Better MUNI Network
A comprehensive proposal to modernize San Francisco's public transit system for the post-pandemic future
A comprehensive proposal to modernize San Francisco's public transit system for the post-pandemic future
My name is Phoenix McNab and I am a public transit fan and advocate who lives in San Francisco. MUNI has not adapted to the post-pandemic future, with many lines continuing to head downtown while underserving other communities.
This is why I made the Better MUNI Network, which intends to adapt MUNI to a post-pandemic future, focusing on changes like more reliable MUNI Metro service, more frequency on connector bus lines, and diverting resources from parallel, low ridership routes to higher ridership routes.
Market Street Subway restructuring for improved reliability
Enhanced service frequency on key corridors
Better service to underserved communities
Rationalized Owl service network
The centerpiece of the Better MUNI Network is the Market Street Subway reliability improvement, reducing interlining from five lines to one for enhanced performance and predictability.
Restored service between Embarcadero Station and Caltrain Depot
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
As part of the MUNI Metro Reliability Project, which will increase reliability in the Market Street Subway, the E Embarcadero will be restored, operating between Embarcadero Station and Caltrain Depot. This will maintain reliability in the Market Street Subway with the no street running goal by creating this new line. Street running will only make service less reliable and separating this segment into a separate line will make service more reliable.
Surface operation between Church Station and West Portal Station
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to increase reliability in the Market Street Subway, the J Church will become surface only, operating Every 10 Minutes between Church Station and West Portal Station, taking over the K Ingleside route. This will increase reliability in the Market Street Subway since interlining causes delays. This is due to the unpredictability of street running, causing train traffic. This will lead to not just a more reliable Market Street Subway, but a more reliable J Church.
Rerouted to connect with Balboa Park Station via SF State
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
Also increasing reliability in the Market Street Subway is the L Taraval reroute. The L Taraval-Oceanview will now connect to Balboa Park Station via SF State, merging with the southern segment of the M Ocean View. The loss of a direct connection between SF State and Downtown may be controversial, but this will increase reliability and might even reduce travel time due to more reliable service and a timed transfer with the M Market.
Primary subway line with highest frequency service
Hours: 6 AM - 12 AM Weekdays, 8 AM - 12 AM Weekends
The Market Street Subway will be reduced from 5 Lines to one line as part of the MUNI Metro Reliability Project, a smaller project of the Better MUNI Network. This one line will be the M Market, which will operate Every 5 Minutes Weekdays and Every 6 Minutes Weekends between West Portal and Embarcadero Stations. This will reduce delays in the subway around West Portal Station and Van Ness Station and will make the MUNI Metro a lot more reliable, since it will no longer have to deal with the impacts of interlining.
Cut back to Church Station with doubled frequency for reduced crowding
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to increase reliability in the Market Street Subway, the N Judah will be cut back to Church Station. Although being controversial, this will improve reliability and with a timed transfer to the M Market, this might decrease travel time. N Judah frequency could get doubled to every 5 minutes to also make it less controversial and reduce crowding on MUNI's busiest metro line.
Increased frequency for better Bayview/Central Subway access
Hours: 6 AM - 12 AM Weekdays, 8 AM - 12 AM Weekends
In order to allow for reduced crowding on Stockton Street buses and more frequency to the Bayview District, frequency on the T Third Street will be improved to operate every 5 minutes on weekdays and every 6 minutes on weekends. This will allow for more potential in the Central Subway, better service to events at Oracle Park and Chase Center, and better service to equity neighborhoods.
Comprehensive bus network restructuring focuses on eliminating redundancies, increasing frequency on high-demand corridors, and enhancing connectivity between neighborhoods.
Rapid discontinued, frequency improved between Market Street and 6th Avenue
Hours: 24 Hours Daily
In order to allow for the reallocation of resources, the 5 Fulton will be cut back to Market Street daily. This will allow for the reallocation of resources to other routes. The 5 and 5R will be merged into the 5 Fulton, with strategic stop removals at 4th Avenue, Parker/Shrader, Gough, and Hyde. This will allow for frequency on the 5 to be increased to Every 5 Minutes on Weekdays, adding to MUNI's 5 Minute Network.
