station near Washington Square?

A large majority of people expressed a desire for a station in North Beach.

If the train extended from North Beach to Fisherman’s Wharf, would you prefer surface or underground?

Most survey-takers indicated a preference for underground transit.

If the train extended from Fisherman’s Wharf towards Marina/Cow Hollow, would you prefer surface or underground?

As with the previous question, most respondents preferred any extension to Marina/Cow Hollow be underground.

Where would you like to see new subway stations?

When compiling all the suggested station locations, clusters started to emerge, as shown in the above map.

Where do you live?

We received responses from all over the city with a high percentage people weighing in from inside the study area (blue box).

Where do you live?

Zoomed in “home” view near the study area: Orange and red areas denote higher concentrations of responses.

Where do you work?

Orange and red areas denote higher concentrations of responses.

Next Steps

After compiling and further analyzing this feedback, we will begin looking at some potential extension routes from an engineering standpoint to better understand the potential trade-offs and benefits. We will reach out again to share them with the community for additional input. Our goal will be to narrow the options to two or three for further planning, environmental review, and design, contingent on identification of funding.

More Information

For more information, visit the Central Subway Extension project page where you can sign up for email updates.

Published February 27, 2020 at 03:38AM
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Reminder: Service Changes Now in Effect

Reminder: Service Changes Now in Effect
By Enrique Aguilar

This past Saturday, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) made several changes to improve Muni service. These changes will improve reliability and connections, reduce crowding and provide one-seat rides for weekend early morning Metro service with bus substitutions. Affected routes include the J, KT, L, M and N Metro lines, 7 Haight-Noriega, 23 Monterey, 1AX, 1BX, 31AX, 31BX, 38AX, and 38BX.

Weekend Early Morning Metro Bus Service

To reduce the need for transfers during early weekend morning service, all metro lines will be served by bus after the end of Owl service and before Metro stations open. Metro stations open at 6 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sundays. The new early morning metro bus will be a one-seat ride to your destination.

To reduce overcrowding and increase transit reliability on weekdays, the 7 Haight/Noriega will begin running 60-foot buses.  Adding bigger buses to weekday service will provide Muni customers more seats and comfort during morning and evening commutes.

23 Monterey Reroute

Due to construction at SFPUC’s Southeast Treatment Plant, the 23 Monterey will be rerouted from Jerrold to Palou between Toland and Phelps. New bus stops will align with the 24 Divisadero.

Richmond Expresses

The last runs of the day for Muni’s evening Richmond Express service will change, which includes the 1AX, 1BX, 31AX, 31BX, 38AX, and 38BX. Customers are advised to check schedules and note alternate routes. For customers traveling outbound at 7:00 p.m., alternate routes include the 1 California on Davis and Sacramento streets or the 38 Rapid at Fremont and Market streets.

Please pay attention to Muni Alert signs for instructions or look for Muni ambassadors near the affected bus route stops to answer your questions.

12 Folsom/Pacific Extension in Spring 2020

As Muni prepares to update the 12 Folsom/Pacific route to travel through Rincon Hill, we've been keeping a close eye on construction on Folsom Street. Although the Transbay Folsom Streetscape Improvement Project is making progress, conditions on Folsom east of 2nd Street are not yet ready to serve the 7,000 daily customers who ride the 12 Folsom/Pacific. If construction proceeds at the current pace, we anticipate launching the new route in Spring 2020

To learn more, please visit the project page.

Published February 25, 2020 at 02:42AM
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Director of Transportation Report: February 18, 2020

Director of Transportation Report: February 18, 2020
By

In this week’s Director’s Report from the SFMTA Board of Directors meeting, Jeffrey Tumlin gave updates on the following topics:

Washington, DC Visit

• House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on “Autonomous Vehicles: Promises and Challenges of Evolving Automotive Technologies” held last week in Washington, D.C.
• Testified, providing city perspective on what we believe federal AV legislation should include ensuring safety and accountability.
• Urged the Committee members NOT to preempt state and local authority to take measures we think are necessary to protect the public as the technology is tested on public roads during the many years we expect before the federal government adopts AV minimum safety standards.

Muni Service Change

• Starting Saturday (Feb. 22) numerous service changes go into effect to improve reliability, connections and reduce crowding. Affected routes include the Metro lines, 7 Haight-Noriega, 23 Monterey and the 1AX/BX, 31AX/BX and 38AX/BX.
• All metro lines will be served by bus after the end of Owl service and before Metro stations open Saturdays at 6 a.m. and Sundays at 8 a.m., providing customers a one-seat ride to destinations without a transfer.
• The 7 Haight-Noriega will begin running larger 60-foot buses to reduce overcrowding and increase reliability on weekdays.

