UPDATE: Church Street Designated Red Lanes a Success MUNI Says

UPDATE: Church Street Designated Red Lanes a Success MUNI SaysChurch St. Rapid Program
Waiyde Palmer
Published on May 14, 2013
22 Fillmore and J Church on Church St. Photo:SFMTA
22 Fillmore and J Church on Church St. Photo: SFMTA
MUNI has reported the newly adorned 'red lanes', designated MUNI or taxi only, on the highly congested part of  Church Street between Duboce and 16th Streets at the far edge of the Castro District has been successful in keeping service running better. We posted in March that the lanes were being set aside for public transport use only as part of an 18 month, Church Street Rapid pilot program to determine if this small gambit would help improve MUNI reliability on the notoriously slow and nearly always late 22-Fillmore bus and J-Church train lines. According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) who initiated the change the answer is, "yes". They report the 22-Fillmore has had a 5% reduction in travel time and a 20% uptick in reliability along that narrow obstacle course of Church Street. Those who still drive the route should be aware you're no longer allowed to turn left at 15th or 16th Streets. Driving in those designated red lanes can result in heavy fines as does taking illegal left turns. Both rules applies to bicyclists as well who are subject to the same traffic laws as their motorized counterparts. The 'no left turn' will remain if the pilot program becomes permanent. So far only 16 tickets have been issued for illegal left turns. You can expect that number to soar now that the SFMTA is leaning towards retaining the alteration. Illegal left turn tickets run between $200-$310.00 which could be a boon for the City treasury if drivers and bicyclists don't start paying attention to the new rules and somewhat visible 'no left turn' street signage. -via Examiner