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Harney-101 Transit Crossing Project

Project Introduction

The Harney-101 Transit Crossing Project would provide undercrossing improvements at Alana Way underneath Highway 101, as well as on nearby streets. These improvements are critical as large development projects in the Bayview, Hunters Point, and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods are built in the near future. Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard and Executive Park are the largest planned developments in the area and will bring significant numbers of residents, employees, and visitors into the area. Also, demand on the transportation network will eventually increase within the surrounding neighborhoods. 

The Southeast Muni Expansion Project focuses on addressing existing transit needs as well as anticipated future transit needs from the additional residents, employees, and visitors generated by the Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard development. This project would update the development's transit plan by prioritizing new transit service and extensions, which means more buses in Bayview, Hunters Point, and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods. 

At the gateway to these neighborhoods, the narrow Alana Way undercrossing beneath Highway 101 will become a critical link in the transportation network as the area grows. The undercrossing currently lacks facilities for transit, pedestrians and bicyclists, and will be unable to accommodate future vehicle volumes. The Harney-101 Transit Crossing Project would improve the undercrossing to provide these facilities and improve connections between Harney Way and Thomas Mellon Circle to Alana Way and Beatty Avenue. The project would also allow buses to quickly and effectively reach key destinations such as downtown San Francisco and Bayshore Caltrain Station. This will help accommodate and prioritize the new transit service planned as part of the new development and the Southeast Muni Expansion Project. 

Project Timeline 
2020
Planning
Pending
Predicted Completion
Approximately 2025
Project Status
Planning
Improvements
bus
Improve transit connections from Harney Way to Highway 101 and Bayshore Boulevard, facilitating access to Bayshore Caltrain Station, Executive Park, Little Hollywood, Candlestick Point, and Hunters Point Shipyard.
walking
Improve pedestrian connections from Harney Way to Tunnel Avenue and Bayshore Caltrain Station.
bike
Improve bicycle connections from Harney Way to Tunnel Avenue and Bayshore Caltrain Station.
Project Details, History or Features

Overview 

Several new development projects are anticipated to be built in the area. The largest, the Candlestick Point and Executive Park developments, will bring approximately 14,300 housing units and 5 million square feet of commercial space into the area. The Candlestick Point-Hunters Point Shipyard development includes plans for several new Muni bus routes and extensions that connect Bayview, Hunters Point, and Visitacion Valley neighborhoods to additional transit connection points and downtown locations. These new Muni bus routes and extensions are currently being studied as part of the Southeast Muni Expansion project.   

As a result of development plans and travel patterns changing over the years, the SFMTA intends to update the transit plan through the Southeast Muni Expansion project. These improvements will provide meaningful benefits to both existing and future communities by enhancing service to key destinations such as downtown San Francisco, the Mission District, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and regional transit stations.  

In addition to enhanced transit service, the SFMTA is in the process of ensuring that the street network can accommodate additional employees, residents, and visitors to the area. As one of the only streets providing access to the Executive Park and Candlestick Point development sites, the Alana Way underpass beneath Highway 101 will become a key gateway to the area. Its current design lacks pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities, and is insufficient to support the level of growth anticipated in the area.  

Potential near-term improvements will include roadway upgrades to support transit, pedestrian, and bicycle activity in this area with improved access around and under the Highway 101 underpass along Harney and Alana ways. There would be new pedestrian and bicycle paths on the streets leading to the underpass as well. The project would serve as an interim step towards a full upgrade of the interchange, should additional growth occur in the future. 

Development

 

Existing Conditions 

Harney Way begins at the end of Jamestown Avenue near Candlestick Point and travels under Highway 101 towards the Visitacion Valley neighborhood. Currently, this area has a sparse street network, but will be the primary gateway to the Candlestick Point and Executive Park planned developments.  

Key observations include: 

  • Peak future traffic congestion will create a choke point for this segment of roadway. 
  • Intersections do not have traffic signals and will not be capable of supporting increased traffic. 
  • The lack of sidewalks and dedicated bicycle facilities make it difficult to walk or bicycle to the Bayshore Caltrain Station. This holds especially true when pedestrians and bicyclists are passing Recology trucks and freeway-bound traffic.
  • The San Francisco Bay Trail does not connect through the existing interchange.  

Highway 101/Alana Way Undercrossing 

Alana Today

The Highway 101/Alana Way undercrossing is only 36 feet wide with one lane in each direction. The undercrossing does not have any sidewalks or bicycle facilities, and there is no room to add these facilities within the current design.  

Alana Tunnel 

 

Alana Cross-section

A one-way transit only lane heading eastbound through the abandoned rail tunnel just south of the 101 interchange is also being analyzed. This would help express buses coming from downtown avoid traffic congestion with their own dedicated bus lane. Buses traveling in the opposite direction would not need to utilize the tunnel.              

Overall potential improvements could include: 

  1. Intersection Improvements to Alana / Harney / Thomas Mellon Intersection 
  • Realign Thomas Mellon Circle and Alana Way into two separate right-angle intersections with traffic signals 
  • Provide safe pedestrian and bicycle crossings on Harney Way 
  • Continue the Bay Trail through the Highway 101 undercrossing to Beatty Avenue 
  • Coordinate with the widening of Harney Way by the Candlestick Point development 

Scope 1

  1. Addition of Sidewalk and Bike Path to Alana Way Highway 101 Undercrossing 
  • Construct sidewalk and bike path through undercrossing 
  • Maintains existing vehicle lanes for access to Little Hollywood, Executive Park, and Recology campus 

 Scope 2

  1. Street and Intersection Improvements Between Highway 101 Undercrossing and Beatty Avenue 
  • Continue sidewalk and protected bike path along Alana Way driveway to improve safety for all roadway users 

 Scope 3

  1. Beatty Avenue Street Improvements 
  • Provide a continuous sidewalk and protected bike path along Alana Way 
  • Reconstruct pavement section to improve street grading and drainage 

Scope 4

Long-range Planning Efforts 

The potential improvements would help the transportation network accommodate planned growth in the near-term and could serve as a first step towards comprehensive infrastructure upgrades around the Highway 101 interchange if growth occurs in the future (i.e. an extension of Geneva Avenue to directly connect with Harney Way). 

Next Steps 

The SFMTA developed these potential street improvements to inform future development project infrastructure planning and in conjunction with the Southeast Muni Expansion's recommended bus service improvements. In early 2020, SFMTA staff will be gathering community feedback to inform which components should move forward and how they should be implemented.  

 

Muni logo
San Francisco County Transportation Authority logo
Contact Information
Kansai Uchida, Project Manager
415.646.2632