CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-1

CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

This chapter describes existing and projected future transportation conditions in the project area. 

It includes the following four sections: 1) transit, 2) vehicular traffic, 3) non-motorized traffic, 

and 4) parking. The transit section describes current and future rail and bus services and 

patronage. The vehicular traffic section describes the existing and future street and highway 

system in the corridor. The non-motorized traffic section focuses on existing pedestrian/bicycle 

traffic patterns, and future pedestrian walkways, bike paths, and attractors. The parking section 

describes existing parking amounts, locations, accessibility, and future needs. 

The information provides a baseline to assess the level of impact to existing transit services for 

each of the Transbay Terminal/Caltrain Downtown Extension/Redevelopment Project 

(Terminal/Extension Project) alternatives. Existing rail transit and bus service in and around the 

Terminal/Extension Project study area and planned future rail and bus service are described. See 

Figure 3-1 for a map illustrating the transit network in the study area. 

3.1 TRANSIT 

3.1.1 EXISTING RAIL TRANSIT SERVICES

Caltrain, BART, and Muni Metro provide rail service in the study area. Service consists of 

commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail transit, and historic streetcar trolleys. BART and Muni 

Metro serve the Market Street subway located along the north edge of the study area. Caltrain 

provides passenger rail service from the south bay to the San Francisco terminal at Fourth and 

Townsend Streets. Figure 3-1 shows the rail transit network in the study area. 

3.1.1.1 Caltrain 

Caltrain provides commuter rail service between Santa Clara County and San Francisco. The 

Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB), a joint powers agency consisting of San Francisco, 

San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties, operates the service. The 77-mile rail line serves 34 

stations. The San Francisco terminal at Fourth and Townsend Streets is approximately 1.3 miles 

from the Transbay Terminal at Mission and First Streets. During off-peak hours, the main 

southern terminal is the Tamien Station in San Jose, which provides a connection with the Santa 

Clara County light rail system. Of the 76 one-way weekday train trips on Caltrain, five morning 

trips originate and five evening trips terminate at the Gilroy Station. Weekend service has been 

suspended two years until March 2004 for construction of passing tracks and other upgrades of 

the signaling system, trackwork, and other improvements to allow for "Baby Bullet" express 

service. Figure 3.1-1 shows the Caltrain corridor and stations. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-2 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Figure 3-1: Existing Transit Network in the Study Area 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-3 

Figure 3.1-1: Caltrain Corridor with Stations 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-4 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

At the Fourth and Townsend Station, Caltrain connects with the Muni N-Judah light rail and nine 

Muni bus lines. The station is also served by an Amtrak bus connection to the Amtrak rail 

station in Emeryville. Connections with SamTrans are not provided at Fourth and Townsend but 

are available at 11 South Bay train stations (or within one block of these stations). Connections 

with Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) bus lines are available at 15 South Bay 

Caltrain stations. Currently there is no direct connection between Caltrain and BART. 

Table 3.1-1 summarizes Muni, SamTrans, and VTA connecting bus services at Caltrain Stations. 

Table 3.1-2 details Muni service at the Fourth and Townsend Station. 

Table 3.1-1: Connecting Bus Service at Caltrain Stations 

Caltrain Feeder Bus Service 

Fourth & Townsend Muni 10, 15, 30, 38L, 45, 47, 80x, 81x, 82x, N-Judah Light Rail 

22nd Street Muni 48 

Paul Avenue Muni 29 

Bayshore Muni 9, 9X, 15, 56; SamTrans 292 

South San Francisco SamTrans 130, 131, 32, 34, 292 

San Bruno SamTrans 40, 41 

Millbrae SamTrans MX, 242, 390, 391 

Broadway SamTrans 292; Burlingame Free Bee 

Burlingame SamTrans 292; Burlingame Free Bee 

San Mateo SamTrans TX, 250, 292, 295 

Hayward Park Shelter only; no ticket sales 

Bay Meadows Race days only 

Hillsdale SamTrans KX, TX, 250, 262, 390, 391, 292, 294, 295 

Belmont SamTrans KX, PX, TX, 260, 262, 390 

San Carlos SamTrans KX, PX, TX, 261, 390 

Redwood City SamTrans KX, PX, RX, 270, 271, 390, 391 

Atherton Shelter only; no ticket sales 

Menlo Park SamTrans KX, RX, 390, 295, 296 

Palo Alto SamTrans KX, PX, RX, 280, 281, 282, 390, 391; SCVTA 22, 35, 86, 300 

Stanford Football days only 

California Avenue SCVTA 24, 88, Marguerite Shuttle 

San Antonio SCVTA 32, 35, 50, 86 

Mountain View SCVTA 20, 50, 51, 52, 145, 304, 304A 

Sunnyvale SCVTA 32, 53, 54, 55, 56, 140, 26 (Weekends) 

Lawrence SCVTA 41, 43, 145, 304A 

Santa Clara SCVTA 10, 22, 32, 34, 44, 60, 300, 304A 

College Park SCVTA 36, 62 

San Jose SCVTA 11, 22, 63, 64, 65, 68, 180, 300, 304A, Hwy. 17 

Tamien SCVTA 25, 67, 82, Light Rail 

Capitol SCVTA 66, 68, 304, 304-A 

Blossom Hill SCVTA 67 

Morgan Hill SCVTA 14, 15, 521 

San Martin SCVTA 18, 18A, 19, 68, 521 

Gilroy SCVTA 18, 18A, 19, 68, 521 

Source: Muni, SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Nelson/Nygaard, 2002. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-5 

Table 3.1-2: Muni Service at the Fourth and Townsend Caltrain Station

Typical Headways in Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun. 

Bus Line Typical Weekday 

Hours of Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base 

Average 

Weekday 

Route 

Passengers 

Estimated 

Weekday 

Boardings and 

Alightings at the 

Caltrain Station

10-Townsend 5:30 AM - 1:20 AM 10 12 15 12 12 N/A N/A 

15-Third Street 4:45 AM - 1:30 AM 5-10 10 15 10 10 27,735 1,623 

30-Stockton 5:00 AM - 2:00 AM 4-5 5-10 8-10 6 5-10 26,428 3,071 

45-Union/Stockton 5:30 AM - 2:00 AM 6-9 6 15-17 12 15 19,344 2,252 

47- Van Ness 6:00 AM - 1:15 AM 6-7 7-8 12-15 7-8 7-8 N/A N/A 

76 - Marin Headlands Daytime Sundays 

Only - - - 60 60 N/A N/A 

80x- Caltrain Express 7:00 AM - 9:30 AM; 

3:30 PM - 6:15 PM 6-10 - - - - 526 756 

81x- Caltrain Express 6:15 AM - 9:30 AM; 

3:35 PM - 6:00 PM 5-30 - - - - 718 843 

82x- Presidio & 

Wharves Express 

6:15 AM -9:15 AM; 

3:30 PM - 6:40 PM 20-30 - - - - 711 477 

N-Judah Light Rail 5:00 AM - 1:45 AM 8 10 12 10 12 39,051 3,455 

Notes: Service on the 10-Townsend and 47-Van Ness Lines began on June 9, 2000. Estimated boardings and alightings on the 

N-Judah refer only to the peak period (6 AM -9 AM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM) rather than a full day of service. 

Sources: Muni published schedules, February 2001; Muni Monitoring Data, FY 99 - 00 

Weekday Caltrain service is a combination of express and local service. Weekday service hours 

are from 4:30 a.m. to midnight. Saturday service operates from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. Sunday 

service operates from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Frequencies during the weekday peak period vary 

between five and 30 minutes. During the midday, trains run every 30 minutes. During evenings, 

trains run every 60 minutes. On weekends, trains run every 60 to 120 minutes. 

Caltrain’s fares are based upon travel zones that were adjusted July 1, 1998. The system is 

divided into nine fare zones. One-way adult fares vary from $1.25 for travel within one zone to 

$6.25 for traveling the entire length of the 77-mile corridor. Disabled patrons and seniors ride 

for approximately half the regular one-way adult fare. Children under five ride free when 

accompanied by a fare-paying adult. Children between five and 11 years ride for approximately 

half the adult fare. A monthly ticket is available for unlimited rides between a specified number 

of zones. On weekends and holidays, the monthly ticket is valid for travel between all zones 

served by Caltrain. A Caltrain monthly ticket valid for two or more zones is good as local fare 

credit on all SamTrans and VTA buses. Discount monthly tickets are available to persons 17 

years old and younger with a valid ID, seniors, disabled patrons or high school students older 

than 17. One-way weekday discount tickets are 25 percent off the regular fare and valid only on 

weekday trains that are scheduled to start their runs at San Jose or San Francisco stations 

between the morning and afternoon peaks. Ten-ride tickets and weekend passes are also 

available for purchase. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-6 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Weekday Caltrain ridership in February 2001 was estimated at 35,609 passengers; current 

ridership is lower because of the recession. Of the February 2001 ridership, almost 20 percent 

of the daily passengers boarded at the San Francisco Fourth and Townsend Station. During the 

morning peak, 27 percent of the passengers exit at the San Francisco terminus. During the 

afternoon peak, 39 percent of the passengers exit at Caltrain stops in San Mateo County and 44 

percent exit at stops in Santa Clara County.1 Table 3.1-3 shows the weekday boardings and 

alightings at Caltrain stations. 

3.1.1.2 BART 

BART provides heavy rail passenger service in the metropolitan Bay Area. The grade-separated 

service operates at high speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. BART currently has five operating 

lines: Pittsburg/Bay Point–Colma, Fremont–Daly City, Richmond–Daly City/Colma, 

Fremont-Richmond, and Dublin/Pleasanton–Daly City. All lines except the Fremont–Richmond 

line serve downtown San Francisco via a subway directly beneath Market Street. 

BART shares four stations in downtown San Francisco with Muni Metro: Embarcadero, 

Montgomery, Powell and Civic Center. BART passengers can also make connections to the 

Muni bus lines serving Market Street. Although there is not a direct transfer connection between 

BART and Caltrain, Muni’s N-Judah light rail connects the Embarcadero Station with Caltrain’s 

Fourth and Townsend terminus. 

BART’s service hours are approximately 4:00 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday; 6:00 

a.m. to midnight on Saturday; and 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Sunday. BART operates direct 

service between Pittsburg/Bay Point and Colma, Fremont and Richmond, as well as 

Dublin/Pleasanton and Daly City seven days a week during all service hours. At night and all 

day Sunday, only these three routes operate, requiring passengers to transfer if their destination is 

on a line that is not in service. Transfer stations are at the 12th Street / Oakland City Center 

Station, the MacArthur Station, and the Bay Fair Station. The West Oakland Station is also used 

as an “unofficial transfer station.” Table 3.1-4 summarizes the frequency of BART trains. 

BART’s fare structure is built on a distance-based formula. The fare for most one-way trips 

wholly within San Francisco is $1.10. An additional $0.05 is charged for travel from the 

downtown Market Street subway stations to the Balboa Park Station. An additional $0.60 is 

charged for travel from the Daly City and Colma stations. One-way fares from downtown San 

Francisco to the East Bay range from $2.05 to $4.10. The maximum one-way fare is $4.70, from 

Colma to the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station. 

BART has several discount passes. The blue high-value tickets with fare values of $35 and $48 

are sold at a 6.25 percent discount. BART red tickets offer a 75 percent discount for disabled 

persons and children aged five to 12. BART green tickets offer a 75 percent discount for seniors. 

BART orange tickets provide a 50 percent discount for middle or secondary school students. 

The BART Plus ticket works in the BART fare gates like a regular BART ticket but also offers 

an unlimited number of local bus rides within the valid half-monthly time period. 

