SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News

[northbay]

Originally Posted by peanut gallery

northbay - since they are working north-to-south, I'm wondering if you have seen progress on the bike path up there. There's nothing to see down here on that front yet.

Unfortunately, there has been just about no pathway construction done by SMART at this point, in both counties. However, other agencies have been making progress. Caltrans has completed a path between Novato and Petaluma, so cyclists no longer have to commit suicide by riding along 101 (which is actually going to be illegal as that section gets upgraded to full freeway standards). Santa Rosa has also competed some sections by College Ave and Steele Lane. I honestly haven't heard of anything else.

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

If they're able to secure that final $20 million needed for the extension to Larkspur, how will the actual construction take? Depending on when the money is secured, is it still possible to get the extension constructed in time for the line's opening in 2 years?

Excellent question. My guess is no. If they had been awarded the TIGER grant this year, it may have been possible. But we didn't get the grant so it's really a big question of where that money is going to come from, and when.

Originally Posted by electricron

They are leaving room to add more double track later. As I understand what's proposed, there will be three passing sidings along phase 1 construction;
(1) Hamilton
(2) Petaluma
(3) Cotati
(4) Santa Rosa
Note: the San Rafael Station will have two tracks, and when the extension is built to Larkspur that will complete the fifth passing siding.
Page 50 of the following pdf shows the passing sidings locations on a map.
http://your.kingcounty.gov/mkcc/agen...additional.pdf

Another concept to realize is that the number of passing sidings required depends upon the number of trains you plan to operate at any instant in time. You will need at least one less passing siding as number of trains operating. Presently, they're planning on having 6 trains operating to maintain 30 minute headways - therefore the need for 5 passing sidings to reach Larkspur - even though they haven't quite found all the funds needed to reach Larkspur. As an example, two trains require one passing siding, three trains require two passing sidings, four trains require three passing sidings, etc. Siding placement and maintaining schedules is important to keep the trains meeting properly so the minimum number of sidings work.

They're constructing the double track here in Cotati now.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by northbay

Unfortunately, there has been just about no pathway construction done by SMART at this point, in both counties. However, other agencies have been making progress. Caltrans has completed a path between Novato and Petaluma, so cyclists no longer have to commit suicide by riding along 101 (which is actually going to be illegal as that section gets upgraded to full freeway standards). Santa Rosa has also competed some sections by College Ave and Steele Lane. I honestly haven't heard of anything else.

Technically, the Cal Park Tunnel bikeway between Larkspur Landing and San Rafael is also part of the long term plan to run bikeways along the SMART right of way. The other half of the tunnel is rail-ready, but the bike path opened first because it was fully funded.

[northbay]

^ Right, other than the Cal Park Tunnel of course

[Folks3000]

Originally Posted by northbay

^ Right, other than the Cal Park Tunnel of course

This isn't directly related to SMART, but are there any plans to finish a solid bike/pedestrian connection from the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito? The last time I visited I was amazed at the odd traveling we had to do to walk between the two. Would've thought if you started a bike lane anywhere in the entire North Bay it would have been at the Golden Gate Bridge.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by Folks3000

This isn't directly related to SMART, but are there any plans to finish a solid bike/pedestrian connection from the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito? The last time I visited I was amazed at the odd traveling we had to do to walk between the two. Would've thought if you started a bike lane anywhere in the entire North Bay it would have been at the Golden Gate Bridge.

Huh? I have ridden my bike to Sausalito from San Francisco several times on a very popular bike route that starts right at the western side of the bridge landing in Marin.

[Folks3000]

Originally Posted by fflint

Huh? I have ridden my bike to Sausalito from San Francisco several times on a very popular bike route that starts right at the western side of the bridge landing in Marin.

Hmm perhaps I missed it, I ended up walking along Alexander Avenue (it wasn't pleasant haha).

[northbay]

Here's some pics of the Cotati SMART Station (exterior complete) and some of the surrounding housing:


Double-tracked






Along the wall runs a small drainage 'wetland' - the parking spaces here are water-permeable brick/pebble






Housing units surround little courtyards like this one


photos by me

[fflint]

Originally Posted by Folks3000

Hmm perhaps I missed it, I ended up walking along Alexander Avenue (it wasn't pleasant haha).

Yes, you totally missed it. The popular Conzelman Road route starts on the west end of the Marin landing, proceeds under the bridge and hits the waterfront at Moore Road.

[Folks3000]

Originally Posted by fflint

Yes, you totally missed it. The popular Conzelman Road route starts on the west end of the Marin landing, proceeds under the bridge and hits the waterfront at Moore Road.

Thanks, next time I will look for it!

[mthd]

Originally Posted by fflint

Yes, you totally missed it. The popular Conzelman Road route starts on the west end of the Marin landing, proceeds under the bridge and hits the waterfront at Moore Road.

how do you get there from the pedestrian landing at the other side near the vista point? I don't think I've ever noticed another crossing under the bridge there.

[fflint]

Originally Posted by mthd

how do you get there from the pedestrian landing at the other side near the vista point? I don't think I've ever noticed another crossing under the bridge there.

Whenever I ride across the bridge to Sausalito I always ride the western (bike only) side of the span, but I know there is an underpass between the vista point and the west side paths. I don't know much about it, but it is there.

