SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: Transit/Transportation News

[Nouvellecosse]

In addition to some of the other ideas, it's also important to remember that art and design aren't really created by "societies" but rather by individuals and groups who happen to exist within societies. And such individuals and groups tends to be among the least conservative even when the rest of society is more so. But when creative and artistic people are surrounded by more conservative pressures it may very well spur a backlash since you will often see backlash movements pop up as a counterpoint to whatever trends happen to be prevalent. That's when people feel the greatest need to dissent.

With Tesla, I'm not sure that's really a matter of creativity so much as it is marketing. When you have a new technology (or new to the market at least) you need a way to get people's attention and overcome their behavioural inertia. You have "futuristic" designs on many such car technologies such as the GM EV1, the original Honda Insight, the original Chevy Volt, many of Toyota's Priuses, etc. Yet i would argue that neither GM nor Toyota are terribly artistic or creative overall. With Tesla, it just so happens that the entire company needs to cultivate that persona as part of its branding rather than just using it for certain models.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by JManc

^ That looks like SOMA just before Oracle.

Yep, it's the current northern terminus of the Caltrain line at 4th & King, just one block over from Oracle Park like you mentioned.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/nrpRKW7JDi5eDx8z6

In the future, this will be extended to the Salesforce (Transbay) Transit Center via a 1.3 mile underground tunnel (Downtown Rail Extension), and that will serve as the new terminus for Caltrain as well as CAHSR. Part of this station will be converted to underground as well, located on the other side of the block at 4th & Townsend.



https://sfyimby.com/2023/10/ceqa-app...extension.html

[JManc]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Yep, it's the current northern terminus of the Caltrain line at 4th & King, just one block over from Oracle Park like you mentioned.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/nrpRKW7JDi5eDx8z6

In the future, this will be extended to the Salesforce (Transbay) Transit Center via a 1.3 mile underground tunnel (Downtown Rail Extension), and that will serve as the new terminus for Caltrain as well as CAHSR. Part of this station will be converted to underground as well.

How will that work? TB is a hard left to the NW from the current terminus. Same track?

[edale]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

In addition to some of the other ideas, it's also important to remember that art and design aren't really created by "societies" but rather by individuals and groups who happen to exist within societies. And such individuals and groups tends to be among the least conservative even when the rest of society is more so. But when creative and artistic people are surrounded by more conservative pressures it may very well spur a backlash since you will often see backlash movements pop up as a counterpoint to whatever trends happen to be prevalent. That's when people feel the greatest need to dissent.

Yes, the architects and designers are individuals, but they have to have clients in order for their projects to be built. While there are obviously projects for private developments/individuals, many of the clients for the most notable futurist developments are governments and public institutions, which I think can be used as a proxy for 'society'.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by edale

Yes, the architects and designers are individuals, but they have to have clients in order for their projects to be built. While there are obviously projects for private developments/individuals, many of the clients for the most notable futurist developments are governments and public institutions, which I think can be used as a proxy for 'society'.

Well sure, that last remark was just meant as an aside while the full explanation was my much longer post from a few days ago. That said, there has long been a disconnect between the average person and the creative people making designs. We often hear the public complaining about modern architectural styles including Moderism and Brutalism with them not being terribly popular in many circles. But that's still what's being built. What causes the disconnect can be hard to pin down, but I don't find that corporations and institutions like governments are a reliable proxy for general public sentiment.

[veep]

Originally Posted by JManc

How will that work? TB is a hard left to the NW from the current terminus. Same track?

• Video Link

[veep]

Feds pledge $3.4B to bring Caltrain, high-speed rail to Salesforce center

The decadeslong quest to connect Caltrain and high-speed rail to the multimodal Salesforce Transit Center in downtown San Francisco has taken a giant leap forward with a federal pledge of $3.38 billion to the effort, according to the agency managing the project.

The new cash commitment from the Federal Transit Administration, which requires local matching funds, represents 41% of the current estimated cost of The Portal project.

The massive undertaking would extend the Caltrain commuter rail line by 1.8 miles, dig 1.3 miles of underground tunnel, and construct two underground stations to bring Caltrain service from Fourth and King Streets to a six-level underground endpoint. Agency officials anticipate the rail extension will be in service around 2032 or 2033.