 

1 Caltrain Ridership Survey, February 2001
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-7 

Table 3.1-3: Caltrain Rail Service in the Study Area

Typical Headway in Minutes [1] 

Weekday Sat. Sun. Station 

Peak 

5-30

Base 

30

Eve. 

4-25

Base 

60

Base

120

Weekday Boardings 

and Alightings

San Francisco County

Fourth & Townsend 13,609 

22nd Street 1,334 

Paul Avenue 49 

Bayshore 1,021 

San Mateo County 

South San Francisco 1,360 

San Bruno 1,728 

Millbrae 1,801 

Broadway 1,117 

Burlingame 1,811 

San Mateo 2,754 

Hayward Park 1,205 

Bay Meadows 156 

Hillsdale 2,664 

Belmont 1,741 

San Carlos 2,453 

Redwood City 3,607 

Atherton 574 

Menlo Park 2,623 

Santa Clara County

Palo Alto 4,542 

California Avenue 2,766 

San Antonio 1,625 

Mountain View 4,410 

Sunnyvale 2,842 

Lawrence 2,610 

Santa Clara 2,248 

College Park 437 

San Jose 3,590 

Tamien 1,612 

Capitol 229 

Blossom Hill 348 

Morgan Hill 793 

San Martin 435 

Gilroy 1,102 

Caltrain Total Daily Boardings & Alightings 71,214 

Sources: Caltrain published schedule, April 29, 2001. Caltrain Ridership Statistics, February 2001.
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-8 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Recent BART ridership counts from April 2001 show an average weekday ridership of 333,800 

passengers. Most passenger activity occurs in downtown San Francisco at the Embarcadero, 

Montgomery, Powell, and Civic Center stations (see Table 3.1-4). Weekday boardings at these 

stations are about 115,055 passengers or about 34 percent of the total weekday boardings. 

Approximately 50 percent of the daily trips are transbay. Montgomery Station has the highest 

number of entries and exits with an average weekday activity of 71,466 passengers entering and 

exiting the station.2 Table 3.1-4 also shows the percentage of entries at each BART station that 

are transbay trips. 

Table 3.1-4: BART Transbay Service and Ridership

Typical Headways in 

Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun.

Line/Stations 

Weekday 

Hours of 

Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base

Weekday 

Boardings 

& 

Alightings

Weekday 

Transbay 

Passengers (by 

Station Origin) 

Percent of 

Station Entries 

that are 

Transbay Trips

Pittsburg/ 

Bay Point - Colma 

4:00 AM - 

1:00 AM 5 15 20 20 20 

Pittsburg/Bay Point 9,644 2,615 56% 

North Concord 4,175 1,395 65% 

Concord 12,409 3,240 51% 

Pleasant Hill 13,825 4,769 68% 

Walnut Creek 11,972 3,512 61% 

Lafayette 6,112 2,024 69% 

Orinda 5,168 1,767 71% 

Rockridge 9,402 3,221 71% 

Fremont-Daly City 5:00 AM - 

7:40 PM 15 15 - 20 - 

Fremont (2) 12,463 2,794 45% 

Union City (2) 8,144 1,801 45% 

South Hayward (2) 6,281 1,364 43% 

Hayward (2) 9,858 1,724 36% 

Bay Fair (2) (3) 10,362 2,478 47% 

San Leandro (2) (3) 10,049 2,521 50% 

Coliseum (2) (3) 13,721 2,733 39% 

Fruitvale (2) (3) 16,704 3,747 44% 

Lake Merritt (2) (3) 9,154 2,340 52% 

Richmond – Daly 

City/Colma 

5:00 AM - 

7:40 PM 15 15 - 20 - 

Richmond (2) 8,626 1,769 40% 

El Cerrito del Norte (2) 16,792 4,134 52% 

El Cerrito Plaza (2) 7,820 2,057 52% 

North Berkeley (2) 7,331 2,169 60% 

Downtown Berkeley (2) 21,216 3,858 36% 

Ashby (2) 8,618 2,334 54% 

 

2 BART Ridership Statistics, April 2001 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-9 

Table 3.1-4: BART Transbay Service and Ridership

Typical Headways in 

Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun.

Line/Stations 

Weekday 

Hours of 

Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base

Weekday 

Boardings 

& 

Alightings

Weekday 

Transbay 

Passengers (by 

Station Origin) 

Percent of 

Station Entries 

that are 

Transbay Trips

Fremont-Richmond 4:00 AM - 

1:00 AM 15 15 20 20 20 See stations marked (2) 

Dublin/Pleasanton – 

Daly City 

4:00 AM - 

1:00 AM 15 15 20 20 20 

Pleasanton 12,815 4,245 67% 

Castro Valley 4,230 1,385 65% 

Stations Common to Most Lines 

MacArthur (1) (2) 13,274 3,425 49% 

19th Street (1) (2) 16,641 3,558 43% 

12th Street (1) (2) 24,816 5,045 41% 

West Oakland 10,148 4,252 82% 

Embarcadero 69,433 24,544 72% 

Montgomery 71,466 22,783 66% 

Powell 53,099 13,920 52% 

Civic Center 37,541 11,020 58% 

16th Street 19,697 2,637 26% 

24th Street 24,748 2,570 20% 

Glen Park 15,303 1,328 17% 

Balboa Park 24,796 1,291 10% 

Daly City 16,306 2,125 26% 

Colma (1) 14,058 1,345 19% 

Total 668,217 165,839 50% 

Notes: 

(1) Common to Richmond and Pittsburg/Bay Point Lines only 

(2) Stations on the Fremont - Richmond Line 

(3) Stations on the Pleasanton Line 

Sources: BART published schedules, May 2001; Bart Statistics, April 2001.

3.1.1.3 Muni Metro 

The San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni) operates the Muni Metro light rail system. For the 

most part, the system operates in mixed traffic except for the subway sections through central 

San Francisco and small sections of exclusive at-grade right of way. Muni currently has seven 

operating lines: J-Church, K-Ingleside, L-Taraval, M-Ocean View, S-Castro, N-Judah, and the 

F-Market. 

All of the lines except the F-Market serve the downtown San Francisco subway stations. The J, 

K, and M lines also connect with BART at the Balboa Park Station. The J Line also serves the 

Glen Park Station. Muni’s Metro service connects with Caltrain via the N-Judah light rail line, 

which continues from the Embarcadero Station along a surface extension to the Fourth and 

Townsend Caltrain Station. The F-Market line consists of historic streetcars running partially in 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-10 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

a transit priority lane along the surface of Market Street. Service is provided between 

Fisherman’s Wharf and the Castro Street neighborhood. 

Muni Metro lines generally operate between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. weekdays, 6:00 a.m. and 

1:00 a.m. Saturdays; and 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Sundays. Metro Owl service, late-night surface 

bus service, is offered for portions of various lines. Weekday headways vary between five and 

12 minutes depending on the line and time of day. Table 3.1-5 shows the frequencies and 

ridership of Muni light rail. In 1999, the N-Judah had the highest ridership with 39,000 average 

weekday boardings. 

Table 3.1-5: Muni Rail Services in the Study Area

Typical Headway in Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun. 

Line 

Typical Weekday Hours of 

Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base 

Average 

Weekday Route 

Ridership 

F- Market 5:00 AM – 2:00 AM 5-8 7-8 15 8 8 9,353 

S- Castro Peak AM & PM only 7-12 - - - - N/A 

J- Church 4:00 AM – 2:00 AM 7-10 10 12 12-18 12-20 13,680 

K- Ingleside 5:00 AM – 1:00 AM 9 10 15-20 12 15 18,087 

L- Taraval 5:00 AM – 1:30 AM 5-10 10 14-20 10 12 28,209 

M- Ocean View 4:30 AM – 1:30 AM 9 -12 10 10-15 12 15 28,088 

N- Judah 5:00 AM – 1:45 AM 8 10 12 10 12 39,051 

Note: The S-Castro began service on April 2, 2001. 

Sources: Published Muni Schedules, February 2001; Muni monitoring data, FY 99 - FY 00. 

3.1.2 EXISTING BUS SERVICES 

Muni, SamTrans, AC Transit and Golden Gate Transit provide bus service in the study area. All 

four operators offer service either within or in the vicinity of the area’s major transit hub, the 

Transbay Terminal at Mission and First Streets. The terminal is also served by paratransit 

services, Greyhound interregional buses, Gray Line tour buses, and other private tour operations. 

Caltrain’s Fourth and Townsend Station is served by Muni and limited Amtrak bus service only. 

The ferry terminal at Mission and Embarcadero is served by Golden Gate Transit’s ferry feeder 

bus service. Muni is in the process of abandoning use of the Ferry Terminal’s off-street bus 

turnaround at Mission and Stuart Streets and moving the terminals for 11 Muni lines to the Ferry 

Terminal’s surrounding streets. Caltrain stations in the South Bay have connecting bus service 

provided by Muni, SamTrans, and the VTA. Table 3.1-1 summarizes the bus connections at the 

34 Caltrain stations. 

3.1.2.1 Muni Bus Service 

Muni currently operates 83 transit lines in regular weekday service. Fifty-six of these are motor 

coach (diesel bus) and 17 are trolley coach (electric bus). The other 10 lines include seven light 

rail and three cable car lines. Most bus lines operate seven days a week, between 6:00 a.m. and 

midnight. Limited late night (owl) service is available between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-11 

sections of 13 Muni routes. On weekdays, service frequencies, or headways, generally range 

from four to 12 minutes during peak periods, five to 20 minutes during midday, and 10 to 30 

minutes during evenings. On weekends, base frequencies generally range from five to 60 

minutes, depending on demand and headway policy. In February 2001, Muni began 

implementing the South of Market Action Plan, a series of service changes that included the 

partition of the 42-Downtown Loop into the 47-Van Ness and the 10-Townsend, expanded 

service and frequencies on the 12-Folsom, and extension of the 19-Polk to Townsend Street. 

The basic Muni fare for a one-way trip is $1.25. Cash fares include a free transfer given at the 

time of boarding. Adult monthly passes at $45.00 are available for travel on all Muni lines as 

well as BART, SamTrans, and Caltrain service within San Francisco. Seniors, disabled persons, 

and children under 18 are charged $0.35 for one-way trips and $10.00 for monthly passes. Also 

available are weekly passes for $12.00 and weekly tourist passes for $33.75, which includes 

admission to several city visitor attractions. 

Muni operates 10 bus lines that directly serve either the Transbay Terminal or its immediate 

vicinity: the 5-Fulton, 6-Parnassus, 10-Townsend, 14-Mission, 14L-Mission Limited, 

14x-Mission Express, 38-Geary, 38L-Geary Limited, 76-Marin Headlands, and the 108-Treasure 

Island. Five of these routes, including the 5, 6, 38, 38L, and 108, terminate at the terminal. 

Table 3.1-6 summarizes the service characteristics of the Muni lines that serve the Transbay 

Terminal, including operating hours, frequencies, number of boardings, and the passenger 

activity at the Transbay Terminal. Figure 3.1-2 shows the Muni lines within the study area that 

serve the Transbay Terminal. 

Table 3.1-6: Muni Service at the Transbay Terminal 

Typical Headways in Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun. 