8AX/8BX discontinued, rerouted on Stockton northbound
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to allow for more frequent service on the 8 Bayshore, the 8AX and 8BX will be discontinued. 8 Bayshore frequency will be increased on Weekdays to operate Every 5 Minutes, operating on Stockton Street in both directions. This should reduce crowding and create increased frequency for crosstown connections from Visitacion Valley.
Rapid discontinued, frequency improved, service extended to Excelsior
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to allow for more frequent, more predictable service on the Potrero/San Bruno corridor, the 9 and 9R will be merged and service will operate Every 5 Minutes on Weekdays. Every other trip will extend past Sunnydale & Bayshore to Persia & Prague in the Excelsior District via Cow Palace, to connect Visitacion Valley to the Excelsior District and June Jordan High School.
Rapid discontinued, frequency improved, local extended to Daly City BART
Hours: 24 Hours Daily
Due to the introduction of the 49R Van Ness-Mission Rapid, the 14R Mission Rapid will be eliminated. Replacing the 14R will be an increase in frequency to the 14 Mission, with service operating every 5 minutes weekdays, every 6 minutes weekends. Every other trip will be extended past Lowell Street to Daly City BART, to maintain connectivity between the Outer Mission and BART.
Frequency improved with strategic stop removals
Hours: 24 Hours Daily
In order to allow for the MUNI 5 Minute Network to be created, weekday frequency on the 22 Fillmore will be increased to Every 5 Minutes. Strategic stop removals will speed up service on the northern end at the route. Stops that will be removed will be Hermann, Grove, Golden Gate/Turk, O'Farrell, Steiner & Broadway, Green, and Steiner & Union. This will allow for faster service on the 22 Fillmore and might remove a bus from operation.
Rapid discontinued, frequency improved south of California Street
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to allow for more frequent service along the 19th Avenue corridor, the 28 and 28R will be merged into the 28 19th Avenue. Service will operate every 5 minutes on weekdays between California Street and Daly City BART, helping MUNI create the 5 minute network. Strategic stop removals will be made at all stops between SF State and Daly City BART, Rivera, Ortega, Irving, and Larkin, speeding up service and hopefully removing a bus from operation.
Frequency improved with strategic stop removals
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to allow for reduced crowding along the 29 Sunset, frequency will be improved to every 5 minutes weekdays, every 10 minutes weekends. This should allow for reduced crowding and more crosstown connections, since the 29 serves several schools and more frequency means more ridership. Strategic stop removals will be made at Clement, Holloway & Beverly, Byxbee, Granada, Plymouth & Holloway, Athens, Goettingen, Crane, Carr, and Jennings. Stops will be consolidated on Lincoln Way and the stops at Paris and Madrid will be consolidated into a new stop at Lisbon. These changes should allow for the removal of a bus, saving money while improving frequency along the 29 Sunset.
Frequency improved to every 5 minutes east of 33rd Avenue
Hours: 24 Hours Daily
In order to allow for reduced crowding along the Geary corridor, frequency on the 38 and 38R will be improved to Every 5 Minutes. Signal enhancements will be made in order to make this a cost-neutral change for the 38R.
Converted to Rapid, frequency improved to every 5 minutes weekdays
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to reduce travel times between the Van Ness corridor and the Mission/City College, the 49 Van Ness-Mission will become the 49R Van Ness-Mission Rapid. This new route will make Rapid stops along Mission Street. Service will operate every 5 minutes weekdays, every 6 minutes weekends. The 49R Van Ness-Mission Rapid should save MUNI money and provide better service along the Van Ness-Mission corridor.
Extended to Golden Gate Heights via 7th and 9th Avenues
Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM Weekdays, 8 AM - 10 PM Weekends
In order to maintain service to Golden Gate Heights, the 52 Excelsior will be extended via 7th and 9th Avenues to Quintara & 14th Avenue. This will maintain service with the 6 Hayes-Parnassus discontinuation and link Diamond Heights to the Inner Sunset.
