Rescue Muni

On September 29, the experiment to reduce auto traffic on Market Street by requiring right turns for passenger cars at Eighth and Sixth Streets begins. [PDF flyer from MTA] Will this improve inbound bus service on Market? We think it might, which is why we support the experiment – but we want to hear how it actually works in practice. Comment here on your ride today (before the experiment) and later in the week (after it begins)!

Update: The new layout looks “pretty good,” per MTA Director Nat Ford.

After literally decades of debate, San Francisco is about to begin a six week test of car restrictions on Market Street, including mandatory right turns at Eighth and Sixth Streets and a ban on private cars east of Fifth. The objective is to reduce auto traffic to speed up inbound transit vehicles and improve bicycle safety.

Rescue Muni has long supported this proposal due to the extremely long delays faced by Market Street Muni commuters, but we remain concerned that the city may not communicate the change well to auto drivers and transit riders alike. It is vitally important that auto drivers get clear and explicit instructions about how to get downtown from each intersection on Market Street – otherwise driver confusion will lead to anger and a quick reversal of this decision. Communication is absolutely key to this proposal being a success.

The Planning Department has some, but not much, detail about the project.

Update: Streetsblog interviewed a handful of people, including an SFBC staffer, and they seemed to like the idea.

The SFTEP project plans to upgrade the 41-Union line to 60′ articulated buses during the 5am to 9am rush hour, saving the SFMTA $300,000 a year and boosting the number of riders a single driver can transport. The downside is that Union St. businesses will lose parking spots and fear that the loss of parking will impact their business during this deep recession.

Local businesses have collected 500 signatures to petition the bus upgrades. The SFMTA will vote on the issue September 1st. (story also via sfcitizen and sf.curbed)

Muni’s onboard master train-control lever, known in the transit industry as the dead-man’s device, failed to activate during July 18th’s crash between a K and L train at West Portal station when one of the light rail transit operators passed out for medical reasons. The lever, which requires a half a pound of pressure to keep the train in operation, was switched down from 2.5 pounds in 1996 after operators complained about hand and wrist problems from the amount of pressure.  Muni chief Nathaniel Ford says that Muni may consider increasing the amount of pressure on the lever as part of their efforts to bump up safty in the system.

Investigators have not yet concluded that the dead-man lever contributed to the West Portal crash.

The SFMTA’s project to upgrade Metro fare gates has received an $11 million boost from the Fed’s stimulus package. The $29 million project to replace fare gates with cashless Translink-only gates will be moved up 1 and a half years for completion in the fall of 2010.

Passengers will still be able to buy single rides by using fare machines similar to what BART uses and accept cash, debit, or credit to pay for a fare. Fast Passes will be accepted until they are phased out in favor of electronic monthly passes on Translink.