Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In

Yesterday, Muni's board of directors approved a plan to open "temporary emergency transportation lanes" for three of its routes:

    • 14 Mission and 14R Mission Rapid: Mission Street in SoMa
    • 19 Polk: 7th and 8th Streets in SoMa
    • 43 Masonic and 44 O’Shaughnessy: Locations on Presidio, Masonic, Laguna Honda, Woodside, and Bosworth streets

The transit lanes would be installed in late summer and striped only with white paint, “Bus/Taxi Only” stenciling, and signage. Lanes will automatically be removed within 120 days after the county's temporary COVID-19 emergency order is lifted, unless there is a public process to make a lane permanent.

SFMTA watched ridership plummet because of COVID, but also saw transit speeds go way up because traffic has been light. The bus routes that already have transit-only lanes saw less time savings, which was a pretty convincing argument for quickly instituting new bus-only lanes as traffic goes back up.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?time_continue=3&v=oLnOb5p0qg4&feature=emb_logo

Even with lower ridership than pre-COVID, those buses still carry more people than the cars around them. SFMTA director Jeff Tumlin tweeted out a timely reminder that default planning practices have typically valued the time savings of a single driver over that of bus passengers.

To read more about the plan, visit Muni's COVID-19 response page or read this story in SF Weekly. SBSF Editor Roger Rudick will doubtless have more to say about this when he returns from vacation next week, but in the meantime let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Covina to Begin Construction on Recreation Village

The new facility will be next to the Metrolink station and include a variety of opportunities for fitness and amusement

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines

Oakland identifies sites for speed camera pilot; E-bike tariffs conflict with US climate policy; Pollution spikes around warehouses, shipping hubs; More

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on with the State E-bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague

July 26, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts