Muni Diaries

Earlier this morning, neighborhood activists protested SFMTA’s upcoming construction of the T-Third’s Mission Bay Loop (MBL). The addition of a “loop” would allow outbound trains to turn around, via a line of tracks that turn onto 18th, Illinois, 19th, then back onto Third. The turnaround would address increased demand during rush hour and for special events at AT&T Park and the proposed Warriors arena. But the protesters say that once implemented, the loop will represent yet another disservice to areas south of the development-heavy Mission Bay, which includes Dogpatch and Bayview.

The India Basin Neighborhood Association planned this morning’s actions, calling on “any and all who are disappointed with the MTA’s plans to loop the T-Line at 18th street, thus cutting service to the Southern neighborhoods, come out this Thursday morning at 8:00 a.m. to the corner of 18th & Illinois and tell MTA that we want better decisions when it comes to the future development of the Southeast.”

We spoke with SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose about the Mission Bay Loop project as well as a member of the protest. “As part of this project, we are not cutting service. We are increasing service, especially when the T Third is in line with Central Subway.” Rose pointed to the agency’s claim that, once the Central Subway opens (currently scheduled for 2019), service to points south of the MBL will actually increase.

But Bayview resident and Muni rider Carol isn’t buying SFMTA’s promises of better service to her oft-underserved part of San Francisco:

I’m gonna call BS on even the 9-10 min service (SFMTA’s schedule promises) right now. If you’re lucky it’s closer to 11-12, but most often 15. And I have to add that every time we hear we’ll be getting an increase in service it increases for a max of 2-3 weeks, and then it drops right back to sub par.

I also find it pretty impossible for the loop to increase service to people south of it. Theres no way it won’t affect train traffic trying to move past on the 3rd street line, as trains going back into the yard randomly in the middle of the day sometimes do.

All in all I’m skeptical as Muni has made me feel my neighborhood is a forgotten bastion since moving here just 5 yrs ago. They have said we were getting improvements, only to not see it happen enough already. I can see why long time residents have lost their energy or drive to take action.

There’s a certain element of “time will tell” here. But it’s notable that residents are upset.

Read more about the Mission Bay Loop project. We will update this post when/if we see coverage of it later.

Photo by Paul