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How to Pay for Parking at The City's New Multi-Space Paystations By Pamela Johnson One of San Francisco's new paystations as the city moves away from its aging parking meters. How drivers pay for street parking in San Francisco continues to evolve. In March 2022, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) began the Citywide Parking Meter Replacement Project to replace San Francisco's aging 27,000 parking meters. Half of the parking meters will be replaced with new single-space meters and the other half with multi-space paystations that use a brand-new pay-by-license-plate system. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.  San Francisco uses paid parking to create curb availability in commercial districts and high-demand neighborhoods. When parking meters are in operation, drivers spend less time circling the block looking for a space. Less circling means less congestion and fewer greenhouse gas emissions.   To help drivers use the new m...

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...

Updated Muni Service as Students Return to School By Clive Tsuma 28R 19th Avenue will run on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. starting Monday, August 21. Muni will make changes to service to address crowding starting August 19 as SFUSD students return to school. This includes the return of the 28R 19th Avenue and bus stop changes to the 29 Sunset to improve travel times. 28R 19th Avenue Rapid Service   The return of the 28R 19th Avenue Rapid is a highlight of the upcoming August 19 Muni service changes. The restoration of the line since its suspension at the start of the pandemic will address crowding that riders on the 28 19th Avenue bus currently experience. The 28R 19th Avenue Rapid will run on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., every 12 minutes. Combined with the 28 19th Avenue, service on the corridor will be every six minutes.   The 28R 19th Avenue Rapid will run on a modified route that ends at the Daly City BART station, rather than at the Balboa Park BA...

SFMTA Celebrates Disability Pride Month and Introduces the Accessibility Strategy By Katie Heuser Disability rights activist Bruce Oka leads the ribbon cutting ceremony for an accessibility ramp on the K Ingleside platform in 1989.  Did you know one in ten San Franciscans has at least one kind of disability? July is Disability Pride Month, and San Francisco joins the celebration every year to honor the disability community and mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) . The ADA, which turns 33 on July 26, is the landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability.   The disability rights movement has a long history in the Bay Area, and much of that activism has focused on accessible transportation. You can hear more about the evolution of San Francisco’s accessible transportation on our podcast, Taken with Transportation . During July and all year round, we honor the experiences, achievements and struggles of people wi...

The Slow but Steady Transformation of Page Street By Michael Delia The transformation of Page Street from a congested to calm thoroughfare continues with the goal of making it safer for everyone.  The Slow Streets Program and other infrastructure upgrades are breathing new life into Page Street, creating a vibrant route connecting the Haight/Ashbury, Lower Haight and Hayes Valley neighborhoods. Widened sidewalks, a significant reduction in traffic and colorful, community-built street artwork have made Page a place where people want to walk, bike and live.  The tree-lined west end of Page Street serves as a gateway to Golden Gate Park. To the east, there have been numerous changes to the approach to Octavia Boulevard that are being welcomed by those who live in the area. There are now new sidewalk extensions and stormwater rain gardens at three locations near Octavia – including a decorative, traffic-calmed intersection at Page and Buchanan Streets.  Once a popular cu...

Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars Exhibit Opens By Jeremy Menzies We are happy to announce the opening of a special history exhibit at the San Francisco Public Library, as part of the ongoing celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the cable cars . The “Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars” exhibit runs from July 1 to September 30 on the 6th floor of the public library’s main branch library at 100 Larkin Street. 150 years strong, San Francisco’s cable car system is a symbol of the city.  "Innovation to Icon: 150 Years of Cable Cars" takes a visual journey through time that brings the incredible history of San Francisco’s beloved cable cars to life. Combining photographs, original documents, and unique memorabilia from the San Francisco History Center and the SFMTA Photo Archive, this exhibit showcases the spirit, ingenuity and timeless allure of a city icon.   Cable cars once dominated the transit scene in San Francisco. This 1890s shot was taken at M...

Get Your Transportation Needs Met in the Bayview By Christopher Kidd SFMTA staff tabling at Bayview Sunday Streets in May of 2023.  Starting this summer, Bayview-Hunters Point residents can get their transportation service needs met without having to leave the neighborhood! The Transportation Resource Center (TRC) at 5009 3rd Street is now open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and offers access to Muni resources.  Run by the SFMTA and Community Youth Center of San Francisco, the TRC is part of the larger SFMTA Bayview Community Shuttle Program .  There are many programs that make transportation more affordable and accessible for youth, seniors, low-income residents and residents with a disability – but learning about these programs or registering for them can be a challenge. The TRC makes information and services for transportation easily available for residents in Bayview-Hunters Point, with staff on site to help navigate forms and requirements. ...