SFMTA installs first temporary emergency transit lanes on Mission Street

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has completed the installation of all-day, temporary emergency transit lanes on Mission Street.  

With installation completed in just a few months, the new all-day temporary emergency transit lanes from 11th to 3rd streets downtown serve segments of the 14 Mission and 14R Mission Rapid and will help keep buses out of traffic to reduce crowding and travel times. Both routes have been a lifeline for essential trips during the pandemic and have experienced crowding despite increased service. Almost 10 percent of trips on the 14 Mission and 14R Mission Rapid are at or exceeding COVID-era capacity standards, which considers the need for physical distancing. By reducing delay from congestion, Muni can provide more frequent service and greater capacity with the same number of buses. 

In addition to installing the temporary all-day transit lanes, the transit lanes were widened to improve traffic safety. Previously, the lanes on Mission Street were too narrow to accommodate traffic and buses, which has contributed to unsafe street conditions and 225 collisions involving transit in the past five years. 

These are the first temporary emergency transit lanes to be installed. SFMTA is planning to install additional temporary transit lanes along other key locations across the city. With the need for a swift response to increasing traffic congestion and the need for more space on buses to allow for physical distancing due to COVID-19, temporary emergency transit lanes are an emergency response that allows SFMTA to be nimble and install these temporary measures and evaluate the outcomes, making changes as necessary. 

Now that installation is complete, SFMTA will begin the evaluation process by evaluating metrics like travel time and ridership. Riders can provide feedback about what they feel is important to evaluate these temporary emergency transit lanes.