Black History Month

• To celebrate the two courageous women depicted in the video, the SFMTA’s Black & African American Affinity Group (BAAAG) will be hosting the inaugural event for staff during Black History Month. On hand for the celebration will be Mayor London Breed and Kimberly Erickson, Acting Chief of Staff for Director Toks Omishakin, California Department of Transportation.

Church Station Elevator Upgrades

• Upgrades to the Church Station outbound street elevator will begin the first week of March.
• This will require the elevator to be out of service for about three months while work is being done.
• The station's inbound escalator will be available for customers with disabilities. Wheelchair users traveling outbound will be directed to the elevators at either Castro or Van Ness stations, or to the parallel bus or F Line streetcar service.

Our Board of Directors meeting is usually held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. To watch the meeting in full, go to SFGovTV.

Published February 22, 2020 at 02:22AM
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This Weekend: Russian Festival and Pop Art Show

This Weekend: Russian Festival and Pop Art Show
By Schad Dalton

Service Change Reminder: Starting February 22, 2020, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is making service changes to improve Muni service. These changes will improve reliability and connections, reduce crowding and provide one-seat rides for weekend early morning Metro service with bus substitutions. Affected routes include the J, KT, L, M and N Metro lines, 7 Haight-Noriega, 23 Monterey, 1AX, 1BX, 31AX, 31BX, 38AX, and 38BX. For more details, visit https://www.sfmta.com/servicechanges.

Events: There are a plethora of events, large and small, taking place throughout this coming weekend. Take in a free show by the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra at the Herbst Theater on Friday evening, February 21, Take the family out for an education fix on Saturday during the weekly free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area residents or the Cal Academy of Science's Neighborhood Free Days. Be sure to visit the Academy's website to make sure you live in a neighborhood being offered the free visit or to plan ahead for when your neighborhood is on the docket. Those looking to get into the Mardi Gras spirit can head up to North Beach on Saturday for the Mardi Gras Second Line March beginning at North Star Cafe. Throughout the weekend in Pacific Heights the annual Russian Festival will return to celebrate the Russian American experience and, in SoMa, pop culture art fans will have three days to enjoy various works of pop art from some of the world's best-known franchises. Read more about our featured events below.

The 1 California will take riders heading to the Russian Festival with a short walk of the event on Sutter Street. Photo: SFMTA Archive

Russian Festival

Friday-Sunday, Various times
Pacific Heights

Piroshki, borsch, and flavored vodkas, oh my!  Those are just a few of the highlights of the celebration of the Russian American that is the annual Russian Festival. Over the course of three days at the San Francisco Russian Center in Lower Pacific Heights, attendees will be treated to folk song and dance, ballet performances and much more.

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How to Get There on Muni: The 1 California, 2 Sutter/Clement, 3 Jackson, 22 Fillmore, 24 Divisadero, 38 Geary, 38R Geary Rapid and the 43 Masonic routes all have stops within easy walking distance of the event.

Muni Service Notes: There are no planned service changes for this event.

Pop Culture Art Show

Friday-Sunday, Various times
SoMa

Fans of pop culture art or perhaps a fan of such franchises as Harry Potter or Star Wars should set aside some time throughout this weekend to head downtown for the free Pop Culture Art Con at the Palace Hotel. The show will feature nationally-recognized artists and their works showcasing characters and scenes from Disney, Marvel and DC Comics, the aforementioned Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises and much more. 

How to Get There on Muni: Riders may utilize an Muni Metro line to downtown, the F Market and Wharves Line, any Market Street bus route as well as the 8 Bayshore, 10 Townsend, 12 Folsom/Pacific, 14 Mission, 14R Mission Rapid, 25 Treasure Island, 30 Stockton or 45 Union/Stockton routes to near the event.

Muni Service Notes: There are no planned service changes for this event.

Remember that you can take Muni for the entire day for a single $5 fare. The new $5 Day Pass, available on MuniMobile®, is part of Muni’s recent fare changes. The pass is intended to encourage a safe, convenient way to pay your fare and quickly board Muni vehicles, which reduces overall travel time for everyone. The $5 Day Pass is Muni bus, rail and historic streetcars only.

“On Tap” gives you a heads up about the big events in town and what Muni routes and lines will get you to the party. Look for this feature to be posted usually on Thursdays for a look ahead to the weekend. Check out our Weekend Traffic & Transit Advisory for more details.

Published February 21, 2020 at 02:32AM
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Safe Streets in the Year of the Rat!

Safe Streets in the Year of the Rat!
By Uyen Ngo

Happy Lunar New Year! Celebrated by many in the Asian community, the Lunar New Year follows the cycles of the moon and the beginning of its calendar year is usually in late January or early February. For many, the beginning of the year brings a fresh mindset and resolutions for a happy and healthy new year.