With other local and state funding sources already committed, the project now has over two-thirds of the estimated cost covered, said Adam Van de Water, executive director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, in a presentation to his agency’s board of directors this week.

Next, the agency must figure out how to close the remaining $2.75 billion funding gap. Staff are working with an alphabet soup of governmental entities at the local, regional, state and federal levels to find the needed money.

The agency hopes to get $1 billion from the state, but where that will come from remains to be seen. The state’s greenhouse-gas emissions cap-and-trade program does not currently have the capacity for such a significant investment, said Shima Mirzaei, TJPA’s chief financial officer.

Agency officials hope to benefit from legislation recently introduced by two state senators, Scott Wiener and Aisha Wahab, that would authorize the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission to propose a November 2026 Bay Area ballot measure that would — among other things — provide transportation funding, particularly to help services that have seen lower use since the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/tran...fe4357d4c.html

[homebucket]

Federal Budget Allocates a Half Billion Dollars to VTA’s BART Silicon Valley Extension Project



05/09/2024

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The U.S. Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced today that $500 million is officially in the federal budget to be used toward a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for the BART Silicon Valley Extension project. The funding allocation demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to this nationally important infrastructure project.

“It is a sign of incredible confidence that the FTA and the President of the United States are interested in this project,” said VTA Board Chair and Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez. “This $500 million dollar (investment) inches us closer to getting this project completed.” Chavez said.

This significant federal funding allocation is the first funding commitment for the project through the FTA’s New Starts Funding Program. VTA will submit its formal request for approximately $6 billion, roughly 50% of the project cost, through the FTA funding program later this summer with the expectation of completing the full funding agreement with the FTA before the end of the year. The FFGA will outline the terms, timeline and annual allocations VTA will receive. The other half of the project cost is already committed with local and state funds.

https://www.vta.org/blog/federal-bud...ension-project

[Busy Bee]

Good news all around. Thanks competent Democratic government.

[homebucket]

Meeting Tomorrow For Diridon Station Redevelopment, San Jose



BY: ANDREW NELSON 5:30 AM ON MAY 14, 2024

New project details have been revealed ahead of tomorrow’s meeting about expanding the Diridon Station in San Jose. The Valley Transit Authority’s Diridon Joint Policy Advisory Board will review three design options to accommodate increased Caltrain services, integrate High-Speed Rail, and connect to the future BART extension. As expected for an infrastructure project in the Bay Area, the costs are astronomical, ranging from $2.5 billion to $13 billion.

The station expansion is expected to facilitate future service increases, including triple the hourly Caltrain trips, double the Capitol Corridor trips and four High-Speed Rail trips per hour. The three alternatives include elevated train tracks, at-grade train tracks, or stacked train tracks. Mott MacDonald, a global engineering firm, is responsible for drafting the alternatives.

At-Grade
The cheapest option will keep the tracks at grade while coincidentally making the most significant changes to the area around the Diridion Station. While kept at its existing elevation, the historic brick train station will be set above a new cobblestone-clad ground level. The station will remain the landmark entrance leading into the concourse.

Stacked
The Stacked option is the second most expensive option, but it would still create a new ground-level floor to the historic station building. This second alternative would not impact the PG&E facility and historic building on the south edge of Diridon Station.

Elevated
The most expensive option, which the VTA expects to cost at least $13 billion at the moment, will elevate train tracks and retain the historic structure’s positioning. The elevated and at-grade alternatives will require modifications for the PG&E facility, while the elevated plans require the Caltrain Central Equipment Maintenance and Operations Facility, or CEMOF to be relocated.

https://sfyimby.com/2024/05/meeting-...-san-jose.html

[homebucket]

And the renderings:

Looking west from SAP

At-Grade


Stacked


Elevated


Looking south from Cahill Plaza

At-Grade


Stacked


Elevated


Looking south from platform

At-Grade


Stacked


Elevated


Diridon Station

At-Grade


Stacked


Elevated


Looking east along Santa Clara Street

At-Grade


Stacked


Elevated


https://sfyimby.com/2024/05/meeting-...-san-jose.html

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Bikemike

San Jose needs to up its urbanism game and start now to aggressively build-out first/last mile infrastructure to Diridon and other stations in ancitipation of BART, HSR, and vastly improved Caltrain service

Its 2040 general plan was a great start - one of the few Californian cities that "get it". SJ is a suburban hellhole, but its leadership is more progressive in many ways than more urban and famously "liberal" cities Oakland and Berkeley, which are overly car-oriented in thinking, and who only deserve credit for inheriting a pre-war built environment.

