Placemaking

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), which encompasses MUNI, is planning to implement three projects within the next two to three years in our neighborhood. We’re calling it the Duboce Triangle Transportation Improvement Plan. Check out the overview here.

I. Community Vision (aka, the Duboce Triangle Transportation Improvement Plan)
DTNA has developed a community vision for transportation and placemaking in our neighborhood based on grassroots community planning.

The Plan

• Modified Recommendations post-community meeting
• Draft Community Plan presented at May 2008 community meeting – Area 1, Area 2, Area 3, Area 4
• Place Audits and Pedestrian Counts of the project area – Part 1, Part 2 & 3, Part 4

Timeline

• November 2007 – MTA presentation to DTNA on projects below. DTNA Transportation Committee formed.
• January-February 2008 – Community placemaking audit of the area and pedestrian counts. Draft plan developed.
• March 2008 – DTNA representatives (and Castro CBD) begin meeting monthly with the MTA and, eventually, the DPW, to discuss the project.
• May 2008 – DTNA community workshop on the draft community vision. The plan is subsequently revised to reflect feedback.
• March 2009 – MTA’s Conceptual Engineer Report released, which lays out the plan scope and broad concepts. Much of the community vision is reflected in the report.
• Mid-2009 – Draft Detailed Design report to be completed by the MTA. We expect that there will be a community meeting to provide feedback at this point.
• End of 2009 – Detailed Design to be completed by the MTA.
• Summer 2010 – Construction begins.

II. Official MTA Project (aka, the Chuch and Duboce Rail Improvement Project)

1. Church and Duboce Rail Improvement Project: The primary purpose of this project is to replace the track in order to reduce the probabilities of derailment due to the aging and deteriorated track, reduce noise and vibration, reduce maintenance, improve efficiency of track switch and signal system, and improve ride quality. The specific objectives of this project can be summarized as follows:

MTA work:

• Replace worn tracks
• Replace selected overhead poles and hardware
• Replace existing sequential track switch control and interlocking system with Vehicle Tagging System (VTS) track switch control and upgraded interlocking system
• Convert manual switches to electrified switches at the DTY
• Replace worn signal cabinets and equipments
• Lengthen and/or widen low-level boarding islands along Duboce Avenue
• Install tear drop luminaries and updated bracket arms along Duboce Avenue
• Street Striping

Work done by others:

• Resurface roadway and repair selected road base
• Upgrade selected curb ramps
• Replace water mains
• Sewer Upgrade (Pending sewer investigation)

Join the MTA’s official e-mail list for the project here.

2. N-Judah stop improvement at the East Portal of the Sunset Tunnel (Duboce and Noe Streets). This project would replace the existing boarding island with a larger and enhanced platform to accommodate two car trains with proper transit stop furniture such as lighted shelter, next train info, telephone, trashcan, curb ramps, news rack and railing.

View an overview of these first two projects as presented by the MTA at the November DTNA member meeting.

3. Noe Street Traffic Calming project: In response to a planning effort underway between California Pacific Medical Center’s Davies Campus and the DTNA, the MTA Traffic Calming group offered assistance in finalizing a plan developed by the DTNA to bulb out/widen the sidewalk in three locations and add angled parking on Noe Street between Duboce Avenue and 14th Street. The plan was to be funded by the hospital, and help reduce speeding while also retaining the existing tree islands on each end of the block. Short term improvements such as ladder crosswalks at Noe and 14th Streets and speed limit signs on each end of the block were completed by MTA during the process. The MTA Traffic Calming group will continue to work with the community as funding for projects in the area become available.

We want to hear your ideas. Leave comments below, on the blog or e-mail Kit Hodge, the chair of the Transportation Committee, with your ideas!