Skip to main content

Welcoming Back the M Ocean View and 31 Balboa

Welcoming Back the M Ocean View and 31 Balboa
By Kate McCarthy

Photo of the M Ocean View

The M Ocean View will return to rail service and resume its full pre-pandemic route in August

As August 14 approaches, the target date for the next big Muni service change, the SFMTA is pleased to announce Muni’s M Ocean View will be returning to rail service and the 31 Balboa will be returning to service with a temporarily adjusted route. We thank Supervisors Melgar, Safai, Preston and Haney for their advocacy for the return of this service on behalf of their constituents.

The addition of the 31 Balboa and return of the M Ocean View to rail service was made possible following improved clarity on our staffing levels this fall. We had previously forecast that due to an abnormally low level of retirements during the pandemic, we would see a spike at the start of the fiscal year (July 1) when many staff tend to announce their retirements. However, we are now confident there will be adequate staffing to deliver this additional service.

These enhancements to our previously announced plan for August include expanding evening service and restoring Muni Owl All-nighter service. To help workers and shoppers get around town we plan to expand service hours on 16 key routes. Instead of 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., these routes will operate from 5 a.m. to midnight. Muni’s full late-night Owl network is scheduled to be restored in August, providing service from midnight to 5 a.m. The frequency on the late-night routes will remain approximately 30 minutes. We also plan to extend Metro Bus hours to cover the time span between Owl and rail service. Visit our Muni Owl All-Nighter Service page for the full list of current Owl routes and service information.

Resources previously tied up by mandatory COVID-19 restrictions, like removal of the heightened cleaning regimen, were able to be redistributed so that service could be expanded. Returning the M Ocean View to rail service has always been a high priority for the SFMTA, and with available operators and vehicles, we are excited to bring it back in time for SFUSD to resume in-person instruction in August.

The M Ocean View will resume its full pre-pandemic route, traveling from Geneva and San Jose Avenue to the Embarcadero Station. It will operate every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 12 minutes on weekends.

The modified 31 Balboa will travel from Ocean Beach to Cyril Magnin at Market Street, providing a direct connection to Powell Station and several Market Street lines. The 31 Balboa is expected to operate daily every 20 minutes.

A major priority for SFMTA restoring service during the state of emergency has been ensuring convenient, two- to three-block access to Muni stops. Service changes implemented in January 23, 2021 provided access to 100% of residents living in neighborhoods identified by the Muni Service Equity Strategy, and with the service changes in August, 98% of San Francisco residents will also have this access.

As we head into the fall, SFMTA’s transit planning team is developing scenarios for three alternatives for how service might be restored this coming winter. Restoring the 31 Balboa to service is necessary in all three of the service restoration scenarios as it fills a critical gap in Muni access in the Tenderloin, Western Addition, and Richmond neighborhoods. Inviting the public to provide feedback on those alternatives is a part of upcoming community engagement activities.

Over the past year, we’ve heard robust feedback that the 31 Balboa is a critical lifeline for many Muni customers. While resource constraints continue to be a challenge for the agency as we gradually recover from the pandemic, the SFMTA schedules and transit planning teams, along with union leadership, are working hard to identify the resources needed to bring back the 31 Balboa.

The modified 31 Balboa will travel from Ocean Beach to Cyril Magnin at Market Street, providing a direct connection to Powell Station and several Market Street lines. The 31 Balboa is expected to operate daily every 20 minutes.

Restored and Adjusted Routes

Below is a summary of the specific service planned for the M Ocean View and 31 Balboa:

M Ocean View:

  • The M Ocean View will return to rail service and resume its full pre-pandemic route, running from the Embarcadero Station to Geneva Avenue and San Jose Avenue. This route will use the Muni Metro subway and serve all stations from Embarcadero to West Portal.
  • Service hours: 
    • Weekdays, 6am-9pm, approximately every 10 minutes.
    • Weekends, 8am-9pm. approximately every 12 minutes.

31 Balboa:

  • Temporary modified route between Cabrillo Street and La Playa to Cyril Magnin at Market Street.
  • Service hours: 
    • Daily, 6am-9pm (still to be confirmed), approximately every 20 minutes.

Further details can be found on the August 2021 Service Change Updates webpage and on the COVID-19 Muni Core Service Plan.

 



Published July 15, 2021 at 07:45PM
https://ift.tt/3yZH4Gp
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

150 Years Ago Today – The Cable Car is Born

150 Years Ago Today – The Cable Car is Born By Kelley Trahan August 2, 2023, marks the 150th anniversary of the world’s first successful cable railway, born right here in San Francisco. To celebrate the occasion, we bring you the story of Andrew Hallidie and the very first cable car company, the Clay Street Hill Railroad.  Andrew Hallidie (1834-1900) was a pioneering inventor and entrepreneur who changed urban transportation. In 1852, at the age of 18, Hallidie emigrated with his father from the United Kingdom to San Francisco during the California Gold Rush. His father, an engineer and inventor, had a wire rope patent that played a crucial role in his son's future success.   Portrait of Andrew Smith Hallidie in 1890. Inspired by his father's wire rope business, Hallidie developed a steel cable mineral mine hauling system in 1857. About a decade later, he designed a wire rope aerial tramway for transporting materials over mountainous terrain. Then, after a stint in bridg...
Post a Comment
NEXT

Shared Spaces are Here to Stay. Permit Renewals are Due January 15, 2023.

Shared Spaces are Here to Stay. Permit Renewals are Due January 15, 2023. By Anne Yalon Shared Spaces, amongst many other benefits, allows our residents and families to enjoy safe and social outdoor dining. Seen here are the the owners of Tio Chilo’s Grill and their children in the restaurant’s parklet on 24th Street in the Mission.  San Francisco’s popular Shared Spaces program allows merchants, restaurants and arts and culture organizations to use the curbside, sidewalk and other public spaces to conduct local business activities and stay afloat. What emerged as an economic lifeline during the pandemic is making San Francisco’s streets more energized, engaged and activated. Many of the Shared Spaces parklets have become central gathering places for the local community. “ Our parklet makes me feel like when I go to Mexico, where outdoor seating is everywhere. People end up joining their friends in our parklet. It is a space for our customers and our community," said Liz V...
Post a Comment
NEXT

Tenderloin Streets Transform During COVID-19

Tenderloin Streets Transform During COVID-19 By Kimberly Leung COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted people who live and work in the Tenderloin. As a result, the SFMTA has been working closely with District 6 Supervisor Matt Haney’s office, other city departments, the Tenderloin Traffic Safety Task Force and community members to address the public health issues and unique challenges in the neighborhood through innovative interventions.    The Tenderloin is home to many of our most vulnerable communities including historically marginalized groups such as people with disabilities, residents of SROs and supportive housing and limited-English proficient communities. With every single street in the Tenderloin on the city’s High Injury Network -- the 13 percent of San Francisco streets that account for 75 percent of severe traffic injury collision and fatalities -- thi...
Post a Comment
NEXT