The SFMTA is working towards a 100 percent zero-emission fleet as part of its leadership in confronting climate change. The agency’s Building Progress Program oversees planning efforts to upgrade aging bus yards with new charging infrastructure and other improvements to support a fully electric bus fleet. This transition will happen in several phases, and Muni’s Kirkland Yard on the north waterfront will be the first facility to house all battery electric buses.
During the approximately three years of construction for the Kirkland Yard Electrification Project, Kirkland Yard will be taken offline. During mid-end of 2025, bus operations and maintenance will be be temporarily relocated to southeast San Francisco at two adjacent Muni facilities: the Islais Creek Transit Facility and the Marin Facility. Kirkland’s 88 40-foot diesel hybrid buses will move to operate out of the Islais Creek Facility with bus storage and some maintenance happening across the street at the Marin Facility site while Kirkland Yard is under construction. The routes served include the 12 Folsom/Pacific, 19 Polk, 28 19th Avenue, 28R 19th Avenue Rapid and 43 Masonic, and construction will not cause any impacts to Muni service.
Improving the Marin Site
The Marin facility is a 3.2-acre site located south of Cesar Chavez and west of Third Street. It is leased by the SFMTA from the Port of San Francisco. The SFMTA will be making minor improvements to the Marin site in preparation to house the Kirkland fleet. Improvements will be phased, and work may occur between summer 2024 and summer 2025, prior to the arrival of the Kirkland fleet. Planned improvements include:
- Upgrade security gates
- Improve and increase yard lighting (which will include minor trenching)
- Spot re-paving of bus parking area
- Upgrade and increase security cameras
No improvements are planned for the warehouse building on site.
Muni Activity on Site
The Marin property has been used as a transit and new transit vehicle acceptance and testing facility by the SFMTA since 1998. The site is active 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Although activity at the site will be an increase over the current state, it will be similar in nature. Kirkland’s 88 40-foot diesel hybrid buses will be parked at 1399 Marin for the duration of the renovation of Kirkland Yard. Bus maintenance activities will include fueling and light repair work (also known as running repair). Approximately 35-40 new maintenance staff will move to the site, equaling about 8 to 15 total maintenance staff on site at a time.
The administration and dispatch functions required for the Kirkland buses to operate will be located at Islais Creek, as well as support facilities for operators and maintenance staff.
Departing and returning buses will access the site via Indiana Street and Cesar Chavez Street. They will enter the facility from Marin Street and exit onto Indiana Street. On weekdays, about two-thirds of buses will pull out for Muni service in the early mornings between 4:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and return in the evenings between 4:30 p.m. - 1:30 a.m. (All times are estimates and will be finalized prior to buses arriving on site.) Other bus movements will be spaced throughout the day.
