Rerouted M Line in Parkmerced?
The Parkmerced apartment complex is proposing a renovation that would add more housing and otherwise modify its layout, to make the complex more urban in style. Part of the proposal is a rerouting of the M line (see map) through the campus to serve the increased population.
This could be an interesting transit oriented development, but several concerns come immediately to mind, notably the increased running time and possible increased delays that the proposed route would take. (From the map, it appears that the current straight shot up 19th Ave. would be replaced by a detour through the center of the complex – and it’s not even clear that it would be on private right of way.) Unless such a project is planned very carefully to use only private right of way and give the streetcars priority at every intersection, this could cause serious problems for the M line’s existing riders, particularly those who commute from SF State to Balboa Park.
It’s not at all clear if Parkmerced has had any discussions with MTA, the CAC, or riders over this proposal. If it does look like it has some chance of happening, we will make sure to follow it closely and demand that the current line not be slowed down any further.
I live in the vicinity of SFSU and Park Merced, so while I applaud anything that might be considered that would improve public transportation in this part of the city, I am also painfully aware that MUNI is apparently not up to the task of providing existing services here in any manner that is remotely acceptable. The M-Oceanview lightrail line and the 17-ParkMerced bus route for two, appear to be among the least well-run transit lines in the city. And that’s just from my own 1.5 year experience here. Any route even remotely related to the West Portal “hub” appears to be tainted by lack of attention and generally unimpressive service, so both the M and 17 lines have this handicap to begin with. The ParkMerced board can do what they like with regard to suggestions for transit into and out of the “new and improved” Park Merced area, but the development plans are sketchy at best with regard to changes (despite the SF Chronicle article dated 01/21/08) and MUNI would have to weigh-in with regard to any proposed changes, whether for the common good or not. Even though I live here in the to-be-affected area, I would not be so quick to condone plans to have MUNI services expanded without some commitment from MUNI to get the public transit services to this part of the city up higher on its list of priorities to begin with, ParkMerced re-development or not.
There are better significant alternatives to placing 3 transit stops in a .18 mile radius. Direct tunneling, and or access to daly city bart, or colma, and dealing with the 19th/Junipero Serra and Brotherhood Way Intersections are critical to solving the problems. Equity Density in adjacent developments per CEQA and cumalative development mitigation could be used very sucessfully here, placing development and density in MULTIPLE developments and neighborhoods adjacent while providing jobs, creating new transit lines, and reducing auto use. The problem is that ALL organizations must get on board, including Muni and solve a problem that is has been for too long worked on without true PUBLIC/COMMUNITY based input. The current 19th ave. is a mess, and will only get worse without true density on existing transit corridors on the M-K-L lines… Property owners and community organizations MUST be brought to the table with a more thorough mapping of parcels projects and places where density can occur including the SFSU Masterplan which disporportionately affected rental housing in the district -1000 units of rental housing and no “fair-share” impact fees assessed per “CITY OF MARINA vs. CSU”….