We're celebrating 10 years of Muni Forward! Pick up a limited-edition Muni Forward Passport at a Transit Month event or participating business while supplies last during the month of September 2024. Use the passport to explore ten of Muni Forward’s project corridors, including the 28 19th Avenue.
Muni Forward’s 28 19th Avenue Rapid Project is just one part of a comprehensive set of improvements made along its entire route. The 28 19th Avenue travels from Fisherman’s Wharf to Daly City, a critical north-south route on the west side of the city with stops at the Golden Gate Bridge and along 19th Avenue. The 28 19th Avenue provides connections to schools, employment, regional transit, retail services, hospitals, and parks. 19th Avenue is also a high-injury corridor with one of the highest rates of severe and fatal traffic injuries in San Francisco.
In addition to the significant updates on 19th Avenue, the the Lombard Street Safety Project and the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes pilot have enhanced safety for people walking, improved Muni service reliability, added new connections in the northern part of the city and enriched the overall customer experience—both on and off the bus.
Another significant Muni Forward initiative is the implementation of transit signal priority across various routes, including the 28 19th Avenue. This technology allows buses to communicate with traffic signals, extending green lights or shortening red ones to reduce delays and keep buses on schedule. This, combined with the installation of transit lanes, has drastically reduced travel times on busy routes, making public transit a more competitive option compared to driving.
Over 15,000 daily riders (as of May 2024) are using the 28 19th Avenue and 28R 19th Avenue Rapid again. By making buses a priority and keeping people walking safe, these bus routes now offer a smooth, fast and safe ride for everyone.
These projects are a crucial part of the broader Muni Forward program, which aims to transform San Francisco’s transportation landscape. Muni Forward is dedicated to increasing the speed, frequency and reliability of transit services across the city, making it easier for residents to choose public transportation over traveling by car. By focusing on key corridors like 19th Avenue, Muni Forward ensures that improvements are made where they are needed most, benefiting the largest number of riders.
- Completed
Transit and Pedestrian Safety Project Elements
The 28 19th Avenue Rapid Project has improved safety and reliability on the 28 19th Avenue and 28R Avenue Rapid lines by implementing the following elements:
- Expanded 28R 19th Avenue Rapid service means buses come more often and the trips are quicker
- Optimized and consolidated bus stops at eight intersections made stop spacing more even, which helps make Muni service more reliable and shortened travel times for riders
- Relocated transit stops at eight intersections to take advantage of transit signal priority that holds the green light to reduce unnecessary delays for the 28 19th Avenue
- To shorten crossing distances for people walking and speed up boarding, installed wider sidewalks at corners and bus stops including transit bulbs at 12 intersections and pedestrian bulbs at 19 intersections
- Implementing transit signal priority to give buses a green light for longer
- In support of Vizion Zero SF and to make 19th Avenue safer for people walking, the SFMTA installed and modified traffic and pedestrian signs to give people who walk more time to cross the street.
This work was part of the 19th Avenue Combined City Project, a collaboration between four city agencies and community partners, led by the San Francisco Public Works Department. The combined project included water main and sewer replacement and rehabilitation, AWSS (Auxiliary Water Supply Service for fire hydrants), concrete transit bulbs and traffic signal work. See the 19th Avenue (CA Route 1) Combined City Project Website for more details.
19th Avenue (CA Route 1) Combined City Project Website
In July 2022, the 28 19th Avenue was extended to Powell and Beach streets to provide east-west connections to Fisherman’s Wharf across the northern part of the city.
As the 19th Avenue Combined City Project was implemented, new carpool and transit lanes were piloted on Park Presidio Boulevard and Lombard Street in September 2022. To support San Francisco’s COVID-19 response and economic recovery, and to improve the frequency and reliability of Muni service by reducing running time, the SFMTA installed HOV lanes that allow vehicles with two or more occupants along sections of State Route 1 and U.S. Highway 101. The HOV lanes reduce traffic delays for buses and cars with more than two people. It’s special because it’s the only carpool lane on a major city street in the whole state!
Looking ahead, Muni Forward will continue to expand and innovate. Future projects include the extension of transit-only lanes in key areas, and the deployment of electric buses to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. These efforts are all part of SFMTA’s commitment to making San Francisco’s public transportation system one of the most efficient, reliable, and sustainable in the country.