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Supporting Community Needs in the Tenderloin By Chava Kronenberg In the coming days, the SFMTA will implement a 4-block temporary project on Jones Street, from O’Farrell Street to Golden Gate Avenue for residents to have more pedestrian space in the Tenderloin while maintaining physical distance.   To accomplish this, parking on the east side of the street as well as one of the three travel lanes on Jones Street will be removed. These four blocks are a small but significant part of city efforts to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The effort will support the local businesses by temporarily refashioning San Francisco streets. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted people who live and work in the Tenderloin. The SFMTA is working with our sister city agencies and community partners to be part of the solution. The Tenderloin is a dense neighborhood with a high percentage of low-income people, people of color, seniors and transit-dependent San Franciscans who need more space for physic

In-person Lifeline Pass Sales to Resume in August By Sophia Scherr As in-person sales of the Lifeline pass are set to resume on August 21, 2020, changes to the Lifeline program are also underway. As the state of emergency persists, a new online application process has been launched and changes are being made to locations where the passes can be purchased. Lifeline is a Muni-only monthly pass for customers with limited incomes. Lifeline customers get unlimited access to Muni service for a calendar month at a 50% discount off the standard adult monthly pass price. Individuals with a gross annual income, also known as income before taxes, at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty level are eligible to receive the Lifeline pass. Currently, Lifeline program applications and requests for replacement cards are still being accepted online or by mail, and expired Lifeline passes have been extended until April 2022. Lifeline pass holders may also qualify Clipper’s START   program, a new regi

Safe Streets 2019 Year End Report By Victoria Chong The Results Are In! Over the course of 2019, the SFMTA implemented a record number of pedestrian, bicycle and traffic calming projects. But our goal is not only to deliver projects, but to make our streets safer and more comfortable for all San Franciscans. SFMTA’s Safe Streets Evaluation Program is sharing  our annual Safe Streets Evaluation Report which takes stock of last year’s progress as well as lessons learned. Pedestrians and bicyclist using the bike lane and pedestrian walkway along Townsend Street on June 13, 2019 Under the direction of Mayor London Breed, the SFMTA initiated the Vision Zero Quick-Build Program. This program represented reduced barriers for SFMTA to install pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements on the city’s High Injury Network . Quick-build projects offer opportunities to take community feedback in real time and make design changes as needed. These projects can be put in the ground in as litt

Clipper launching START Pilot Discount Program By Sophia Scherr Clipper is excited to launch the START Pilot Program in collaboration with the SFMTA and other Bay Area transportation agencies (BART, Caltrain and Golden Gate Transit and Ferry). Designed to make transportation more affordable for low-income residents, the Clipper START pilot program moves toward a consistent fare discount standard for the Bay Area region.  The discount pilot program will last for 18 months while the program is evaluated. SFMTA has committed to continue to offer the discount after the pilot period ends. To design, implement and evaluate this pilot program, the SFMTA is working with Clipper, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), BART and Golden Gate Transit—as well as community-based organizations, social services and public health sectors. Am I eligible for the pilot Clipper START Program? How do I apply? Adults ages 19 to 64 who have a household income of up to 200% of the Federal Pover

Advocacy works! Recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act By Jonathan Cheng This week marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In 1990, the ADA made clear that public transit must be fully accessible to persons with disabilities.  The SFMTA continues its commitment to developing a more comprehensive accessible transportation network including improving accessible bus, rail and paratransit services. As we reflect on thirty years of the ADA creating a more accessible transportation system, we also recognize there are many opportunities that lie ahead. The ADA clearly mandated that both transit service accessibility and paratransit were an obligation of all transit agencies in the nation and moved the needle forward in terms of accountability. However, Muni’s commitment to providing access for seniors and persons with disabilities accessibility predates the ADA. Muni started to purchase buses with wheelchair l

Advocacy works! Recognizing the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act By Annette Williams This week marks the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In 1990, the ADA made clear that public transit must be fully accessible to persons with disabilities.  The SFMTA continues its commitment to developing a more comprehensive accessible transportation network including improving accessible bus, rail and paratransit services. As we reflect on thirty years of the ADA creating a more accessible transportation system, we also recognize there are many opportunities that lie ahead. The ADA clearly mandated that both transit service accessibility and paratransit were an obligation of all transit agencies in the nation and moved the needle forward in terms of accountability. However, Muni’s commitment to providing access for seniors and persons with disabilities accessibility predates the ADA. Muni started to purchase buses with wheelchair

Valencia Street and Grant Street: The first two “Shared Spaces” Street Closures  By Phillip Pierce To expand public space for physically distanced outdoor dining, retail and mobility, the city’s  Shared Spaces  program will close parts of Valencia Street to traffic starting this week. This temporary repurposing of Valencia Street from Thursdays to Sundays is similar to another zone created on Grant Street in Chinatown on weekends.  Valencia and Grant streets are the first two full street closures in the Shared Spaces program,  initiated by Mayor Breed  to support the economic and social recovery of neighborhood businesses.    a Mano restaurant in Hayes Valley using the area in front of their restaurant as a Shared Space.    A multiagency city program of the Economic Recovery Task Force, the program allows merchants to use sidewalks, full or partial streets, and other nearby public spaces like parks and plazas for restaurant pick-up and other neighborhood retail activity, as allow