Bayview Hunters Point Express

Responding to the Need for Shorter Travel Times from the Bayview

The Bayview neighborhood is one of San Francisco’s most diverse populations -- housing 22% of the City's Black residents. Bayview's population is comprised of 12% seniors and 24% youth, and over 30% of Bayview-Hunters Point households have less than $30,000 in annual income (Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan, Final Report, Approved by MTAB 2/18/20). The population of the Bayview aligns closest with the populations we've seen hit most hard as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing on these populations has been a key principle in our Transportation Recovery Plan.

Due to its location on the Southeastern part of San Francisco, Bayview residents often endure long travel times to get to jobs, health care, education, and other essential trips whose destination is not within the neighborhood. The long travel times also mean that the odds of encountering congestion or a traffic collision increase, having an impact to reliability. Addressing long and unreliable travel times is the most consistent request we receive from residents when identifying needed improvements.  The Bayview-Hunters Point Downtown Express directly responds to this feedback by following the community’s leads in identifying the best way to link the Bayview neighborhood to Downtown San Francisco.  

The concept and need for this route is underscored by findings in the Southeast Muni Expansion Project, several Muni Service Equity Strategies (2016-2020), the Bayview Community Based Transportation Plan, and the SFCTA’s 15 Third Bus Study.

Summary Findings of Survey

In fall 2020 a survey was published that provided the opportunity for individuals to vote on which community-designed route should be put into service when bus resources become available.

Selected Route

In fall 2020 a survey was published that provided the opportunity for individuals to vote on which community-designed route should be put into service when bus resources become available.

The route selected was Route C.

Process

While the SFMTA started to plan for a quicker trip to Downtown from the Bayview as early as 2018, which was a priority connection identified in the Southeast Muni Expansion Project, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and disproportionate impacts on people of color and low income people made fast-tracking the implementation of this project imperative. Adding capacity to routes that make essential trips possible, prioritizing neighborhoods with high concentrations of essential workers and those most impacted, as well as minimizing travel time and time that customers spend in our vehicles are all principles guiding the SFMTA’s Transportation Recovery Plan (TRP) that will be advanced with implementation.  

Due to physical distancing constraints, the SFMTA project team formed a virtual Working Group that had regular meetings. The Working Group is made up of community leaders that have expressed interest in the project or have participated in previous transportation projects as key stakeholders. The Working Group was critical in identifying key priorities, Downtown destinations, and providing other critical information to shape three route alternatives that will be brought to the broader community to make a final decision.  

Route Goals

The goals of the new express route from Bayview-Hunters Point is to,

• Improve access to Downtown (3rd/Market) from the Bayview and Hunters Point neighborhoods
• Provide shorter travel times for community members traveling to Downtown
• Reflect neighborhood residents' travel patterns and priorities

The route alternatives up for vote have estimated travel times of 36-45 minutes one-way. With the shortest estimated travel time anticipated for more direct routing, and greater travel times for route options that would provide additional Muni service to the Bayview-Hunters Point hilly neighborhoods.

Outreach & Engagement

Outreach was conducted in summer and fall of 2020. 

• Coordination with D10 Supervisor Walton's Office
• Project kick-off at Resilient Bayview on 7/10
• Meetings with the Bayview-Hunters Point Express Working Group
• Project page established with project information & resources
• Posting approximately 200 project flyers soliciting route votes from greater Bayview community
• Working Group distribution of 200 flyers via door drop
• Door-to-door outreach along Third St corridor

Bayview-Hunters Point Express Working Group Members (alphabetical)

• Alyssa Jones Garner (CCSF)
• Earl Shaddix (Economic on Third, EDoT)
• Emily Rogers-Pharr (PUC)
• Frank Martinez (BMAGIC)
• Juanita Washington
• J.R. Eppler
• Nicole Christian (SFMTA)
• Raina Johnson

Timeline

• Worked with Bayview-Hunters Point Express Working Group to draft route options to bring to the greater Bayview Community for voting
• Bus tests to finalize operational details of route options and make minor adjustments as needed
• Launch survey to vote on route to implement
• Close survey and identify final route
• Finalize materials needed to get route ready for implementation
• Route in operation*