While SJ has fully decoupled parking from development and streamlined the approvals process for housing density, denser and more urban berkeley and oakland are still fighting its self-described "progressive" NIMBY residents to retain removal of street parking.

In its leveraging of a growing rail transit network, SJ should take inspiration from Montreal and Toronto - far and away the North American leaders in modern urbanism

Agreed. SJ still has a long ways to go before its local transit system is robust enough to complement HSR. Caltrain electrification and BART should help with that, but VTA needs improvements as well with its light rail and bus lines for more local trips. Some improvements with TOD are happening, but they need to think bigger and progress faster. Focusing on the area around Diridon will provide a good foundation. There's been a few decent new developments around there recently, but still a lot of empty land and surface parking lots.

[homebucket]

SAN FRANCISCO'S CALTRAIN EXPANSION PROJECT RECEIVES $3.4 BILLION BOOST TOWARD SALESFORCE TRANSIT CENTER HUB
By Tony Ng
Published on May 20, 2024



The dream of seamlessly connecting San Francisco to its surrounding Bay Area neighbors and the vast stretches of California received a financial shot in the arm with a hefty $3.4 billion from Uncle Sam. According to NBC Bay Area, the federal government has granted the funds needed to push Caltrain into the city's bustling financial hub at the Salesforce Transit Center.

Known as 'The Portal,' the project aims to bring Caltrain into the heart of downtown and eventually serve as the northern terminus for the state of California's high-speed rail ambition. By making the train line extension a reality, regional connectivity is poised to quickly improve—at least if everything goes according to plan. The massive sum represents 41% of the project's current estimated cost, and the total project includes extending the Caltrain line by 1.8 miles and developing two underground stations. This commitment will hopefully accelerate the project that, as The San Francisco Examiner reported, is scheduled to open its services around 2032 or 2033.

The Transbay Joint Powers Authority, which is managing 'The Portal' project, recently made it known they have now banked over two-thirds of the estimated cost required. Adam Van de Water, the entity's executive director, told his agency's board via The San Francisco Examiner that "only a handful of projects in the United States that have that level of commitment."

https://hoodline.com/2024/05/san-fra...it-center-hub/

[homebucket]

What's inside SFO's $2.4 billion renovation
SFGATE contributor Jim Glab rounds up air travel and airport news for our weekly column Routes
By Jim Glab, Freelance Writer
May 25, 2024

Look for some big changes at San Francisco International’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1 in June. The final phase of the terminal’s ongoing $2.4 billion renovation is set for completion June 11, giving the facility a new check-in area, a mezzanine-level security checkpoint, two new gates, five new concessions, a museum gallery, a common-use lounge and a walkway connecting every terminal at the airport post-security. Toward the end of June, Alaska Airlines is set to make a big move at SFO, relocating its check-in counters, gates and baggage services from Terminal 2 to the Harvey Milk Terminal. Alaska’s new operation will be close to its Oneworld partner, American Airlines. “Alaska’s new lobby will boast new technology that will allow guests to get through the check-in process more efficiently and give them more time to relax in Alaska’s new lounge (also opening this summer) and enjoy new amenities in Harvey Milk Terminal 1,” the airport said.

With the Terminal 1 project finishing up in June, the airport is slated to shift its efforts to Terminal 3 in July. That’s when it plans to begin its $2.5 billion Terminal 3 West Modernization Project, which will renovate 500,000 square feet of the western portion of the terminal. It will also expand the terminal, adding another 250,000 square feet for a greater variety of new food and beverage concessions. “During this project, United Airlines will operate a larger number of flights in Terminal 2, and new temporary walkways will open to route passengers around the construction area,” SFO said.

https://www.sfgate.com/travel/articl...r-19474730.php

[homebucket]

And a refresher on the Terminal 3 West Modernization Project.

https://www.sf.gov/sites/default/fil...C_CD_FINAL.pdf

[johnsk]

SF has one of the better transit systems in the country but it has so much potential to grow it to be faster, more efficient, and world class to further reduce car dependancy.

