Groundbreaking SF's Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit Project

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) broke ground today on their Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit and Corridor Improvement Project.

The $300 million will overhaul a two-mile stretch of the road between Mission and Lombard Streets.
Mayor Ed Lee, members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and other elected officials attended the event held across from City Hall on Van Ness Avenue this morning.

The project is considered a major improvement project, but faced opposition and a lawsuit from a group called, San Franciscans for Sensible Transit, Inc. that challenged the development from moving forward. The lawsuit filed in February, alleged there wasn’t enough public debate prior to the approval of the project’s environmental impact report.

The new bus lanes will include dedicated center lanes for the new rapid buses, safety enhancements for pedestrians and people waiting at the furnished boarding stations.

Mayor Ed Lee said there would be, “Better walkability’s, bulb-outs on the street and improvements that people using the corridor would have a great benefit.”

The boarding stations are for both SF Muni and Golden Gate Transit buses.

The project also includes a plan to replace water and sewer lines that run underneath Van Ness that date back to the 1800s.

The improvement project is expected to be completed in 2019. Drivers should prepare for delays until then.