Each year is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals who are associated with certain characteristics. 2020 is the Year of the Rat, the rat is considered a clever and resourceful character. Safe Streets in the Year of the Rat launched last week and is an educational traffic safety campaign reinforcing one of Vision Zero’s main messages of slowing driver speeds for everyone’s safety.

In the zodiac, rats are seen as savvy, quick thinkers. They’re not the fastest, instead they use their smarts to get ahead. This new Chinese-language campaign references these zodiac qualities and encourages people to plan ahead for their trips throughout the city by leaving early and driving smart, not fast.

Copy reads: Goal for Year of the Rat. Plan Ahead, Leave Early, Drive Smart, not Fast.

Vision Zero launches this campaign aimed at advancing cultural competency and reducing injury disparities. As stated in the Vision Zero Action Strategy, equity is a core principle. Our transportation system should be safe for all road users, for all modes of transportation, in all communities and for people of all incomes, races and ethnicities, languages, ages, abilities, and housing status.

Chinese make up the second-largest racial group in San Francisco (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates) with Chinese being the second most spoken language in the city. This community is also disproportionately involved in severe and fatal traffic collisions. To ensure Vision Zero safety messaging reaches this important community in San Francisco, Safe Streets in the Year of the Rat was developed.

To achieve equitable outcomes and save lives, Vision Zero initiatives go deeper with multicultural communication and outreach so that we can uncover culturally-specific assumptions, barriers, and motivations that lead to more effective ways of reaching communities of concern.

Over the last couple of years, organizations and cultural consultants serving Chinese populations - as well as residents themselves - were involved in the development of this campaign. From outreach to focus groups and intercept surveys, the Chinese community shared traffic safety concerns, identified common channels for receiving information, and prioritized the visual look and messaging of the campaign.

The campaign plays on the Lunar New Year of the Rat theme as well as emphasizes the culturally celebratory colors of red and gold throughout the design. Here’s to a safe New Year for all San Francisco.

Where will people see this campaign? To reach the greatest number of people, the bulk of this campaign will be delivered through digital advertising and will connect with Chinese-speaking drivers through their devices (cell phones, laptops, etc.), especially drivers using Waze, Uber, and Lyft apps as well as those using WeChat. Paper advertisements will also be placed in Chinese-language newspapers.

Vision Zero SF is the city’s road safety policy that will build safety and livability into our streets, protecting the one million people who move about the city every day. San Francisco is committed to achieving our Vision Zero goal of zero traffic deaths.

To learn more about Vision Zero work visit visionzerosf.org

Published February 20, 2020 at 04:35AM
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SFMTA Public Meetings February 18 - March 2

SFMTA Public Meetings February 18 - March 2
By

Board of Directors Meeting

Tuesday, February 18, 1 p.m.
City Hall, Room 400
Nearby Muni Routes: 5, 19, 21, 47, 49, F Market, Civic Center Station

The SFMTA Board of Directors provides policy oversight for the safe and efficient transportation of goods and services in San Francisco. This includes the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), automobiles and trucks, taxis, bicycling and walking. The SFMTA Board of Directors also serves as members of the San Francisco Parking Authority.

Our board of directors meetings are usually held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month. The agenda includes presentations and discussions on adopting the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan, the Fiscal Year 2021 and FY 2022 operating budget and the Curb Management Strategy.

Valencia Bikeway Improvements Open House

Monday, February 24, 6 p.m.
City College San Francisco Mission Campus
Nearby Muni Routes: 9, 9R, 14 Mission, 24, 49, 67, J Church

Following a successful pilot implementation of parking-protected bike lanes between Market Street and 15th Street in spring 2019, the SFMTA began advancing design work between 19th Street and Cesar Chavez and has developed a draft design to share with the community.

Please stop by the open house anytime from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to share your public comment on the proposed changes. As part of the SFMTA’s Quick-Build Program, this open house will also serve as a public hearing. This next phase of improvements includes parking-protected bikeways, parking and loading changes, adding parking meters to side streets, left-turn restrictions, stop changes for the 12-Folsom and commuter shuttle program, and pedestrian improvements such as daylighting and advanced limits lines on Valencia Street from 19th Street to Cesar Chavez. Pending the approvals process, the improvements are anticipated to be installed in spring 2020. We look forward to seeing you there!

Our Meeting Round-Up feature highlights different SFMTA public meetings that will be held within the coming two weeks. These meetings give you the chance to share your ideas and provide us with helpful feedback. Join us at our next meeting to learn more about SF's changing and complex transportation system.

Those listed above are just a few highlights. You can find a full list of upcoming meetings to keep up to date on your favorite SFMTA committees.

Published February 18, 2020 at 11:32PM
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