Bus Line 

Typical Weekday Hours 

of Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base 

Average 

Weekday 

Route 

Passengers 

Estimated 

Weekday 

Boardings and 

Alightings 

5-Fulton 24 Hours 4-9 5-12 15 6-10 9 15,458 1,221 

6-Parnassus 5:20 AM - 2:10 AM 7-10 12 20 12 20 6,434 405 

10-Townsend 5:30 AM - 1:20 AM 10 12 15 12 12 N/A N/A 

14-Mission 24 Hours 5-10 6 10 7-8 7-8 37,310 1,778 

14L-Mission Limited 8:15 AM - 4:45 PM 20 20 - 15 15 6,052 496 

14x-Mission Express 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM; 

4:00 PM - 6:45 PM 8-9 - - - - 2,572 658 

38-Geary 24 Hours 7-8 7-8 14 15 28,779 1,598 

38L-Geary limited 6:00 AM - 6:30 PM 7-8 7-8 - 7 - 18,127 1,469 

76-Marin Headlands Daytime Sundays Only - - - 60 60 N/A N/A 

108-MUNI Treasure 

Island 4:20 AM -1:00 AM 20 20-60 20 45 45 517 529 

Notes: Service on the 10-Townsend line began on June 9, 2000. Estimated boardings and alightings on the N-Judah refer only to 

the peak periods (6 AM - 9 AM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM) rather than a full day of service. 

Sources: Muni published schedules, February 2001; Muni Monitoring Data, FY 99 – 00.
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-12 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Figure 3.1-2: Muni Service at the Transbay Terminal 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-13 

Within the study area, Muni operates 29 routes that do not serve the Transbay Terminal. Their 

service characteristics are summarized in Table 3.1-7. The routes are mapped in Figure 3.1-3. 

Table 3.1-7: Non-Transbay Terminal Muni Service in the Study Area 

Typical Headways in Minutes

Weekday Sat. Sun.

Bus Line 

Typical Weekday Hours of 

Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base

Estimated 

Weekday 

Route 

Passengers

1- California 4:40AM – 2:30AM 6-9 5-10 10-17 6-8 6-8 28,793 

1-AX California 

Express 

6:45AM – 9:00AM 

4:15PM – 6:30PM 10,15 - - - - - 

1-BX California 

Express 

6:45AM – 9:15AM 

4:15PM – 6:30PM 

5-7, 

10 - - - - - 

2- Clement 5:00AM – 8:00PM 10 20 - 15 15 6,865 

3- Jackson 6:30AM – 1:30AM 10 20 20 15 15 

4- Sutter 5:00AM – 7:30PM 10 20 - - - 

6- Parnassus 5:20AM – 2:10AM 7-10 12 20 12 20 6,434 

7- Haight 5:30AM – 7:30PM 10 12 - 12 20 5,620 

9- San Bruno 5:00AM – 1:40PM 6-9 10 15 10 10 18,461 

9x- San Bruno Express 7:00AM – 7:30PM 7-12 12 - - - 8,416 

12-Folsom 5:30 AM – 1:30AM 7-10 10 20 10 10 3,829 

15- Third 4:45AM – 1:30AM 5-10 10 15 10 10 27,735 

21- Hayes 5:15AM – 1:45AM 5-8 6-10 20 12 12 9,740 

30- Stockton 5:00AM – 2:00AM 4-5 5-10 8-10 6 5-10 26,428 

30x- Marina Express 6:00AM – 9:45AM 

3:45PM – 7:00PM 5-7 - - - - 2,467 

31- Balboa 4:45AM – 2:00AM 10 10-12 15 15 15 10,149 

31AX- Balboa Express 6:45AM – 8:45AM 

4:15PM – 6:30PM 

8-

9,10 - - - - 

31BX- Balboa Express 6:45AM – 9:00AM 

4:15PM – 6:30PM 10 - - - - 

38AX- Geary Express 7:00AM – 9:00AM 

4:00PM – 7:30PM 10,15 - - - - 

38BX- Geary Express 6:45AM – 9:00AM 

4:15PM – 7:30PM 

7-9, 

10-12 - - - - 

41- Union 5:00AM – 9:30AM 

3:30PM – 7:45PM 10 - - - - 3,560 

45- Union/Stockton 5:30AM – 2:00AM 6-9 6 15-17 12 15 19,344 

66- Quintara 5:45AM – 12:00AM 20 20 30 30 30 1,188 

71- Haight - Noriega 5:45AM – 1:15AM 10 12 15-20 12 10 10,195 

80x- Gateway Express 7:00AM – 9:30AM 

3:30PM – 6:15PM 6-10 - - - - 526 

81x- Caltrain Express 6:15AM – 9:30AM 

3:35PM – 6:00PM 5-30 - - - - 718 

82x- Levi Express 6:15AM – 9:15AM 

3:30PM – 6:40PM 20-30 - - - - 711 

91- Owl 12:15AM – 6:15AM 30 - - - - 365 

Sources: Muni Published Schedules, February 2001; Muni Monitoring Data, FY 99-00. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-14 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Figure 3.1-3: Non-Transbay Terminal Muni Service in the Study Area 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-15 

Muni operates nine bus lines that serve the Fourth and Townsend Caltrain Station: the 

10-Townsend, 15-Third, 30-Stockton, 38L-Geary Limited, 47-Van Ness, 45-Union/Stockton, 

80x-Caltrain Express, 81x-Caltrain Express, 82x-Presidio & Wharves Express. The N-Judah 

light rail line also serves the station. Figure 3.1-4 shows the routes of Muni lines within the 

study area that serve the Caltrain Station. Table 3.1-8 summarizes their service characteristics.

Table 3.1-8: Muni Service at the Fourth and Townsend Caltrain Station

Typical Headways in Minutes

Bus Line Typical Weekday Weekday Sat. Sun. Hours of Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base

Average 

Weekday 

Route 

Passengers 

Estimated 

Weekday 

Boardings and 

Alightings 

10-Townsend 5:30 AM – 1:20 AM 10 12 15 12 12 N/A N/A 

15-Third Street 4:45 AM – 1:30 AM 5-10 10 15 10 10 27,735 1,623 

30-Stockton 5:00 AM – 2:00 AM 4-5 5-10 8-10 6 5-10 26,428 3,071 

45-Union/Stockton 5:30 AM – 2:00 AM 6-9 6 15-17 12 15 19,344 2,252 

47- Van Ness 6-7 7-8 12-15 7-8 7-8 N/A N/A 

76 - Marin Headlands Daytime Sundays Only - - - 60 60 N/A N/A 

80x- Caltrain Express 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM; 

3:30 PM – 6:15 PM 6-10 - - - - 526 756 

81x- Caltrain Express 6:15 AM – 9:30 AM; 

3:35 PM – 6:00 PM 5-30 - - - - 718 843 

82x- Presidio & 

Wharves Express 

6:15 AM –9:15 AM; 

3:30 PM – 6:40 PM 20-30 - - - - 711 477 

N-Judah Light Rail 5:00 AM – 1:45 AM 8 10 12 10 12 39,051 3,455 

Notes: Service on the 10-Townsend and 47-Van Ness lines began on June 9, 2000; estimated boardings and alightings on 

the N-Judah refer only to the peak periods (6 AM -9 AM and 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM) rather than a full day of service. 

Sources: Muni published schedules, February 2001; Muni Monitoring Data, FY 99-00. 

3.1.2.2 AC Transit 

AC Transit provides local, express, and commuter service in western Alameda County and 

western Contra Costa County. Of AC Transit’s 138 routes, 35 offer transbay service between the 

East Bay and the Transbay Terminal, the operator’s only San Francisco stop. Midday storage of 

AC Transit occurs on the Transbay Terminal bus ramps, which can provide storage for up to 120 

standard 40-foot buses. 

Of the 35 transbay routes, five are ‘basic service’ that operate seven days a week throughout the 

day and 31 are ‘commuter service’ that operate peak periods only. On weekdays, headways for 

peak period service vary between seven and 30 minutes. Most commute trips are offered in the 

peak direction only with westbound service provided in the morning and eastbound service in the 

evening. Figure 3-1 shows the route that AC Transit buses take to serve the Transbay Terminal. 

Table 3.1-9 summarizes the service characteristics of the basic and commuter services. 

Approximately 15,205 daily weekday passengers use AC Transit’s transbay service. The line 

with the highest ridership is the O-Alameda with 1,780 daily boardings.3 

 

3 AC Transit Passenger Counts, February 2001. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-16 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Figure 3.1-4: Muni Service at the Caltrain Station 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-17 

Table 3.1-9: AC Transit Service at the Transbay Terminal 

Typical Headway in Minutes 

Bus Line Weekday Sat. Sun. 

Typical Weekday Hours 

of Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base 

Weekday 

Transbay 

Ridership 

Basic Transbay Service 

F - Berkeley 4:45 AM - 12:45 AM 15 - 30 30 30 30 30 817 

N - San Leandro 4:40 AM - 9:07 AM; 

7:10 PM - 12:52 AM 

30 - 10-30 30 30 711 

NL - San Leandro 6:10 AM - 8:07 PM 20-30 30 30 30 30 991 

O - Alameda 5:27 AM - 12:41 PM 7-20 45 60 60 60 1778 

A - Oakland Airport 24 Hours 30 30 30 30 30 314 

AM Peak Trips PM Peak Trips Commute Hour Only Transbay Service 

Westbound Eastbound Westbound Eastbound 

B - Trestle Glen 4 0 5 0 157 

BX - Trestle Glen 4 0 2 3 55 

C - Piedmont 10 4 10 14 461 

CB - Montclair 4 0 0 4 191 

E - Claremont 8 0 0 10 321 

FS – Berkeley 5 0 0 5 236 

G - El Cerrito 10 0 0 9 518 

H/HX - El Cerrito 10 0 0 10 526 

K - San Leandro 5 0 0 6 185 

KH - San Leandro 5 0 0 5 131 

L - El Sobrante 9 0 0 12 476 

LA - El Sobrante 13 8 7 13 760 

LB - El Sobrante 7 0 7 13 425 

LC - El Sobrante 7 0 0 10 445 

LD (LX) - Richmond 5 2 0 5 255 

NF - San Leandro 6 0 0 11 445 

NG - San Leandro 5 0 0 11 525 

NH - San Leandro 6 1 1 11 359 

NV - San Leandro 2 0 0 4 103 

OX/OX1 -0 Alameda 11 0 0 14 813 

P (CH) - Piedmont 7 0 0 16 712 

RCV/RCVX - Castro Valley 7 0 0 7 231 

S - Hayward 5 0 0 4 226 

SA (SW) - Hayward 4 0 0 6 244 

SB - Newark 5 0 0 6 285 

V - Montclair 7 0 0 17 703 

W (W1) - Alameda 9 0 0 10 504 

WA (W2) - Alameda 3 0 0 3 104 

Y - Emeryville 2 0 0 2 56 

Z - Albany 0 8 7 0 142 

Total 15,205 

Sources: AC Transit published schedules, March 2001; AC Transit passenger counts, February 2001. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-18 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Most AC Transit Transbay trips cost $2.50 for a one-way ticket, $22.00 for a 10-ride ticket book 

and $80.00 for a monthly pass. Longer distance transbay trips are priced at $2.75 for a one-way 

ticket, $25.00 for a 10-ride ticket book and $90.00 monthly pass. Service between the Transbay 

Terminal and Oakland airport costs $5.00. Seniors, disabled persons, and children under 12 are 

eligible for 50 percent discounts on all types of tickets except the monthly passes. 

3.1.2.3 SamTrans 

SamTrans provides connections to the Daly City and Colma BART stations, the San Francisco 

International Airport, and downtown San Francisco. In August 1999, SamTrans reorganized its 

local and commuter service into a core system with reallocated service from areas of little 

demand to areas of greater demand. Table 3.1-10 summarizes the SamTrans service between the 

Transbay Terminal and communities along the Peninsula. Nine lines provide commute service 

between San Mateo County and the Transbay Terminal. Seven of these lines operate only during 

peak periods. Figure 3.1-5 shows SamTrans routes that serve the Transbay Terminal. 

