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SFMTA Board Approves Rapid Project for 71 Haight/Noriega

Friday, November 21, 2014

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), which oversees all surface transportation in the City, including the Municipal Railway (Muni), yesterday approved a project along the 71 Haight/Noriega corridor that will enhance pedestrian safety and improve service reliability. The project is expected to save approximately six minutes round trip for the 71 Haight/Noriega, and will add to the time-savings and streamlined commute offered by the recently completed Haight Street red transit-only lane.

The SFMTA Board approved the project at its meeting this week.

“San Francisco is investing in critical infrastructure improvements to create safer streets and build a 21st century transportation network,” said Mayor Ed Lee. “I thank the SFMTA Board for approving this project that will help us achieve our City’s Vision Zero goals and create a more reliable transportation network for our residents and visitors alike.”

“This project will make Muni more reliable, safe and comfortable for so many people who rely on public transit,” said Tom Nolan, Chairman of the SFMTA Board. “At the same time, this project will allow for key pedestrian safety improvements that support the city’s Vision Zero policy to eliminate all pedestrian deaths in 10 years.”

As part of Muni Forward, Rapid Projects prioritize frequency and reliability on the most heavily used routes. Muni rapid routes carry 70 percent of customers and form the backbone of the Muni network.

“Our transit system is the backbone of our city’s quality of life and economy and projects like these will help improve service for riders,” said Ed Reiskin, SFMTA Director of Transportation. “With Muni Forward, we’re actively making incremental change for a more reliable and safer experience on transit and for people who walk, ride a bike, drive or take a taxi.”

71 Haight/Noriega Rapid Capital Improvements

Projects to improve safety and reliability include:

  • Relocating transit stops from the near-side to the far-side at four intersections to allow buses to take advantage of planned transit signal priority improvements.
  • Increasing transit stop spacing, which means the bus will stop less and travel more efficiently through the corridor.
  • Adding transit bulbs at 4 locations to allow buses to easily board passengers without having to pull out and then back into congested traffic. They also provide space for shelters, signage, and other amenities.
  • Adding pedestrian bulbs at 9 locations to shorten crossing distances and provide a clearer line-of-sight between pedestrians and vehicles
  • Creating signalized transit queue jumps at one location to allow transit vehicles to proceed through an intersection during its own green-light phase, ahead of the lines of auto traffic waiting at a red light.
  • Replacing all-way STOP-controlled intersections with traffic signals at ten intersections to allow buses to take advantage of planned transit signal priority improvements.
  • Establishing a transit-only lane from Buchanan to Laguna to allow transit vehicles to bypass traffic congestion, making for a smoother ride.
  • Adding four turn pockets to help turning traffic and reduce bus delays.
  • Establishing three turn restrictions to remove turn conflicts at busy intersections where vehicles may not have good visibility.

The Haight Street capital upgrades will complement a planned service increase for the corridor, which is expected to reduce crowding and increase vehicle capacity by 20 percent. This service increase was approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors in March 2014, and is expected to go into effect in 2015.

This project will be funded by Proposition A.

Muni Forward Rapid Network

Muni Forward brings together the long list of projects and planning efforts underway to achieve the vision of creating a safer, more reliable, and more comfortable transit system. Part of this effort aims to create a Rapid Network that will improve the frequency and reliability on lines and routes that carry 70 percent of customers, which includes the 71 Haight/Noriega.