SoMa-to-Chinatown rail line to debut by 2016, Muni says
From today’s Examiner,
Central Subway to extend Third Street tracks, provide connection to BART, busesA new Muni rail line that will cut through SoMa up into Chinatown is expected to be online by 2016.
Transit officials on Thursday unveiled details of the $1.4 billion Central Subway project, which will create continuous rail service from Visitacion Valley to Chinatown and is expected to reduce the commute by half.
The 5.1-mile Central Subway is an extension of the newly created Third Street Light Rail, which runs from Bayshore Boulevard in Vistacion Valley to the Caltrain station at Fourth and King streets. The $667 million light-rail project, which has been delayed for a year and a half, is launching with weekend rides Jan. 13, with full operation beginning April 7.
The Central Subway line will continue up Fourth Street across Market Street and end at Clay and Stockton streets in Chinatown. The subway will also connect BART and other Muni lines at the Powell Street station. Travel time from Third and King Street to Chinatown, which takes 20 minutes, is expected to be cut by more than half and only take seven minutes, according to John Fungi, the project manager.
A Muni official said the system, which is expected to increase systemwide ridership by 21,000 people a day when it is up and running, will help serve the 70 percent of the population living along the corridor that does not own a car. [more...]
Update: SFCityscape points out that there are four upcoming community meetings, if you care to attend…
SoMa-to-Chinatown rail line to debut by 2016, Muni says [Examiner]
The Stubway Revealed [SFCityscape]
Third Street rail on track for January run [SFHomeBlog]
I would get really excited about this if Muni ran regular trains!! I live right on the J-Church. I’ll often wait for an hour, then three trains running nose-to-snout. My girlfriend and I tried to take the J-Church to Market st last weekend… We started walking after 20 minutes and made it to within 2 blocks of our destination before we saw our train. 7 outbound trains passed before we saw our very late, packed-to-the-gills inbound.
As far as I can tell, Muni is only usable for people who don’t care when they arrive at their destinations.
I lived in Boston last year and took the T everywhere. I love using public transit when I can rely on it. Please, SF, fix the easy Muni problems before fixing the hard ones? Just make the trains run regularly, and run enough trains so that I don’t constantly need to push myself into a dangerously overcrowded rush-hour mob?
Ye ghods, Muni is a disappointment. It’s strange that such a green city has the worst public transit system of any place I’ve ever lived…
Anonymous at October 13th, 2006 at 7:02 pm ( )I wonder what kind of noise/traffic impact that will have on the Palms where the line is supposed to go in.
mm at October 13th, 2006 at 7:10 pm ( )Well, at least they gave themselves 10 years to have it done.
Since the current Third Street line is two years behind schedule, I’ll leave it to engineers and city political watchers to say whether the latter project was “easier” (all above ground, through neighborhoods with a desire, from its leaders anyway, to see it happen, etc.).
Also, any wagers on whether the Bay Bridge (new East span, approaches, everything) is done by then? (supposed to be 2012 or 2013, right?) Or whether it is done before the next big quake?
Today’s article says “10 years of construction” and they only begin public hearings on station locations and under/above ground issues on 10/17/06?
Ah… good luck with that!
sf jack at October 13th, 2006 at 8:19 pm ( )anonymous #711 –
Yeah, get used to it re: Muni.
Entrenched interests and all that. The drivers used to get a fair amount of “sick days” where they didn’t even have to call in on those days, if I remember. And the Supes and the union got all fired up at the mayor for suggesting a change in such a ridiculous policy.
I feel like I’ve met people from all over the world and every time I say I live in SF, they sometimes want to ask questions.
Somewhere in the conversation it turns to the negatives of living here. And, of course, right up there “neck and neck” with the fact that there are high prices for everything, is the fact that Muni/public transit truly “sucks” for most people.
It really, really, does.
[Of course, some exceptions for some people going certain places; I've always heard decent things from people who live in the Richmond and environs saying that the Geary and California lines downtown to work and back are "OK")
sf jack at October 13th, 2006 at 8:37 pm ( )only 1.4 billion for a puny subway? What a deal
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/32556
Anonymous at October 16th, 2006 at 9:45 pm ( )Yes, Muni sure needs to get its act together with its current transportation before stepping out with a bigger one!
Freudian Slip at October 19th, 2006 at 5:15 am ( )Matt