Central Subway

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The Central Subway is an extension of the Muni Metro light rail system in San Francisco, California, from the Caltrain commuter rail depot at 4th and King streets to Chinatown. The subway is the second phase of the Third Street Light Rail Project. Still in its planning stages, the Central Subway is currently scheduled for completion by 2016.

Contents

[edit] Alignment

In February 2008, the Municipal Transportation Agency board voted to select Alternative Alignment 3B for the subway.[1] In this alignment, trains will travel north on Fourth Street, stop at an above-ground station at Fourth and Brannan, and enter the subway through a portal on Fourth between Bryant and Harrison Streets, under Interstate 80. The route will then continue under Fourth Street through South of Market, and have an underground station at the Moscone Center. At Market Street, the subway will dip below the Market Street Subway and there will be another underground station serving Market Street and Union Square underneath Stockton Street. This combined Market Street/Union Square station will have entrances at the Market, Ellis and Stockton intersection, and at Stockton and Geary, and will have a pedestrian passage connecting it to the Muni Metro and BART Powell Street Station. North of there, the subway will continue under Stockton with a station located in Chinatown at Stockton and Jackson Streets. [2][3] If approved, the tunnel might continue farther north on Stockton and Columbus to Washington Square, making a potential extension north easier as well as easing removal of the tunnel boring machine.

In the future, the line could be extended further north to North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf.[3]

[edit] Status

The Central Subway's current status is obtaining comments on the Supplemental EIS/EIR for the Fourth Street alignment.[4]

[edit] Cost

Due to the capital cost ($1.4 billion for the 1.7 mile light rail line), the Central Subway project has come under criticism from transit activists for what they consider to be poor cost-effectiveness.[5] In particular, they note:

  • Muni's own estimates[6] show that the project would generate no more than 4,600 new trips over existing bus service.
  • Muni would have to spend an additional $4 million/year in local operating subsidies (over existing bus service) to run the new rail line.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ MTA Board Selects Central Subway Alignment. Transbay Blog. Retrieved on 21 February, 2008.
  2. ^ New subway route heads to MTA
  3. ^ a b S.F. Chinatown subway plan gets agency's nod
  4. ^ Central Subway: Overview. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Retrieved on 16 December, 2007.
  5. ^ Central Subway: Visionary Project or Colossal Boondoggle?. Transbay Blog. Retrieved on 16 December, 2007.
  6. ^ Third Street Light Rail Project Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Impact Report. ICF Kaiser Engineers, Inc., et al.. Retrieved on 16 December, 2007.
  7. ^ Stockton Bus Only Lanes

[edit] External links

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