Van Ness Improvement Project Groundbreaking

The City of San Francisco broke ground Wednesday, March 1, on the Van Ness Improvement Project, a major civic-improvement project that will revitalize and rehabilitate one of the city’s main corridors. The Van Ness Improvement Project will bring about San Francisco’s Bus Rapid Transit system, a globally proven solution to improve transit reliability and address traffic congestion. Features of Bus Rapid Transit on Van Ness will include dedicated center-running lanes, furnished boarding stations and installing proven safety enhancements for people walking, including sidewalk extensions, protected median refuges, high visibility crosswalks and audible countdown signals that make walking along the corridor a safer, more enjoyable experience. The three-year construction project is a result of collaboration between city agencies and will overhaul two miles of Van Ness Avenue between Mission and Lombard streets. The project began as a package of transportation improvements including the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit system. Along the corridor, these improvements are expected to reduce transit travel times by up to one-third and increase reliability and service for the 47, 49, 76X and 90 Muni routes that will use the Bus Rapid Transit system.