Table 3.1-10: SamTrans Bus Service in the Transbay Terminal Area 

Typical Headway in Minutes

Bus Line Typical Weekday Weekday Sat. Sun.

Hours of Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base

Weekly Afternoon 

Peak Period 

Ridership out of 

San Francisco

DX Pacifica-San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 10-15 172 

KX Palo Alto-San Francisco 5:15 AM - 1:45 AM 25-40 25-40 60 30 30 296 

MX San Mateo - San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 20-30 88 

NX Redwood Shores-San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 30 48 

PX Redwood City-San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 10-30 72 

RX Palo Alto-San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 15-40 32 

TX San Carlos-San Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 20 64 

391 San Mateo-Daly City-San 

Francisco AM & PM Peak Only 20 - 432 

292 San Francisco - Hillsdale S.C. 4:45 AM - 2:15 AM 20-40 25-35 60 30 30 464 

Note: Ridership figures refer to the number of southbound SamTrans passengers leaving San Francisco during the afternoon 

peak period of 4 PM - 7PM. SamTrans does not currently have data available describing the daily patronage specifically at the 

Transbay Terminal. 

One-way cash fares for travel between San Francisco and the South Bay are $2.20 for regular 

intercity service and $3.00 for express service. Seniors and disabled persons pay $0.50 for 

regular service and $1.25 for express service during non-peak periods. Youth, between six and 

17, pay $1.50 for regular service and $1.25 for express service. 

Tokens are sold in packages of 10 at a 10 percent savings over cash fares. Monthly passes cost 

$56.00 for regular service and $102.00 for express service. Seniors and disabled persons are 

charged $18.00 for regular service passes. Children under 17 pay $22.00 for regular service 

passes. SamTrans passengers may also purchase a Muni sticker, which upgrades their monthly 

passes to include unlimited rides on Muni. Stickers cost $17.00 when purchased with a regular 

service pass and $11.00 with an express pass. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-19 

Figure 3.1-5: SamTrans Routes Serving the Project Area 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-20 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

3.1.2.4 Golden Gate Transit 

Operated by the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District, Golden Gate Transit 

provides daily bus service to Marin and Sonoma counties with connections to San Francisco and 

the El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station in Contra Costa County. Within San Francisco, the 

major transfer and boarding points are the San Francisco Transbay Terminal, Seventh and 

Market Streets near the Civic Center, and the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza. Golden Gate Ferry 

provides daily ferry service between Larkspur or Sausalito in Marin County and San Francisco. 

Midday storage for Golden Gate Transit buses occurs at an off-site location at Main and Howard 

Streets. The storage area supports 125 buses. 

Golden Gate Transit offers 29 transbay routes between Marin County and the Transbay 

Terminal. Seven of these routes form Golden Gate Transit’s Basic Service which generally 

operates every day and nearly 24 hours per day. Route 10 operates only on weekends in 

San Francisco; Routes 30 and 90 operate only on weekdays. Most of Golden Gate Transit’s 

basis service lines are routed along Mission and Van Ness Streets to serve the Civic Center. 

The other 21 transbay routes provide commuter service only during weekday peak periods. 

Frequencies during peak periods for both basic and commuter routes vary between five and 60 

minutes. Most of the commuter service routes travel along Battery and Sansome Streets to serve 

the Financial District. Frequencies during peak periods for both basic and commuter routes vary 

between five and 60 minutes. Figure 3.1-6 shows Golden Gate Transit routes that serve the 

Transbay Terminal area and Table 3.1-11 summarizes Golden Gate’s service in the Terminal 

area. 

The Golden Gate service area is divided into ten fare zones. Transbay adult cash fares for oneway bus travel range from $2.65 to $5.65. Ferry service between San Francisco and Larkspur 

costs $3.25 on weekdays and $5.60 on weekends or holidays. Ferry service between San 

Francisco and Sausalito costs $5.60 regardless of the day of travel. Seniors and disabled persons 

are eligible for a 50 percent discount on bus and ferry tickets. Children receive a 25 percent 

discount. Inter-county passes containing 20 tickets are discounted 20 percent from face value. 

Two Golden Gate Transit routes, Line 67 and Line 69, offer free shuttle service between the 

Ferry Terminal and San Francisco’s financial district, South of Market area, and the Civic 

Center. Most GGT buses and all Golden Gate ferries are equipped to transport bicycles. 

Current ridership data are not available for Golden Gate Transit. In March 1997, Golden Gate 

estimated the number of southbound passengers as 3,684 during the morning peak (7:30 a.m. - 

8:30 a.m.) and 18 during the evening peak (4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.). Northbound passengers were 

estimated at 375 during the morning peak and 3,207 during the evening peak. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-21 

Figure 3.1-6: Golden Gate Transit Service at the Transbay Terminal 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-22 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Table 3.1-11: Golden Gate Transit Service at the Transbay Terminal Area 

Typical Headways in Minutes 

Weekday Sat. Sun. 

Bus Routes 

Typical Weekday 

Hours of 

Operation Peak Base Eve. Base Base 

Basic Routes

10 Tiburon-Mill Valley-Sausalito (1) Weekends Only - - - 60 60 

20 Canal-San Anselmo-Corte 

Madera 4:30 AM - 2:00 AM 30 30 60 - - 

30 San Rafael-Larkspur Ferry 8:15 AM - 5:00 AM 60 60 60 - - 

50 San Marin-Novato-San RafaelSausalito 4:00 AM - 1:00 AM 30 30 60 60 60 

60 San Rafael (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 

70 Novato-San Rafael (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) (2) 

80 Santa Rosa-Novato-San Rafael 24 Hours 20 - 30 30 

30 - 

60 30 30 

Commute Routes (Operate Peak Times Only) 

2 Marin Headlands-Marin City 10-20 

4 Mill Valley 7-10 

8 Tiburon 15 - 30 

18 San Anselmo-College Of Marin-Corte Madera 30 - 60 

24 Lagunitas-Manor-San Anselmo-Greenbrae 5-10 

26 Sleepy Hollow-San Rafael 15-20 

28 San Rafael-Canal-Larkspur Landing 30 

32 Peacock Gap-San Rafael 30 -60 

34 Santa Venetia-San Rafael 30 - 45 

38 Terra Linda 10-15 

44 Lucas Valley 15-30 

48 Novato-Ignacio 30 

54 San Marin-Novato Blvd. 5-15 

56 San Marin 10-15 

72 Santa Rosa-Rohnert Park Expressway 14-55 

74 Santa Rosa-Petaluma 15-30 

76 Rohnert Park-East Petaluma 30 

78 Santa Rosa-Sebastopol 25-50 

90 Sonoma Valley-San Rafael (3) 

93 Golden Gate Bridge-S.F. Civic Center 10-15 

Notes: 

(1) Transbay Service on weekends Only. 

(2) Routes 60 and 70 are part of Route 80 Service. Hours of operational weekdays are combined for 60, 70, and 80 service

 from San Francisco. 

(3) Only two southbound and one northbound run serve the Transbay Terminal area. 

Source: Golden Gate Transit published schedules, June 2001.
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-23 

3.1.3 OTHER SERVICES

3.1.3.1 Caltrans Bay Bridge Bicycle Shuttle 

Caltrans operates the Bay Bridge Bike Shuttle, which runs during peak commute periods when 

bikes may not be carried across the Bay on BART. Service is provided between the Transbay 

Terminal in San Francisco, Treasure Island, and the MacArthur BART station. Four westbound 

and three eastbound shuttles are provided during both morning and evening peak periods. The 

service costs $1.00. 

3.1.3.2 Special Commuter Services

There are two special commuter services serving the study area including the Napa Valley 

Commute Club and the Valley of the Moon Commute Club. The Napa Valley Commute Club is 

a non-profit organization that offers commuters peak direction morning and evening service 

between Napa Valley and San Francisco. The morning service boards passengers at three 

locations in the City of Napa and drops them off at 15 stops in San Francisco including Fremont 

Street between Mission and Howard Streets. Evening service boards passengers at the Transbay 

Terminal’s street level crescent loading area on Mission Street. Approximately 50 passengers 

ride the service’s single coach bus during both morning and evening service. Membership is 

$170 per calendar month. For infrequent riders, the cost is $8.00 one-way or $13.00 round-trip.4

 

As of March 2001, the Napa Valley Commute Club operates one southbound and one 

northbound trip during the peak period.

Valley of the Moon Commute Club is a member run club, which carries North Bay commuters 

between Sonoma Valley and San Francisco. In San Francisco, stops are made along Mission 

Street at First, Jessie, Fourth, and Sixth Streets. Monthly subscriptions are $135. As of 

October 2002, the Valley of the Moon Commute Club operates two southbound and two 

northbound trips during the peak periods. 

3.1.3.3 Greyhound 

Greyhound Lines is an interregional, private bus operation carrying passengers and package 

freight. At the Transbay Terminal, there are 43 daily outbound schedules during the off-peak 

season and 49 daily schedules during the peak season (June through August). Greyhound does 

not serve the Caltrain Fourth and Townsend Station. The most popular destinations are 

Sacramento, Reno, Los Angeles, San Jose, and Santa Cruz. During weekends and holidays, 

Greyhound adds additional service. In May 2001, six roundtrip runs of commuter service were 

added between the Transbay Terminal and Sacramento. In 2000, Greyhound counted a total of 

263,040 outbound passengers at the Transbay Terminal. 

 

4 Interview with Napa Valley Commute Club Representative, Bob Streich, June 4, 2001
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-24 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

3.1.3.4 Amtrak 

Amtrak does not offer rail service in San Francisco but offers connecting bus service between 

downtown San Francisco and Amtrak’s Emeryville Station. Within the study area, bus stops are 

located at the Caltrain Fourth and Townsend Station, the Moscone Center on Howard Street at 

Fourth, the Hyatt Regency on Market and Davis, and the Ferry Building. 

The thruway bus service connects passengers with Amtrak’s Capital Corridor, Coast Starlight, 

California Zephyr, and San Joaquin routes. 

3.1.3.5 Private Tour Operators 

Grayline Tours is the largest private tour operator at the Transbay Terminal. The company offers 

day trips around the city and to regional tourist destinations including Muir Woods, Napa and 

Sonoma Valleys, Monterey Bay, and Yosemite National Park. Tour buses for day trips board 

passengers at five bus bays on the bus deck level. During the peak summer season, a maximum 

of 40 buses board and alight at the Transbay Terminal. During the winter, a minimum of 25 daily 

buses uses the Terminal. In 2000, passenger counts varied from 2000 daily passengers in the 

summer to 200 to 300 during the winter.5

Other tour operators offer a smaller scale of service from the Transbay Terminal. During the 

peak summer season, Silverstar Tours operates about 13 daily trips to Reno, Lake Tahoe, 

Monterey, and Napa Valley. Approximately 150 daily passengers board on First Street, just west 

of the Transbay Terminal. Green Tortoise Adventure runs between three and four weekly tours 

throughout the West Coast. Passengers board during weekday evenings from Natoma Street 

between First and Fremont. 

3.1.4 EXISTING TRANSIT SERVICE UTILIZATION VERSUS CAPACITY 

Transit has become increasingly important as a travel mode for persons going to and from 

downtown San Francisco because of constrained roadway capacity. The current utilization and 

potential capacity of the various transit modes providing access to the city were analyzed to 

establish available transit capacity. The analysis period was the evening peak commute hours of 

4:00 to 6:00 p.m., the busiest part of the typical workday. For persons beginning and ending their 

trips in San Francisco, four surface and subway corridors within the city were identified that 

included the major bus and rail lines providing local transit service. These corridors are in the 

vicinity of the downtown; services are operated primarily by either Muni or BART (San 

Francisco-Daly City Colma trains). 

