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Construction Starts on the Battery/Sansome Quick-Build By Eillie Anzilotti   Rendered image of the completed Battery/Sansome Quick Build Project The first-ever protected bike lane in the Financial District is on its way in!  This week, SFMTA crews are starting work on the Battery/Sansome Quick-Build project. Approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors in September, this project will bring a two-way protected bike lane to Battery Street. The project will also add pedestrian safety improvements on both Battery and Sansome Streets, and some loading changes on Battery.   This project is a major step forward for cycling in the city. Apart from the Embarcadero, there is no other protected bike lane near the Financial District — even though two out of the 10 most active bike share stations in the city are in the downtown area. With so many people returning to downtown offices after working from home due to the pandemic, this new route will offer a safer option for those looking for a more

Your Questions, Answered: Central Subway Special Weekend Service By Mariana Maguire Central Subway special weekend service shuttles customer between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and 4th & Brannan to explore the new stations. And on January 7, T Third service will connect from Chinatown-Rose Pak to Sunnydale. What has four brand new stations, thousands of curious customers and really long escalators? It’s Central Subway! Special weekend service launched Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20 with a steady stream of Muni customers excited to experience the SFMTA’s historic new subway. They were greeted by ambassadors in orange giving out fortune cookies and Muni squishy trains and answering lots of questions. Customers got to see the new Central Subway stations for the first time and start to learn how to navigate new connections with special shuttle service operating between Chinatown-Rose Pak and 4th & Brannan stations. We know this is a big change for everyone and it will

The Future of Slow Streets By Eillie Anzilotti Over the past two years, Slow Streets have shown how simple designs that prioritize people can transform streets. Suddenly, streets across San Francisco filled with the sounds of kids playing and neighbors chatting. They filled with people on bicycles and people rolling in wheelchairs; with joggers and dog-walkers. The streets came to life. Initially, the SFMTA introduced Slow Streets as an emergency response to COVID-19. People needed space for recreating at a safe distance outdoors. And with Muni service reduced or suspended at the time, people needed ways to travel to essential destinations on foot or bike. To quickly meet these early pandemic needs, we implemented Slow Streets with simple signs and barricades. Over time, it became clear that Slow Streets served an even larger purpose. They became places for communities to come together. Neighbors organized events like scavenger hunts and Trick or Treat parties around their local Sl

Starting Tomorrow! Central Subway Special Service Opens By Mariana Maguire Central Subway special weekend service starts November 19 with shuttle trains between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and 4th and Brannan. Starting tomorrow, November 19, the four new Central Subway stations will open to the public with free special service, Saturdays and Sundays only, from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. every 12 minutes. This is a special opportunity for customers to ride between the new stations and get to know them before the service change in January. To experience Central Subway special service, transfer at Powell Station from Muni Metro and BART by walking underground to the new Union Square/Market Street Station. SFMTA Ambassadors will be on hand to help customers navigate the new stations. Looks for our bright orange SFMTA Ambassador vests, hoodies and hats! At Chinatown-Rose Park Station, customers should listen to announcements and watch the displays for incoming train information. Trains may

Taximeter Rate Increase By Today , our new taxi meter rates go into effect, providing a much-needed increase for taxi drivers. After extensive outreach, the SFMTA board passed an 18% increase in the taximeter rates – the first increase in 11 years. During this time, the cost of living  in the Bay Area has risen considerably.  45% increase in the cost of everyday items 50% increase in the cost of transportation  82% peak increase in the cost of gasoline. The new rates listed below will support an industry that is an integral part of  our transportation system, especially for SF’s paratransit program. The new rates go into effect beginning Thursday, November 17: First one-fifth mile of flag rate is $4.15 Each additional one-fifth mile or fraction thereof is $0.65 Each minute of waiting or traffic time delay is $0.65 SFO pick-up fee is unchanged at $5.50 For more information on the current structure of taxi fares, please visit Taxi Fares . To get a sense of what this

Explore Yerba Buena with New Central Subway Connections By Christopher Ward Starting November 19, Central Subway opens for special service, allowing customers to experience the new Yerba Buena/Moscone Station. The new Yerba Buena/Moscone Station at 4th and Folsom streets along the Central Subway connects Muni customers with the communities and attractions in San Francisco’s South of Market district. The new station is located across the street from Yerba Buena Square and the Moscone Convention Center and steps away from hotels, museums, shopping and restaurants. However, you choose to spend your time in Yerba Buena, you’ll have no shortage of things to do. Interested in the arts and culture? Yerba Buena/Moscone Station is your stop! Explore the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the Contemporary Jewish Museum, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD), the American Bookbinder’s Museum or the Children’s Creativity Museum, all within a

SFMTA Upgrades Predictions Software This Weekend! By Mariana Maguire SFMTA will switch over to a new, upgraded software system on Sunday, November 13,  as part of our Next Generation Customer Information System (CIS) project . The new software was developed to improve the way our different information systems communicate with each other and share data to and from multiple sources. This will provide customers more accurate, timely, reliable Muni service predictions. This is one more important step in the overhaul of our CIS that will enable us to provide better service to Muni customers. SFMTA’s Next Generation CIS software has been in preliminary testing for months, and if all works well, Muni customers should not notice any change. But anyone who’s had to help loved ones with computer or smartphone troubles knows that software updates aren’t always smooth. Unanticipated challenges may arise. Customers should expect some glitches as we make the software switch and work out issue