Muni

Planners presented early concepts for a new Market Street to the public yesterday, moving the discussion forward on revitalizing San Francisco's grand boulevard with features like car-free zones, raised bike lanes, faster transit, and more inviting public spaces.

With Muni all-door boarding underway, other transit agencies are watching and bus riders are catching on -- hopefully. To ensure a smooth transition to the new policy -- which will help Muni maximize the benefits of faster boardings and higher fare compliance -- the SF Transit Riders Union has created a brochure explaining the rules and etiquette of the all-door boarding system.

Free Muni for low-income youth is just within reach, which would be the culmination of a hard-fought advocacy campaign that urged the SF Municipal Transportation Agency and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to set aside a total of $9.4 million to improve transit access for students in need.

In a pivotal vote Friday, the California Senate approved $4.5 billion in bonds to begin construction of CA High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. The funds will help fund construction of the line's initial segment in the Central Valley and upgrades for the Caltrain and Metrolink commuter rail lines in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, respectively.

The Central Subway's latest funding troubles with Congress have brought some burning questions to the surface: How far will the SFMTA go to prop up the project, and what will the price be for Muni riders?

Starting this Sunday, boarding the back of a Muni bus will be legal, so long as you pay. Transit advocates are excited to see the results of the long-awaited change, which will be the first of its kind in the nation. It's expected to significantly speed up boardings and increase fare compliance.

Just after San Francisco approved a preferred design for its first Bus Rapid Transit route on Van Ness Avenue, the SF County Transportation Authority showcased the latest conceptual proposals for a companion BRT project on Geary Boulevard.

As you may have heard, there's a proposal on the table to increase parking enforcement and fines as the SFMTA grapples with a $14 million budget hole. Like clockwork, the San Francisco Chronicle came out with another windshield-perspective editorial bemoaning the city's determination to uphold parking laws.

A new Muni line went into service today: the 83x, which runs during peak hours between downtown Caltrain and mid-Market. It's been dubbed the "Twitter Bus" and the "Hashtag Express" by those who see its launch as part of the city's efforts to accommodate Twitter's move to the resurgent area.