[mthd]

Originally Posted by fflint

Whenever I ride across the bridge to Sausalito I always ride the western (bike only) side of the span, but I know there is an underpass between the vista point and the west side paths. I don't know much about it, but it is there.

Cool. I didn't know about that - it actually looks like it's been recently improved.

http://www.oursausalito.com/golden-g...sausalito.html

[Perklol]

someone found it!!!

[citizensf]

SFMTA's T-Third 3rd phase Concept Study is out (for Muni Metro into North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf):
http://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/f...esentation.pdf

[Perklol]

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/articl...aw-5920673.php

Extending S.F.’s Central Subway would draw riders, study says

By Michael Cabanatuan Updated 7:42 pm, Wednesday, November 26, 2014


A construction worker prepares one of the two tunnel boring machines for extraction at Powell Street and Columbus Avenue in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, June 25, 2014. Big Alma and Mom Chung have completed the tunneling portion of Muni's Central Subway project from South of Market to North Beach

It’s not time to start planning your Muni Metro ride to pick up crab or cheap souvenirs at Fisherman’s Wharf, but a new study finds that extending the Central Subway to the northeastern waterfront is not only possible but would draw tens of thousands of new riders and compete well for federal funding.

The Central Subway, itself an extension of the T-Third Muni Metro line, is under construction from the Caltrain station at Fourth and King streets to Chinatown. Tunnels, but no rails, reach farther, to North Beach. The study is the first to look at bringing a rail line to two of the city’s top tourism destinations and densest neighborhoods.

And while the study offers encouragement to those who would welcome an extension, the project has no funding, isn’t yet included in any transit plans, and would require extensive planning and years of construction. And generate, most assuredly, plenty of opposition.

“While projections of this type are difficult to make, the earliest a new rail extension to Fisherman’s Wharf could begin operations would be at least a decade in the future,” said Paul Rose, a spokesman for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which commissioned the study along with the San Francisco Transportation Authority and the city Planning Department.

[CharlesCO]

It's a shame they didn't keep the boring machines underground. It seems like this is one of those projects that will happen someday, even if it's not for a while.

[Perklol]

Read more: http://sf.streetsblog.org/2014/12/01...ide-extension/

BART Will Study Second Transbay Tube, West Side Extension

Monday, December 1, 2014, by Aaron Bialick


BART plans to study a new Transbay tube, leading into SoMa and SF’s western neighborhoods. Image: BART

BART says it will formally study the decades-old ideas of building a second Transbay tube and extending service to SF’s western neighborhoods.

Ellen Smith, BART’s acting manager for strategic and policy planning, recently told a SF County Transportation Authority Board committee (comprised of SF supervisors) that regional transportation agencies plan to fund a study of a subway connecting the South of Market area to Alameda, with a possible extension west underneath the Market Street subway, towards the Richmond and Sunset Districts.

BART has only sketched out the ideas as conceptual routes, and has yet to provide even a ballpark estimate of a timeline or costs.

Don’t expect to take a ride anytime soon, though: “We could be talking decades,” Smith said. Building a new underwater tube is ”clearly a massive investment and undertaking, technically, operationally, financially, and politically.”

The tube would be a key piece of the infrastructure needed to accommodate the growing number of riders squeezing into the existing Transbay Tube, BART’s busiest section of track.

A second tube would “greatly increase our capacity, but probably not double it,” said Smith. It would make the system more resilient, keeping service running even if minor mechanical problems occur within the existing two-track tube. It would also make 24-hour service possible, since BART maintenance crews currently need to clear the tube for nightly work.

[fflint]

Transportation agency backs off BART station changes — for now

Nathan Donato-Weinstein
San Francisco Business Times
Dec 2, 2014

In the face of mounting public opposition, the Valley Transportation Authority on Monday said it was moving away from a funding strategy that could have seen two planned BART stations cut from the line's next phase.

Officials at a community meeting in East San Jose said that they would press forward with an environmental study that looks at all four stations as originally envisioned for the 10-mile stretch, which will run from San Jose's Berryessa neighborhood to Santa Clara. That's a shift from last month, when officials said they would also study a cheaper, two-station plan that they hoped would be more competitive in the all-important race for federal funding. That scheme could have seen the Santa Clara and Alum Rock stations axed.
...

[rawocd]

Looks like the results for the new light rail vehicles for Muni are in: http://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/LRVDesignSurveyResults_12.1.14.pdf


Key findings:
Looks like Longitudinal seating won (54-44), more than 80% preferred the "Skyline 1" exterior design, and answers were nearly evenly split with standard, red, and black interiors. Standard had the highest with 30%, but the other two were 28 and 29 percent.

[M II A II R II K]

Proposed M-Market high frequency subway for SF Muni

http://newmunimetro.com/m-market/

.....

- No traffic, no stop lights, just pure automated subways running below Market Street. With longer 4 or 5 car trains running every 2 minutes (or less), we quadruple the capacity of the Muni Metro. Let’s have a real urban subway every two minutes down Market Street, all day.

- The net result is a decrease in commute time of almost 30% for the major rail corridors today, decreasing the time spent waiting at stops throughout the system, more reliable systemwide service, and—most importantly—the stage is set to take Muni into the 21st century.

- This simple step, which we can take as soon as today, is the first shift toward a citywide true rapid transit network that goes beyond commuting and brings world-class urban transit to San Francisco.

.....