For persons traveling through the study area with a trip origin or destination outside of San 

Francisco, three regional corridors were identified. The major transit operators in the regional 

corridors are Caltrain, BART, AC Transit, SamTrans, Golden Gate Transit (bus and ferry), and 

the various ferry services to the East Bay and North Bay. 

 

5 Interview with Grayline representative, June 4, 2001.
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-25 

For all transit routes in these local and regional corridors, the number of evening riders outbound 

from San Francisco was estimated at the maximum load point (i.e., the point of highest demand) 

from available data sources and aggregated to obtain a total demand for each transit line and 

travel corridor. This is referred to as a demand screenline analysis. As a counterpart to the 

demand in a corridor, the service capacity of each transit route was also estimated, by 

multiplying the passenger capacity standard for transit vehicles by the number of transit trips 

scheduled during the evening peak. The ridership demand was compared to the capacity 

provided and expressed as a percent utilization of available capacity. Demand/capacity 

utilizations were also calculated for each corridor and the local and regional screenlines 

combined. 

Tables 3.1-12 and 3.1-13 provide a summary of this analysis. As shown, the estimated current 

utilization of local transit capacity is around 70 percent. The estimated current utilization of 

regional transit capacity provided from San Francisco in the evening peak is approximately 72 

percent. 

Table 3.1-12: Existing Outbound PM Peak Period Transit Demand and Transit Capacity 

San Francisco Screenline Corridor 

Screenline Transit Line (1) Ridership (2) Existing 

Capacity 

Capacity 

Utilization 

Northeast

Kearny/Stockton Muni 30, 30X, 45 3,695 5,222 71% 

All other lines Muni 32, 41, 422, 82X 1,576 3,413 46% 

TOTAL NORTHEAST 5,271 8,635 61% 

Northwest

Geary Corridor Muni 38, 38L, 38AX, 38BX 4,181 5,885 71% 

All other lines 

Muni 1, 1AX, 2, 3, 4, 5, 21, 

31, 31AX, and 31BX 9,927 13,979 71% 

TOTAL NORTHWEST 14,108 19,863 71% 

Southwest

Subway Lines Muni Metro K, L, M, and N 8,764 11,781 74% 

All other lines Muni 6, 7, 66, 71L, F 2,348 3,661 64% 

TOTAL SOUTHWEST 11,112 15,442 72% 

Southeast 

Mission Street Corridor Muni 14, 14L and 14X 1,946 2,650 73% 

Third Street Corridor Muni 15 707 1,191 59% 

All other lines Muni 14, 14L and 14X 3,304 4,339 76% 

TOTAL SOUTHEAST 5,958 8,180 73% 

TOTAL SAN FRANCISCO SCREENLINES 36,449 52,120 70% 

Notes: 

(1) Lines reaching maximum load point going outbound towards screenline. 

(2) Ridership refers to outbound passenger loads at the maximum load point between 4PM and 6PM. 

Sources: San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Wilbur Smith Associates, 2001
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-26 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

In contrast to other transit operators, Muni has established a capacity utilization service standard 

of 1.0 which includes not only seating capacity but also substantial numbers of standees, with 

standees representing somewhere between 30 to 80 percent of seated passengers, depending 

upon the specific transit vehicle configuration. Thus, Muni screenlines and sub-corridors at or 

near 100 percent of capacity operate under noticeably crowded conditions with many standees. 

Because each screenline and most sub-corridors include several Muni lines with multiple transit 

vehicles from each line, some individual transit vehicles operate at or above 100 percent of 

capacity and are extremely crowded during the PM peak hour at their most heavily used points 

(i.e., screenlines), while others operate under less crowded conditions. Moreover, the extent of 

crowding is accentuated whenever target headways are not met through either missed runs and/or 

bunching in service. Thus, in common with other types of transportation operations such as 

roadways and parking facilities, transit operators may experience substantial problems in service 

delivery well short of established service capacity standards. 

Table 3.1-13: Existing Outbound PM Peak Period 

Transit Demand & Capacity – Regional Screenlines 

Regional Transit Screenline Ridership Existing 

Capacity 

Capacity 

Utilization 

East Bay:

AC Transit 3,143 4,896 64% 

BART 17,537 14,560 120% 

Ferry 646 1,629 40% 

TOTAL EAST BAY 21,326 21,085 101% 

North Bay:

GGT Bus 3,132 5,339 59% 

GGT Ferry 755 2,410 31% 

TOTAL NORTH BAY 3,886 7,749 50% 

South Bay:

SamTrans 785 1,083 72% 

BART 3,157 10,360 30% 

Caltrain 1,900 2,900 66% 

TOTAL SOUTH BAY 5,842 14,343 41% 

GRAND TOTAL 31,054 43,177 72% 

Notes: Ridership and capacity for outbound trips (away from downtown San 

Francisco) for the weekday PM Peak hour (typically 5:00 – 6:00 PM) based on 

information obtained from each of the regional transit carriers. 

Sources: BART, AC Transit, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, Wilbur Smith 

Associates, July 2001 

3.1.5 FUTURE RAIL TRANSIT AND BUS SERVICE 

This section outlines the future year improvements to rail and bus transit services in the study 

area. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-27 

3.1.5.1 Caltrain Service Improvements 

The JPB has programmed substantial service increases to over 114 daily trains in the San 

Francisco to San Jose segment and over 20 daily trains in the San Jose to Gilroy segment within 

the next 10 years. For a comprehensive description of Caltrain’s planned operations and capital 

improvements, see Section 2.1, No-Project Alternative. 

3.1.5.2 BART Extension to San Francisco International Airport 

With its opening on June 22, 2003, the BART – San Francisco International Airport (SFO) 

Extension extends BART service from its previous southern terminus at the Colma Station to 

SFO. The extension also serves a new Millbrae intermodal station, which enables transfers 

between BART and Caltrain. For additional information about the SFO extension, see Section 

1.4.1, BART Extension to San Francisco International Airport, and 1.4.2, Millbrae Intermodal 

Station.

3.1.5.3 Third Street Light Rail Project

The Third Street Light Rail Project will provide new light rail service from the Bayshore area to 

Chinatown. The first phase – the initial operating segment (IOS) – is currently under 

construction and will extend Muni service from Fourth and King Streets south across the Fourth 

Street Bridge, running along Third Street and Bayshore Boulevard and ending at the Bayshore 

Caltrain Station in Visitation Valley. The 5.4 miles of new rail for the IOS will be constructed 

primarily in the center of the street to improve safety and reliability. Nineteen stops will be 

provided. Bus service changes connected with the Third Street light rail line include elimination 

of the 15-Third, extensions of the 9,9X, 9AX, 9BX, 36 and 43 lines to cover portions of the 15-

Third not covered by the new light rail and rerouting of the 54 Felton. 

Muni and the City and County of San Francisco are actively pursuing funding for construction of 

the Phase 2 of the Project – the New Central Subway. The proposed light rail service will be 

extended north from the Third Street Light Rail Service at King Street along Third Street, 

entering a new Central Subway near Bryant Street, crossing beneath Market Street and running 

under Geary and Stockton Streets to Stockton and Clay Streets. A total of four underground 

subway stations will be built at Moscone Center, Market Street, Union Square, and Clay Street in 

Chinatown. A surface station will be built at Third and King. 

The New Central Subway alignment in the South of Market area under Third Street will be built 

complete with junction connections for the Geary subway branch to Transbay Terminal. (See 

the following subsection for a discussion of the Geary Corridor options.) The proposed train 

mezzanine level of the new Transbay Terminal would have sufficient space and would be 

designed so as not to preclude Muni Metro tracks leading from the proposed 3rd Street and 

Geary Corridor alignments. Figure 3.1.7 shows possible alignments for this connection from 3rd

Street into the new Transbay Terminal. Continued coordination with Muni during the design 

phase of the Terminal Project will result in an alignment that can be accommodated within the 

Terminal. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-28 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

.Figure 3.1-7: Possible Future Muni Metro Connections to Transbay Terminal 

3.1.5.4 Geary Rail or Bus Project 

The Geary Rail or Bus Project is proposed in the project area. Muni performed a Geary 

Corridor Planning study in 1994 and 1995 recommending completion of a Major Investment 

Study (MIS) and EIS/EIR with three alternatives: 

 

• “Light Rail, all-surface configuration (to Transbay Terminal on a street alignment basically 

the same as discussed for the E and F-lines in these comments). 

• “Light Rail, surface configuration west of Laguna, subway east of Laguna 

• “Trolley Coach, surface configuration west of Laguna, subway east of Laguna 

 

“The Geary alternatives with subway configurations contain several proposed downtown 

routings for the subway. The most likely alternative is for the Geary line to use the Central 

Subway in the downtown area through the Union Square area and then into South-of-Market, 

with a branch off of the Central Subway at 3rd Street & Folsom (or Howard) for the Geary line, 

Figure 3.1-7: Possible Future Muni Metro Connections to Transbay Terminal 

Source: Project Development Phase, Final Report and Executive Summary, Transbay Terminal Improvement Plan,

Figure 2 (March 2001), and Comment Letter from Jose Cisneros, Deputy General Manager for Capital Planning & 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-29 

proceeding easterly under Folsom (or Howard) Street to Beale, directly behind the Transbay 

Terminal. One of the alternatives also included the Central Subway branch coming to the 

surface on either Folsom or Howard. 

At the time the study was performed, Muni's governing board, the Public Transportation 

Commission (PTC), accepted the report and elected not to move forward to an MIS and EIS/EIR 

until a viable financial plan could be developed. The PTC also elected not to select a preferred 

mode and alignment. 

A Geary project is one of the four corridors listed in the San Francisco County Transportation 

Authority's ‘Four Corridor Plan’, and is also included in Muni's recent publication ‘A Vision for 

Rapid Transit in San Francisco’, and has been included in Muni's Short Range Transit Plan. 

3.1.5.5 Other Muni Service Changes 

In February 2001, Muni began implementing the South of Market Action Plan, a series of service 

changes including the partition of the 42-Downtown Loop into the 47-Van Ness and the 10-

Townsend, expanded service and frequencies on the 12-Folsom, and extension of the 19-Polk to 

Townsend Street. In April 2001, a new light rail service, the S-Castro began peak period service 

on Market Street between the downtown and Castro stations. Also to be implemented is 

additional service on the 9-San Bruno line between the vicinity of San Francisco General 

Hospital and the Ferry Terminal on weekdays. For a summary of recent and planned changes, 

see Table 2.1-1. 

3.1.5.6 AC Transit Service Changes 

Under the express bus alternative for increasing capacity in the Bay Bridge corridor, the MTC 

Bay Crossings Study6

 proposed increasing AC Transit Transbay service to approximately 150 

buses in the peak hour. Because the capacity of the current Transbay Terminal is about 130 

buses per hour, the full potential of this proposed service increase could not be realized except in 

a new Transbay Terminal. Table 3.1-14 summarizes the route structure, which follows the 

current routes listed in Table 3.1-9. In addition, CCCTA would add two express bus routes from 

Moraga and Pleasant Hill, which would increase the Transbay bus service by eight more bus 

trips in the peak hour. 

3.1.5.7 SamTrans 

SamTrans is planning to modify, eliminate, or consolidate certain express bus routes. SamTrans’ 

1999 Strategic Plan states that termination of express bus service may occur in response to 

BART extensions, increased service on Caltrain and greater congestion on Highway 101. 

