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Rescue Muni’s Recommendations for

Geary Rapid Transit

For PAR1/30/2003

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Agenda

• Introduction• Why Geary Rapid Transit?• Types of Service Expansion• Rescue Muni’s Recommendations for Geary

Corridor:– Phase 1: Bus Rapid Transit– Phase 2: Subway/Surface Light Rail

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RESCUE MUNIA Transit Riders’ Association for San Francisco• Volunteer organization pursuing better public

transit (400 members, all-volunteer)• Co-sponsor of 1999 Prop. E (Muni Reform)

including Service Standards and Protected FundingAnnual sponsor of Muni Riders’ Survey measuring service reliability (last year 14% of riders delayed)

• Active participants on Citizens’ Advisory Council and in public forums concerning Muni (e.g. recent fare increase discussion)

• Join us: www.rescuemuni.org

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Why Geary Rapid Transit?• Geary Corridor is among most heavily used diesel bus

lines in the nation:– 38-Geary: 29,000 daily boardings– 38L-Geary Limited: 18,000– 38AX and 38BX Expresses: 3,000– total Geary: 50,000– 31-Balboa: 10,000 – 31AX, 31BX: 2,000– 2-Clement, 3-Jackson, 4-Sutter: 16,000– total with neighboring routes: 78,000

– By comparison: N-Judah LRT 39,000Data from 1999 and 2000. Source: Muni Short Range Transit Plan, 2002

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Why Geary Rapid Transit?• Time Savings and Higher Service Capacity

– 20 minute savings in scheduled time from 48 Av to downtown

• Current schedule: 49 min• LRT with Subway: 29 min

– 40% time savings = 40% more service with same equipment!(Source: Muni Geary Corridor Study, 1995)

– 10-15 min savings over Local for Bus Rapid Transit? (estimates)– Reduced delays for all services, particularly downtown

• 38 was 74% on-time in most recent study (2/02)• In same study, 38L was 82% on-time, and K-Ingleside rail was also

82% on-time• So fewer stops, subway = fewer delays than current local service

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Bus Rapid Transit

• Exclusive Right of Way

• Signal pre-empts

• Limited Stops

• POP ….Proof of Payment

• Ticket machines

• Low floor buses

• Bus “Stations”, not “Stops”. --amenities include schedules, NextBus type systems

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Good BRT looks like… (1)

Miami: Dedicated ROW, Stations,

Through Buses to Neighborhoodsfrom Ends of Busway

Curitiba:Stations, Paid Area, Special Vehicles

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Good BRT looks like… (2)

Cleveland: Dedicated ROW in Major Boulevard,

Signal Pre-Empts

Los Angeles:Express Service, Signal Pre-Empts,

Reduced Stop Frequency

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BRT should NOT look like... Boston Silver Line:

Lanes aren’t really dedicated, signal pre-empts didn’t work!

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Light Rail Transit• Efficient, high capacity transit for urban

corridors

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Excellent LRT here in SF• Muni’s new Embarcadero service

By Eric Haas. Found at www.nycsubway.org.

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Geary has had modern rail!• for a short stretch (Presidio to Divisadero) c.

1948

By Clark Frazier. Found at www.streetcar.org.

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Our Plan for Geary

• Two phased plan to upgrade transit:• Phase 1: Bus Rapid Transit

– To be built ASAP (2007?)– Upgradable to Light Rail with minimal additional

work– Enhanced Transit Preferential Streets inside Van

Ness

• Phase 2: Light Rail– Includes Geary Subway from Van Ness to Union Sq.– Much longer planning/construction timeline

(2015??)

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Phase 1: Bus Rapid Transit

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Geary BRT Designs (1)

Geary and 17th

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Geary BRT Designs (2)

Geary and 17th

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Geary BRT Designs (3)

O’Farrell and Jones

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Phase 2: Light Rail Transit

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Geary Light Rail Designs (1)

Downtown Subway

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Geary Light Rail Designs (2)

Laguna Portal

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Geary Light Rail Designs (3)

Geary and Presidio (Our recommendation)

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Geary Light Rail Designs (3a)

Geary/Presidio (More expensive choice)

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Geary Light Rail Designs (4)

Geary and 17th

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Detail: Outer Geary Now

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Rescue Muni Idea A (2003)

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Rescue Muni Idea B (2003)

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Possible Geary Timeline

• BRT: – Construction 2004-2007 (?)– Muni cost estimate: $170M

• LRT: – Construction 2009-2014 (??)– Muni cost estimate: $1.7B

• New funding will be necessary for both– e.g. extension of existing 1/2 cent sales tax

(1989 Prop B), transit oriented development; federal matching $

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Issues with Geary Transit?• Parking

– 1995 study: parking on Outer Geary can be almost completely conserved via 90 degree on side streets

– Some parking lost during BRT phase on Inner Geary

• Traffic Flow– Faster bus service = fewer buses in traffic, less traffic

• Construction Impact– This is a concern - but well-run projects can have less

impact (construct a section at a time, use deep boring techniques)

• Cost– Geary LRT will definitely need new funding sources

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To consider during planning:• LRT Design

– Elevated or Surface in middle section?

• Street Design– Parking vs. Landscaping

vs. Left Turn Lanes vs. Traffic Lanes– Station Location and Type (Low floors preferred!)

• Service Planning– Maintain local buses during BRT and/or LRT phases?– Through cars to Chinatown, Ballpark, Embarcadero,

?

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It’s Worth It!

• Many trips on Geary will be cut in half by subway– Geary/Masonic to Transbay by bus: 27 min (3 mi)– Castro to Embarcadero by subway: 13 min (3 mi)

• Delays are much reduced by dedicated right-of-way and subway– No traffic lights from Presidio to Embarcadero!

(if elevated design used)

• Much improved streetscape with rail service– Compare Embarcadero, King, Market, Church...

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Thanks!

Questions?

RESCUE MUNI:415 273 1558

www.rescuemuni.org

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backup

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2: Muni Idea A (1995)

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3: Muni Idea B (1995)

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6: Rescue Muni Idea C (2003)