BART in western San Francisco? The dream inches closer to reality

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Photo by BART via Streetsblog SF

What’s on your BART wish list? Late-night trains? Half-check. A second Transbay Tube? Extension to the western neighborhoods of San Francisco? Embryonic checks. Flying BART cars? Wake up! You’re dreaming.

Streetsblog SF reports that BART plans to study the effects of adding a second Transbay Tube and service to the other half of the city.

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.

OMG! But don’t get yer hopes up for this new-look BART system to happen anytime soon. “‘We could be talking decades,’ Smith said. Building a new underwater tube is ‘clearly a massive investment and undertaking, technically, operationally, financially, and politically.'”

Read the whole post on Streetsblog SF. Then contemplate the effect this extension would have on the Mario BART map.

Previously: Visualizing BART to Marin (and Napa and Sonoma)

West Oakland BART reopened after protesters chain themselves to train

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Photo by @johnsasaki1

The West Oakland station has just reopened after Ferguson activists chained themselves to a BART train this morning and closed down the station all morning, according to @SFBART. As of 3:07 p.m., the station has just reopened and BART continues to experience delays.

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Photo by @jilltucker

The San Francisco Examiner reports that about 15-25 protesters chained themselves to trains on both sides of the West Oakland station, and passengers were evacuated. Because of the protest, trains cannot travel to and from the Transbay Terminal. The protest was first reported around 10:45 a.m., the Examiner reports. CBS Local reports that several protesters were arrested.

BART redecorates, ditches old schedules and maps

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Yesterday was apparently BART’s big schedule and map purge. We didn’t immediately notice the difference between the old maps and the new ones that have replaced them, but BART rider Eric Fischer noted on Twitter that there was less glare and Caltrain was now properly capitalized (see below). Either way, we’re glad to see that the old maps were recycled, if they aren’t gonna give them away to transit geeks. BTW, know any?

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Photo by Eric Fischer

Transit News: BRT in SF, Muni driver restrooms, 9-San Bruno improvements, BART station makeovers

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Photo by Jason Schlachet

  • BRT expert sees room for improvement on SF system (SF Examiner)
  • Bath­rooms offer relief for Muni drivers (SFBay)
  • Bulb-outs, other traffic measures to help cut 9-San Bruno travel time (SF Examiner)
  • Muni Implements Changes to Multiple Bus Lines (SF Appeal)
  • Public can weigh in on BART stations improvements in SF (SF Examiner)

Transit News: Muni on-time, shuttles, pols must ride Muni, Van Ness BRT hearing

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Photo by sarahann211

  • Time to tie pay to Muni’s on-time performance (SF Examiner)
  • Owner of Private Commuter Shuttle to Be Charged After Bus Blocks J-Church (CBS Bay Area)
  • Mayor, Board of Supervisors Actually Required By Law to Ride Muni (SFist)
  • Muni sickout: Too ill to work, but just fine for payday (Matier and Ross)
  • Muni returns to school schedules as SFUSD year begins (SF Examiner)
  • Public Hearing Friday For Van Ness Rapid Transit Project (Hoodline)
  • It’s a race for two BART director seats in November; two others get a free ride (Contra Costa County Times)
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