 

6

 Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco Bay Crossings Study, Final Report, July 2002. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-30 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Table 3.1-14: Proposed Future AC Transit Transbay Bus Service 

 Headways Total 

Line 

AM 

Peak Base 

PM 

Peak 

No. 

of 

Trips 

No. 

of 

Seats Capacity/Hr Nite Owl 

Veh 

Hrs 

Last 

TripPM 

A 60 5 

B 15 12 5 285 325 40 7:00

BX 15 12 5 285 325 7:00

C 15 30 12 5 285 325 30 55 11:59

CB 15 12 5 285 325 30 8:00

E 20 15 4 228 260 30 7:30

F 20 30 15 4 228 260 30 120 11:59

FS 20 15 4 228 260 6:45

G 7:00

GA 15 15 12 5 285 325 30 70 11:59

GB 15 15 12 5 285 325 30 70 11:59

H 15 15 4 228 260 52 7:00

HX 30 30 2 114 130 7:00

K 15 15 4 228 260 80 7:00

KH 15 15 4 228 260 7:00

L 15 15 4 228 260 7:45

LA 10 15 7.5 8 456 520 30 80 11:59

LB 15 15 4 228 260 140 7:00

LC 15 15 4 228 260 7:15

LD 20 15 4 228 260 32 6:15

N 30 350 11:59

NL 15 15 15 4 228 260 7:00

NG 20 15 4 228 260 7:00

NF 20 15 4 228 260 6:45

NH 20 15 4 228 260 7:00

NV 30 15 4 228 260 6:15

O 15 30 15 4 228 260 60 135 11:59

OX 15 15 4 228 260 8:00

OX1 30 30 2 114 130 5:00

P 15 7.5 8 456 520 70 7:30

RCV 20 20 3 171 195 24 7:00

S 20 15 4 228 260 120 7:00

SA 20 15 4 228 260 7:00

SB 15 15 15 4 228 260 30 11:59

V 15 15 4 228 260 55 7:30

W 15 15 4 228 260 46 7:00

WA 15 20 3 171 195 6:00

Y 15 20 3 171 195 5 6:00

Z 15 20 3 171 195 Reverse

Total 150 8,550 9,750 1,609 

Notes: 

Assumes 50 seats per bus currently; 57 seats per bus proposed -- 55 passengers with standees in present; 65 

passengers with standees in future. 

No of Seats is in peak hour. 

Current AC Transit service (August 2002) is 96 trips in the peak hour for a total 4,775 seats and 5,253 passengers 

with 990 vehicle hours. 

CCCTA transit services would add 8 express buses in the peak hour across the bridge from routes serving Moraga 

and Pleasant Hill. 

The Transbay Terminal is not replaced bus service would be limited to its current capacity of about 130 buses per 

hour. 

Source: MTC Bay Crossing Study, Appendix A, Alternative 1: Express Bus Service, July 2002. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-31 

3.1.5.8 High-Speed Rail Service 

Senate Bill 1856, the legislation regarding a proposed bond measure for a California High 

Speed Rail System, was passed by the state legislature and signed by the Governor in 2002. The 

legislation states that the first phase of the proposed statewide high speed rail system shall be 

“Between San Francisco Transbay Terminal and Los Angeles Union Station.” Plans for highspeed rail are being coordinated with the proposed Caltrain extension, which would provide the 

tracks and platforms for the high-speed rail service north of the 4th and Townsend Station area. 

According to the California High Speed Rail Authority, the San Francisco station is projected to 

attract up to 43,000 high-speed rail boardings and alightings per day in 2020. 

3.1.6 PROJECTED CALTRAIN PATRONAGE AND ACCESSIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS

This section outlines future Caltrain patronage forecasts and transit travel times with and without 

the Caltrain Extension project. Caltrain’s current and projected daily boardings and alightings by 

station for 2001 and 2020 are shown in Table 3.1-15. The 2001 data are for February 2001.7

The ridership forecast was modified to account for a projected level of 132 trains per day in 

2020 instead of the previously analyzed 170 trains per day. The result was a decrease in daily 

ridership of one tenth of one percent, less than 200 daily ons and offs out of approximately 

128,000 daily ons and offs projected for 2020. Because the 132-train concept would be 

concentrated in the peak periods with a maximum level of service while reducing service in the 

off-peak and evening periods, the projected ridership gain in the peak periods is projected to 

nearly compensate for the losses in the off-peak and evening periods, resulting in a negligible 

decrease in ridership compared with that presented in Table 3.1-14 of the Draft EIS/EIR. Thus 

the ridership numbers in the Final EIS/EIR have not been changed from those presented in the 

Draft EIS/EIR. 

3.1.6.1 Caltrain Ridership Under No-Project Alternative 

As shown in Table 3.1-15, Year 2020 ridership at the Fourth and Townsend Station is projected 

to be less than in 2001 because of expected transfers to and from BART at the new Millbrae 

intermodal station. But Caltrain ridership is expected to grow by 40 percent system wide. For 

the No-Project Alternative under a 132-train Caltrain weekday schedule, the system is projected 

to carry approximately 50,000 riders. This ridership level is substantially higher than the 2001

level of 35,600 riders. 

 

7 Caltrain On-Board Survey, February 2001. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-32 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 

Table 3.1-15: Caltrain Daily Boardings and Alightings Existing, 

2020 No Project, and with Downtown Extension 

Station 2001 2020 

No-Project 

2020 Extension to 

Transbay 

Terminal 

Transbay Terminal 0 0 29,307 

Fourth & Townsend 13,611 12,950 3,098 

22nd Street 1,334 1,716 1,706 

Paul Avenue 49 49 51 

Bayshore 1,021 1,366 1,427 

South San Francisco 1,360 1,879 2,173 

San Bruno 1,728 2,334 2,657 

Millbrae 1,801 8,370 5,948 

Broadway 1,117 1,524 1,841 

Burlingame 1,811 2,448 3,035 

San Mateo 2,754 3,652 4,645 

Hayward Park 1,205 1,627 1,938 

Hillsdale 2,820 4,126 5,791 

Belmont 1,741 2,348 2,933 

San Carlos 2,453 3,408 4,011 

Redwood City 3,607 4,835 5,730 

Atherton 574 800 904 

Menlo Park 2,623 3,861 4,439 

Palo Alto 4,560 6,217 7,311 

California Avenue 2,766 3,604 4,048 

San Antonio 1,598 2,217 2,539 

Mountain View 4,428 6,697 7,375 

Sunnyvale 2,842 4,067 4,439 

Lawrence 2,610 3,857 4,096 

Santa Clara 2,248 3,258 3,368 

College Park 437 532 547 

San Jose 3,590 5,534 5,686 

Tamien 1,612 2,206 2,237 

Capital 228 308 311 

Blossom Hill 348 547 551 

Morgan Hill 793 1,258 1,259 

San Martin 435 570 570 

Gilroy 1,102 1,948 1,949 

Total Entries + Exits 71,206 100,115 127,921 

System Entries 35,603 50,057 63,960 

Source: Caltrain February 2001 Ridership Survey; Parsons Ridership Forecast, August 2001
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment Project EIS/EIR 3-33 

3.1.6.2 Caltrain Ridership Under Caltrain Downtown Extension Alternative 

Table 3.1-15 also shows Caltrain projected daily boardings and alightings by station for the year 

2020 with the proposed Caltrain Downtown Extension which would extend Caltrain to the 

Transbay Terminal site. For a 132-train weekday schedule, ridership is projected to increase to 

64,000 trips per day, an increase of 13,900 trips over the projected 2020 No-Project ridership, 

and of 80 percent over the February 2001 ridership of 35,600 trips per day. Ridership at the San 

Francisco terminal is likewise projected to increase, from 13,000 to 29,300 daily boardings and 

alightings if the terminal station were moved from Fourth and Townsend Streets to the Transbay 

Terminal site. An additional 3,100 daily boardings and alightings are projected for a Fourth and 

Townsend/Mission Bay Station, which would be located in the vicinity of the existing Caltrain 

terminal. Incremental increases in ridership are projected for all other Caltrain stations except 

those south of the Tamien Station in San Jose. 

The extension would decrease the number of transfers to BART at Millbrae, as former Caltrain 

riders that switched to BART with the opening of the Millbrae BART extension switch back to 

Caltrain upon extension of Caltrain to the Transbay Terminal. The projections did not assume 

completion of the proposed BART extension to Santa Clara by 2020. Based on VTA projections, 

implementation of the extension could possibly lower Caltrain ridership by 2,000 to 3,000 riders 

per day, mostly at the San Jose end of the corridor. 

3.1.6.3 Projected Travel Times/Accessibility With and Without the Caltrain 

Downtown Extension 

Table 3.1-16 shows travel time comparisons on Caltrain for selected trips between central origins 

and destinations in the cited cities.8 These travel time estimates are taken directly from the 

patronage model, where they are used to determine ridership levels. The travel times include 

access, wait, transfer, and ride times at both ends of the trip for four selected origins and 

destinations for the year 2001 and projected for the year 2020. The travel time savings under the 

No-Project scenario can be attributed to Caltrain Rapid Rail Program improvements currently 

underway along the Caltrain railroad, such as track rehabilitation and other infrastructure 

improvement, electrification, and the increase in the number of weekday trains from 78 to 132.

With the Caltrain Downtown Extension, travel time savings for selected trips are projected to be 

13 to 15 minutes compared to No-Project conditions, except for trips beginning in the 

San Francisco Airport, for which the time savings are projected to be 10 minutes. 

 

8 Including transfers to other service providers as appropriate for the respective trip ends. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-34 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Table 3.1-16: Estimated Transit Travel Times for Selected Trips on Caltrain* 

Travel Time (hour: min) 

Origin Destination 2001 2020 NoProject 

2020 Extension to 

Transbay Terminal 

Projected Travel 

Time Savings 

(minutes) 

Downtown 

San Jose Downtown San Francisco 2:05 1:39 1:24 15 

Sunnyvale Downtown San Francisco 1:51 1:40 1:26 14 

Palo Alto Downtown San Francisco 1:36 1:17 1:02 15 

Millbrae Downtown San Francisco 1:08 0:52 0:37 15 

San Bruno Downtown San Francisco 1:04 0:54 0:40 14 

Downtown 

San Francisco San Francisco Airport 1:11 0:56 0:47 10 

Redwood City Concord 2:26 2:13 1:59 14 

Downtown 

Oakland San Carlos 1:41 1:28 1:15 13 

Notes: *The travel times are for average peak-direction conditions and include access, wait, transfer, and ride times at both 

ends of the trips between central origins and destinations in the cited cities. The trips assume use of Muni for connections to 

downtown San Francisco and use of BART from the Embarcadero Station for trips to Concord and from Oakland. 

Source: Parsons Ridership Model, September 2001.

3.2 VEHICULAR TRAFFIC 

This section describes the regional roadways and local streets in the project area and traffic 

conditions on those facilities. 

3.2.1 REGIONAL ROADWAYS IN CORRIDOR

The study area is served by three freeways -- Interstate 80, Interstate 280, and U.S. Highway 

101. These are all limited-access, divided facilities and are described further below. 

3.2.1.1 Interstate 80 (I-80) 

I-80 is oriented east-west across the country from San Francisco to New York City. The San 

Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge is part of the I-80 system, connecting San Francisco to the East 

Bay. The Bay Bridge has five lanes eastbound and five lanes westbound. The portion of I-80 

between U.S. 101 and the Bay Bridge that crosses the project area exists as an eight-lane facility. 

Existing daily traffic volumes in this segment range from 218,000 vehicles to 232,000 vehicles. 