New route for improved Potrero Hill access
Hours: 7 AM - 9 PM Daily
In order to restore coverage to Potrero Hill, the 53 Southern Heights will be restored, operating Every 30 Minutes between 16th Street Mission BART and Connecticut & 18th Street. This will restore connectivity to Potrero Hill and will gain more connectivity throughout a hilly area in San Francisco.
Frequency improvements and Bayview realignment
Hours: 5 AM - 12 AM Daily
In order to allow for better connections between equity neighborhoods, weekday frequency on the 54 Felton will be improved to every 15 minutes. Service will also begin earlier in the morning and end earlier in the evening to allow for better crosstown connections at night. Service will also be realigned via the 15 Bayview-Hunters Point Express, ending at Hudson & Newhall to allow for faster connections between Hunters Point and the rest of the 54 Felton Route.
Extended to Lakeshore Plaza, reverted to pre-pandemic route
Hours: 5 AM - 10 PM Daily
Due to low ridership on the 58 and in order to save money, the 57 Parkmerced will be reverted to its pre-pandemic route, ending at Sloat & Sunset. Weekend Frequency will be decreased to operate every 30 minutes. The 58 Lake Merced will be discontinued.
Extended to Haight to maintain UCSF Parnassus service
Hours: 6 AM - 10 PM Weekdays, 8 AM - 10 PM Weekends
Due to the discontinuation of the 6 Hayes-Parnassus, the 66 Quintara will be extended to Haight & Stanyan. This will maintain three line service to UCSF Parnassus and link the Sunset District to Parnassus. Frequency will be decreased to every 30 minutes due to low ridership.
Restored route for Marin Headlands access
Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM Weekends
In order to allow for recreational opportunities in the Marin Headlands, the 76X Marin Headlands Express will be restored, operating its full pre-pandemic route from Sutter & Sansome to Fort Cronkhite. This route should reduce crowding from Golden Gate Transit Route 130 and allow for the Marin Headlands to become transit accessible.
Streamlined overnight service focuses on core corridors while maintaining essential connectivity for late-night workers and residents.
Extended late-night service for Richmond/Sunset connection
Hours: 12 AM - 5 AM Daily
In order to allow for Owl service changes with the L Taraval serving Oceanview, the K Taraval-Ingleside Owl will be introduced, operating along the L Owl between West Portal and SF Zoo and the 91 Owl between West Portal and Balboa Park.
New comprehensive overnight route connecting multiple lines
Hours: 12 AM - 6 AM Daily
The M Market Owl will operate between Fisherman's Wharf and West Portal Stations, serving the M Market, 52 Excelsior, 37 Corbett, and F Market & Wharves routes to provide comprehensive overnight connectivity across the city.
Rerouted via Haight Street, shortened to Van Ness Station
Hours: 12 AM - 5 AM Daily
Due to the cutback of N Judah service to Church Station, the N Judah Owl will only operate between 11th Street & Market and Ocean Beach via Haight Street. For service to Caltrain Depot, take the M Owl and the 91 Owl.
Extended to connect City College and regional connections
Hours: 12 AM - 5 AM Daily
The 91 3rd Street-19th Avenue Owl will be modified to end at City College and be extended to San Jose & Mission to connect to the SamTrans ECR Owl, providing better regional connectivity for overnight travelers.
These routes continue to operate effectively and meet community needs without modification.
Historic streetcar service continues unchanged
Crosstown service in the Richmond District
North-south corridor through central SF
Castro to Mission Bay connection
Neighborhood connector service
Help advocate for a more reliable, equitable, and efficient MUNI system that serves all San Francisco neighborhoods.
Contact your supervisors and advocate for transit improvements in your neighborhood.
Participate in local transit advocacy organizations and community meetings.
Share this proposal with friends, family, and neighbors to build support.