As someone living in the city without a car, I am often fed up with how slow or infrequent both muni rail and buses can be. So I made my fantasy SF Muni Map since the city has been awefully quiet and slow regarding expansion plans, especially the extension of T line to Fisherman's Wharf and Marina, and building that Geary line.

This is a fantasy map - and is not perfect - but for those who are interested, this is what I have come up with:

1. Geary Line that branches out to cover booth Sunset and outer Sunset and also goes through Transit center and Mission Bay. It can also connect both Richmond and sunset residents to the Daly City Bart station for easier SFO connection and also serve the new Stonestown development. While subway would be super efficient, an automated monorail would be as efficient and much cheaper (and much more reliable / faster than at-grade light rail, and less intrusive than elevated light rail.) Not to mention the killer views when going through GG park and views of Downtown and the Bay at Geary and Masonic. In my mind, it could go under ground around Cathedral hill area as the street narrows past Van Ness. It can resurface right before or after Transit center.

2. Extension of T line to North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, and Marina. This is a no brainer.

3. A new line (probably at-grade light rail with a few tunnels to cut through the hills) to replace or compliment the 22 bus on Fillmore. It would probably have to run on Webster, as it is a wider street and less hilly. It can utilize the existing tracks on Church st that J runs on once it goes south of Duboce St.

4. Conversion of Van Ness 49 bus to either monorail or subway. Would be the North/South spine of the city.

5. More of a distant future thing once (hopefully) sunset becomes denser, but a line that runs through Noriega street and connects sunset with Castro, Mission/Soma, Mission Bay (UCSF, Chase Center)

6. Lastly, break down F Market Vintage Streetcar line into 2 lines. F Market would end at Embarcadero, and bring back E line but extend it to Marina Greens or even Fort Point through the existing tunnel under fort mason.


Hope you enjoy this fantasy map of mine, and would love to hear your thoughts on if any of this would make our transit system better. And especially curious how you all would feel about monorail on Geary and/or Van Ness.

[homebucket]

^ Wow, sweet map! Definitely a lot of great ideas there.

1. I definitely agree with the Geary line being the next crucial point of emphasis for growth. IIRC it's one of the busiest bus lines in the country in terms of ridership, so conversion to grade separated rail makes sense. I think for me, the debate is mainly around whether or not it should be Muni light rail or BART heavy rail. Either way, I think it should be grade separated, most likely via subway. I think first phase should probably go down Geary and hook up with 19th Ave down to Stonestown. The Sunset line is also intriguing and useful but probably lower priority as a Phase II expansion. At grade light rail would be a nonstarter for me since we need more rapid transit, and at grade light rail isn't that.

2. Extension of T Line to North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf and the Marina is also definitely high up there on the priority list. I'd probably put that above the Phase II Outer Richmond-Outer Sunset line.

3. Not sure how feasible this one is. I'd probably do a Van Ness style BRT line here first down Webster and see how the ridership fares, or perhaps a 22R Fillmore Rapid. Webster is also only wider once you reach south of Bush.

4. Agree that conversion of Van Ness to a subway line is a logical next step for improvement.

5. This one is an interesting one that I haven't thought of before but it also makes a lot of sense to add a rapid transit connection from the Sunset directly to major employment and entertainment centers in Mission Bay. The City does definitely need more and faster grade separated east-west and north-south routes that don't require being stuck in traffic or going all the way downtown first.

6. Seems like a decent idea as well.

Overall, lots of interesting ideas and definitely a very cool map! Welcome to the forum, and please let me know your thoughts on my thoughts.

[Nouvellecosse]

Somehow I never noticed how far the current Caltrain terminal is from the main part of the CBD. How do people commuting to downtown offices usually make that final leg currently? Not like it's an hour walk or anything but looks like it's a good 15-20 minutes depending on the part of the CBD one is going to.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Somehow I never noticed how far the current Caltrain terminal is from the main part of the CBD. How do people commuting to downtown offices usually make that final leg currently? Not like it's an hour walk or anything but looks like it's a good 15-20 minutes depending on the part of the CBD one is going to.

I think it depends on which part of downtown their office is in, but options include transferring onto bus or light rail, as well as biking.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by homebucket

I think it depends on which part of downtown their office is in, but options include transferring onto bus or light rail, as well as biking.

Are you old enough to remember those blue jitney cabs that served the Caltrain station in the olden days? I took those sometimes. Usually I took the bus.