The Bay Bridge carries approximately 290,000 vehicles per day. During the peak hour, Caltrans 

estimates I-80 carries nearly 20,000 vehicles in the segment between U.S. 101 and the Bay 

Bridge. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-35 

3.2.1.2 Interstate 280 (I-280) 

I-280 passes near the western end of the study area, serving South San Francisco and western 

Peninsula cities. The freeway runs north-south and extends from San Francisco southward to 

San Jose. I-280 and U.S. 101 cross south of downtown San Francisco. Just south of where 

U.S. 101 crosses, daily traffic volumes on I-280 are 164,000 vehicles per day, with daily 

volumes of 230,000 vehicles per day at the Pacifica exit. Ramp connections to I-280 from King 

Street provide direct connections to The Embarcadero adjacent to the existing Caltrain Terminal 

at Fourth and King Streets. 

3.2.1.3 U.S. Highway 101 (U.S. 101) 

U.S. 101 passes south and west of the study area, serving San Francisco, the Peninsula, and 

San Jose. It extends north to the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin County and beyond to the Seattle 

area, and south through the state to Los Angeles. It is primarily an eight-lane facility south of 

I-80 and along the Peninsula. From the southern San Francisco city limits to I-80, the average 

daily traffic ranges from 245,000 to 255,000 vehicles, with the highest volumes near the I-80 

junction. In San Mateo County, the average daily traffic volumes range from 181,000 to 275,000 

vehicles, with the highest volumes near the interchange with State Route 92 and in the vicinity of 

the San Francisco International Airport. 

In Santa Clara County, U.S. 101 average daily traffic volumes are highest near San Jose 

(reaching about 248,000 vehicles) and around Mountain View near State Route 85 (about 

246,000 vehicles). The traffic volumes are lowest in the southern part of Santa Clara County, 

with average daily volumes around 83,000 vehicles in Gilroy. 

3.2.1.4 El Camino Real 

In addition to the three freeways described above, State Route 82 (El Camino Real) runs northsouth in the Caltrain corridor, serving the Peninsula cities. El Camino Real is the only continuous 

arterial street serving the entire length of the Peninsula, and carries up to 3,000 vehicles during 

the peak hour in some segments near the Caltrain stations in Millbrae and San Bruno. Many of 

the Caltrain stations have access to El Camino Real or a nearby parallel road. 

3.2.2 THE STREET NETWORK IN THE PROJECT AREA

The boundaries of the traffic study area are Market Street to the north, Third Street to the west, 

Bryant Street to the south, and the San Francisco Bay to the east. This area is the primary focus 

of the traffic evaluation for the Terminal / Extension / Redevelopment project. 

The study area has a well-developed street system between Market and Bryant Streets. Streets 

are primarily one-way, and block lengths are usually between 425 to 900 feet in the east-west 

direction and 300 to 600 feet in the north-south direction. According to the Transportation 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-36 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Element of the San Francisco General Plan, the primary northbound and southbound arteries are 

Main, Beale, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Streets. Main and Third Streets provide one-way 

northbound traffic, and Beale and Fourth Streets provide one-way southbound traffic. Fifth and 

Sixth Streets are used for two-way traffic. 

Primary east-west arteries include Howard, Folsom, Harrison, and Bryant Streets, and a portion 

of King Street. Folsom Street is currently a four-lane eastbound street except from The 

Embarcadero to Main Street, where it becomes a two-way street, with three lanes eastbound and 

one lane westbound. Bryant Street is also one-way eastbound, except for the portion east of 

Sterling Street, which is two-way. Howard and Harrison Streets are one-way streets westbound; 

although Howard Street is two-way east of Fremont, and Harrison Street is two-way east of 

Third Street. King Street is used for two-way traffic. 

East-west streets in the study area include Market and Mission Streets, which provide two lanes 

of traffic in each direction and are designated as “Transit Preferential Streets” in the San 

Francisco General Plan. Mission Street is a transit-preferential arterial, having one of its two 

lanes in the westbound direction, between Main Street and Third Street (7 a.m. to 6 p.m., 

weekdays) and between Fourth and Eleventh Streets (4:00 to 6:00 p.m., weekdays), dedicated as 

a bus-only lane. In the eastbound direction, Mission Street has a bus lane between Eleventh 

Street and Fifth Street (7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m., weekdays), and between Third 

Street and Beale Street (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., weekdays). 

Market Street also serves as a transit-oriented arterial. It has two lanes in each direction with bus 

and historic trolley stops on center islands and bus stops at the curb. The left curb lanes on First 

Street (between Market Street and Howard Street) and on Fremont Street (between Mission 

Street and Market Street) are also exclusive bus lanes. 

Under existing conditions, the study area contains two off-ramps from the Bay Bridge: at 

Fremont Street between Folsom Street and Howard Street and at Fremont and Harrison Streets. 

There are three I-80/Bay Bridge eastbound-on-ramps in the study area: Essex and First Streets 

(both at Harrison Street), and Bryant Street at Sterling Street. Access to and from the Peninsula 

using the I-80 freeway, that is, via on- and off-ramps at Fourth Street between Harrison and 

Bryant Streets, is not included in the study area. The Sixth Street I-280 on- and-off ramps at 

Brannan Street are also not part of the traffic study area. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-37 

3.2.3 EXISTING TRAFFIC CONDITIONS

This section outlines existing traffic conditions in the project area. The data were developed for 

the City of San Francisco to analyze the Rincon Hill, Mid-Market, SOMA, and Transbay areas. 

Traffic operating conditions for surface streets in the study area are described using level of 

service indices. These statistics indicate the levels of congestion and delay that occur in the study 

area under existing conditions. 

Level of Service (LOS) designations are used as qualitative descriptors of an intersection's 

performance based on traffic delays. An intersection's LOS could range from A, representing 

free-flow conditions, to F, representing jammed conditions, corresponding to average delay, as 

follows. 

Level of Service for Intersections 

Level of Service Average Vehicle Delay 

(Seconds per Vehicle) 

A < 5.0 

B 

 5.1 to 15.0 

C 

 15.1 to 25.0 

D 

 25.1 to 40.0 

E 

 40.1 to 60.0 

F 

 > 60.0 

Table 3.2-1 presents the LOS for base year (existing) conditions at key intersections in the study 

area. The table indicates that, under base year conditions, the 27 signalized intersections 

analyzed operate at an acceptable LOS (D or better) during the weekday morning and evening 

peak commute hours, with the exception of five intersections: First/Folsom, Second/Harrison, 

Essex/Harrison, First/Harrison, and Second/Bryant. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-38 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Table 3.2-1: PM Peak-Hour Intersection Delay (seconds per vehicle) and Level of Service 

(LOS) Summary Existing (2001) and Projected 2020 No Project Traffic Conditions 

2001 2020 No Project 

Intersection Delay LOS Delay LOS 

1. First/Market 25.9 D 34.8 D 

2. Fremont/Market 15.2 C 27.1 D 

3. Second/Mission 10.2 B 16.0 C 

4. First/Mission 27.1 D 59.5 E 

5. Fremont/Mission 21.8 C 22.8 C 

6. Beale/Mission 14.9 B 20.0 C 

7. Main/Mission 15.6 C 21.9 C 

8. Second/Howard 12.3 B 25.7 D 

9. First/Howard 31.9 D 42.1 E 

10. Fremont/Howard 20.1 C 29.4 D 

11. Beale/Howard 16.2 C 28.7 D 

12. Main/Howard 15.4 C 25.2 D 

13. Spear/Howard 13.9 B 15.5 C 

14. Second/Folsom 32.5 D >60 F 

15. First/Folsom >60 F >60 F 

16. Fremont/Folsom 7.7 B 22.6 C 

17. Beale/Folsom 14.5 B 14.7 B 

18. Main/Folsom 12.1 B 15.6 C 

19. Spear/Folsom 11.1 B 13.3 B 

20. The Embarcadero/Folsom 18.2 C 31.3 D 

21. Second/Harrison 44.9 E >60 F 

22. Essex/Harrison >60 F >60 F 

23. First/Harrison >60 F >60 F 

24. Fremont/Harrison 37.0 D 47.8 E 

25. Main/Harrison 32.0 D >60 F 

26. Spear/Harrison 15.4 C 22.9 C 

27. Second/Bryant >60 F >60 F 

Sources: San Francisco County Transportation Authority, Wilbur Smith Associates, September 2001

3.2.4 FUTURE STREET NETWORK IN PROJECT AREA

The following roadway improvements are not part of the proposed Terminal / Extension / 

Redevelopment project, but are expected to be in place by the year 2020. Most of these changes 

would be related to the roadway improvements called for under the San Francisco Department of 

Parking and Traffic (DPT) Variant Alternative, selected by the San Francisco Board of 

Supervisors as the Locally Preferred Alternative for the replacement of the Embarcadero 

Freeway and the Terminal Separator Structure. 

• The existing I-80 Fremont Street off-ramp would be modified. Design for this off-ramp is 

currently under discussion between Caltrans and the City/County of San Francisco. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-39 

• First Street would be restriped between Howard and Harrison Streets to provide a new peakhour only left-side transit lane against the east curb. Left turns from First Street onto Harrison 

Street would be allowed in this transit lane during peak hours. 

• Harrison Street would be re-striped to one-way westbound, from First Street to Third Street. 

• When warranted by congestion levels in the future (sometime before the year 2015), the 

existing evening peak-period carpool operation on the Bryant Street approaches to the 

Sterling Street on-ramp would be changed to mixed-flow operation, and the current mixedflow operation on the Essex Street approach to the Bay Bridge would be restricted to HOV 

operation during the evening peak period. 

3.2.5 FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS: NO-PROJECT ALTERNATIVE

Table 3.2-1 presents the current 2001 and projected 2020 No-Project LOS conditions for the 27 

study intersections during the evening peak hour. The levels of service shown reflect normal 

traffic conditions. 

Given the high volume-to-capacity ratios estimated at the freeway on-ramps in the vicinity of the 

existing Transbay Terminal, the intersections near these ramps would quickly deteriorate to less 

than acceptable conditions (LOS E or F) in the case of an accident, construction, or a stall on the 

Bay Bridge or on U.S. 101, or in the case of greater traffic volumes (on the freeway or on local 

streets) than those projected to occur under normal conditions. The DPT estimates that "incident" 

conditions occur in the evening peak period about 25 percent to 30 percent of weekday evenings, 

and less often in the morning commute period. 

Table 3.2-1 shows that five additional intersections have projected increases in delay to 

unacceptable levels (LOS E or F) between 2001 and 2020 for the evening peak hour. These are 

First/Mission, First/Howard, Second/Folsom, Second/Harrison, and Main/Harrison. Two other 

intersections are projected to degrade from LOS C to D between 2001 and 2020: Beale/Howard 

and Embarcadero/Folsom. 

3.3 PARKING 

The focused parking study area is bounded by Market Street to the north, Fourth Street to the 

west, Townsend Street to the south, and The Embarcadero to the east (Figure 3.3-1). This study 

area represents an approximate 10-minute walking distance to and from the existing Transbay 

Terminal site. The parking analysis focuses on off-street parking facilities such as lots and 

garages in the South-of-Market area. 

Within the study area, the City and the Port as well as private entities are responsible for 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-40 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

managing parking. The Port of San Francisco is responsible for on-street and off-street parking 

resources within its jurisdiction, including spaces along The Embarcadero. The San Francisco 

DPT is responsible for on-street parking outside Port jurisdiction. Off-street parking resources 

outside Port jurisdiction are generally privately owned and managed. Some off-street parking 

areas are located on land owned by Caltrans, which leases lots to private operators, usually 

through short term leases. 

