Muni

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.

Renowned disability advocate and attorney Cristina Rubke was confirmed by the Board of Supervisors today as the newest member of the SFMTA Board of Directors.

Muni riders, bike commuters and pedestrians passing through the re-opened Duboce and Church junction this morning were welcomed with wider boarding islands, fresh pavement, and a newly-painted, lime-green "bike channel."

As the SFMTA braces for the nine-day shutdown of Muni's N-Judah line and other detours starting tomorrow, the agency has been encouraging the tens of thousands of riders whose commutes will be disrupted to bike and walk to work as a way to avoid the anticipated Muni havoc.

A crucial step in advancing the Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit project was delayed for a month today after Supervisor Mark Farrell, a member of the SF County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) Plans and Programs Committee, complained that he wasn't comfortable voting on the latest design proposal which he said he "hasn't been briefed on."

Planners have settled on a design for San Francisco's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route on Van Ness Avenue. The result is a plan that combines the benefits of both proposed center-running options to keep construction costs relatively low while allowing Muni flexible use of its bus fleet to serve the line.

Detailed plans for proposed improvements on eight Muni routes are now available for viewing on the SFMTA's Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) website. Head over for a block-by-block breakdown of proposed street changes like transit-only lanes, sidewalk extensions, boarding islands, relocated or consolidated stops, replacing stop signs with traffic signals or traffic-calming measures, and more to help keep Muni vehicles moving quickly and reliably.

This week, I stumbled upon a heartwarming moment for the folks out on the streets every day working to keep things moving along.

The SFMTA Board of Directors yesterday approved a two-year budget that calls for parking meter enforcement on Sundays and free Muni passes for low-income youth. The budget must still be approved by the Board of Supervisors before it goes into effect on July 1.