Parking garages and surface lots are scattered throughout the study area. Most are small-tomedium in size, containing 20 to 350 parking spaces. Some larger garages also exist, with 

capacities of 700 spaces or more. Weekday midday and evening period field surveys were 

conducted in August 1999 and January 2001 by Wilbur Smith Associates to determine the 

occupancy rate of the parking supply in the study area. The data presented in Table 3.3-1 show 

an overall parking occupancy rate of 85 percent during the midday on weekdays. 

Table 3.3-1: Existing Parking within the Project Study Area 

Type of Parking 

Facility 

Number of Parking 

Facilities 

Parking Spaces 

Available 

Parking Spaces 

Used 

Percent 

Occupancy [1] 

Garage 30 7,631 6,288 82% 

Lot 44 6,495 5,653 87% 

Lot/Garage 2 215 200 93% 

Total 74 14,341 12,141 85% 

Notes: [1] Weekday - midday 

Source: Wilbur Smith Associates, August 1999. Field checked January and November 2001. 

In addition to parking in the lots and garages, there are approximately 2,750 on-street spaces in 

the study area. About 200 of these spaces are under the San Francisco Port Authority’s 

jurisdiction. The on-street parking spaces are generally relatively full during normal weekday 

conditions. 

3.4 NON-MOTORIZED TRAFFIC CONDITIONS 

This section reviews the existing pedestrian and bicycle conditions in the area surrounding the 

Transbay Terminal and includes the following analyses: 

• Pedestrian levels of service at five intersections – crosswalks and corners; 

• Sidewalk widths throughout the study area; 

• Qualitative analysis of on-sidewalk pedestrian conditions throughout the study area; 

• Origin/destination analysis of study area pedestrian traffic; and 

• Bicycle access and traffic counts at five intersections. 

Pedestrian conditions are presented first, followed by bicycle conditions. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-41 

.Figure 3.3-1: Parking Study Area
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-42 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

3.4.1 PEDESTRIAN CONDITIONS

The City and County of San Francisco adopted a Downtown Streetscape Plan in 1995 that 

assigns a street typology to downtown roadways. The type of streets include “Special Streets,” 

"Second Level Streets,” “Destination Streets,” “Walkthrough Alleys,” and “Base Case Streets.” 

The following street designations apply to the streets in the area surrounding the Transbay 

Terminal, 

Special Streets: Mission Street 

Second Level Streets: Beale Street, Second Street 

Walkthrough Alleys: Ecker, Natoma, Minna, Garden Walk 

Base Case: All other streets 

The Downtown Streetscape Plan applies design guidelines and standards based on the street 

designations. Amenities, such as public art, banners, benches, sidewalk displays, and private 

street light installation are encouraged on Second Level Streets, and distinctive, decorated 

sidewalk elements are reserved for Special Streets. 

3.4.1.1 Intersection Analysis 

Evening peak hour pedestrian and bicycle counts were conducted at the following five 

intersections: 

• Mission and First Streets; 

• Mission and Fremont Streets; 

• Howard and First Streets; 

• Howard and Fremont Streets; and 

• Folsom and Beale Streets. 

The first four intersections are those that immediately surround the Transbay Terminal. The fifth 

intersection was selected for analysis given the projected levels of future development along 

Folsom Street. The counts were conducted between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The locations of 

the intersections are shown in Figure 3.4-1. The Levels of Service (LOS) for the five 

intersections were calculated using the methodology from the 1994 update to the 1985 Highway 

Capacity Manual. Additional qualitative analysis follows the calculations of LOS. Crosswalk 

and corner LOS are measurements of the amount of space (square feet) each pedestrian has in the 

crosswalk or on the corner. These measurements depend on pedestrian volumes, signal timing, 

corner dimensions, crosswalk dimensions and roadway widths. LOS A represents free-flowing 

pedestrian conditions, while LOS F indicates that there are substantial restrictions to pedestrian 

movement and speed. Two aspects of pedestrian traffic were measured: standard flow and 

maximum surge conditions. Maximum surge occurs when pedestrians clump together due to 

sidewalk obstructions, blocking by a group of slower-moving pedestrians, a simultaneous 

departure or arrival by many pedestrians, or when pedestrians from either side of the crosswalk 

meet mid-way. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-43 

Pedestrian conditions as measured by this LOS analysis show that all the crosswalks analyzed 

are functioning at LOS B or better during both standard flow and surge conditions. The majority 

of the corners are also functioning at LOS B or better, although two of 20 corners analyzed 

showed LOS C. The crosswalk and corner LOS analysis is summarized in Table 3.4-1, Existing 

Pedestrian LOS. Figure 3.4-1 maps the intersections and their levels of service. 

Table 3.4-1: Existing Pedestrian LOS – PM Peak Conditions (Peak 15 Minutes) 

Intersection Crosswalk 

Ped Space 

(sq ft/ped) LOS Surge LOS Corner Ped Space (sq ft/ped) LOS 

North 64 B B NW 43 B 

East 125 B B NE 34 C 

South 193 A B SW 100 B Mission & First 

West 149 A B SE 99 B 

North 109 B B NW 50 B 

East 171 A B NE 62 B 

South 75 B B SW 214 A 

Mission & 

Fremont 

West 126 B B SE 63 B 

North 389 A A NW 118 A 

East 319 A A NE 192 A 

South 890 A A SW 103 B Howard & First 

West 245 A A SE 69 B 

North 115 B B NW 80 B 

East 308 A A NE 98 B 

South 806 A A SW 35 C 

Howard & 

Fremont 

West 348 A A SE 136 A 

North 689 A A NW 211 A 

East 1083 A A NE 213 A 

South 467 A A SW 160 A Folsom & Beale 

West 508 A A SE 226 A 

Source: Nelson\Nygaard pedestrian analysis, August 2001. 

The southern sidewalk between Fremont and First Streets along Howard Street was closed due to 

construction at the time this pedestrian analysis was conducted. As a result, the sidewalk widths 

at the southwest corner of Howard and Fremont and the southeast corner of Howard and First 

have been narrowed from their traditional widths. While fewer pedestrians are using these 

corners due to the blocked sidewalk, the narrower holding area at each of these corners 

negatively impacts the LOS. 

The evening peak 15-minute period varied between and within each intersection. Of the twenty 

corners analyzed, eight saw their peak pedestrian volumes between 5:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m., 

while six peaked between 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-44 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Figure 3.4-1: Map of Crosswalk and Corner Pedestrian Level of Service 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-45 

3.4.1.2 Sidewalk Conditions 

Sidewalk widths were measured in the area surrounding the Transbay Terminal from Main Street 

on the east to Folsom Street on the south to First Street on the west, and to Mission Street on the 

north. Sidewalk widths vary throughout the area and even within the same block. In general, 

widths range from about eight feet to 16 feet. An exception is the temporary condition created 

by construction on Howard Street between First and Fremont. In this area, temporary sidewalks 

are as narrow as four feet. Figure 3.4-2, Sidewalk Dimensions, shows a schematic of sidewalk 

widths throughout the area. 

Some general observations about pedestrian conditions in the area are: 

• Sidewalks are widest and most attractive in the northeast corner of the defined area (e.g., 

Main and Mission; Beale and Mission). In this area, some sidewalks feature surface detail 

(e.g., bricks), sidewalk tables, and well-groomed street trees. 

• The further a pedestrian moves south in the defined area, the less attractive become the 

sidewalks. Several areas of sidewalk along Folsom Street are cracked and rutted; several 

sidewalk sections in the southern part of the study area feel “barren” given the parking lots, 

large faceless buildings and construction sites that front the street. 

• The pedestrian experience along Fremont and First Streets is hampered by the Transbay 

Terminal structure itself. Where the terminal crosses the street, the sidewalks are wide, but 

they are dark and more likely to be inhabited by members of the homeless community. 

• Morning traffic turning left off Folsom onto Fremont Street creates conflicts with pedestrians 

crossing Fremont on the north side of the intersection. 

• Evening traffic turning left off Howard onto First Street creates conflicts with pedestrians 

crossing First Street on the south side of the intersection. 

• Intersections along Folsom Street do not have pedestrian crossing signals. 

• The north-south streets of First, Fremont and Beale have fewer street trees than do the eastwest streets of Mission and Howard. Street trees and street furniture vary from block to 

block and within blocks. 

• Street furniture in the area is limited to newspaper racks, trash receptacles, parking meters, 

and tall light stands designed for traffic lighting. While newspaper racks do not necessarily 

impede pedestrian flow, they often clutter the corners and many are not well maintained. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-46 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Figure 3.4-2: Sidewalk Dimensions 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-47 

3.4.1.3 Special Pedestrian Conditions 

The following three unique pedestrian conditions occur in the Transbay Terminal area: 

1. Morning unloading of casual carpoolers at Howard and Fremont Streets; 

2. Evening queuing for casual carpoolers along Beale Street; and 

3. Evening queuing for Golden Gate Transit buses along Mission and Fremont Streets. 

Morning Casual Carpool Unloading. During the morning commute, many carpools unload 

their passengers at the intersection of Howard and Fremont Streets. Observed pedestrian flows 

during this morning period revealed that there is not adequate curb space for cars unloading these 

passengers. The situation has been temporarily exacerbated by the construction occurring on 

Howard Street between Fremont and First Streets. Passengers often disembark vehicles into 

Howard Street as cars make the turn off Fremont. The unloading of passengers creates 

temporary back-ups of vehicles turning left onto Howard from Fremont. 

Evening Casual Carpool Queues. In the evenings, commuters who work in downtown 

San Francisco and live in the East Bay queue up along the west side of Beale Street between 

Folsom and Howard Streets to wait for casual carpool rides home. The pedestrian queues begin 

to form around 3:00 p.m. and reach their peak between 5:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. The line for 

carpools to Vallejo, Fairfield, and Suisun forms at the north end of the block closest to Howard 

Street and is the longest of the carpool lines. At its longest, the Vallejo/Fairfield/Suisun queue 

snakes up the block toward Folsom Street until it gets too close to the neighboring 

Hercules/Richmond queue. It then doubles back on itself, travels down the block toward 

Howard Street and wraps around the corner onto Howard. The carpool lines block the sidewalk, 

but those waiting in the queues are orderly and allow passage by through-pedestrians. There is 

no shelter available for waiting passengers, and some casual carpoolers wait up to an hour for a 

carpool ride. 

By 5:15 p.m., the carpool lines have shrunk to just a few waiting commuters and by 6:00 p.m., 

there is no one standing in line. Instead, the waiting carpools begin to queue at the curb. At 

most, four cars were observed lined up at the curb, and there is adequate curb space to 

accommodate these vehicles. At the south end of the block, there is the potential that queued-up 

vehicles could block access to the Golden Gate Transit bus storage site at Howard and Main 

Streets. The volume of vehicles observed, however, did not approach levels that would create 

this condition. 

Evening Golden Gate Transit Queues. There are three main Golden Gate Transit (GGT) 

queue areas, as follows: 

1. The north side of Mission Street between First and Fremont Streets, near First; 

2. The west side of Fremont Street just south of Mission Street; and 

3. The west side of Fremont Street just north of Mission Street. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-48 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

The GGT bus stops along Mission Street are well signed with a large GGT kiosk that clearly 

identifies which GGT buses stop where and includes some bus schedules. Passengers for GGT, 

SamTrans, and Muni buses line up along this 14-foot wide sidewalk area. The bus shelter is 

closest to First Street and to the Muni stops. It is not large enough to accommodate all waiting 

passengers. There is some queuing for the three bus services and sometimes it is unclear to the 

passenger which queue is for which bus. Overall, however, passengers line up in an orderly 

fashion and allow through-pedestrians to pass by. When rounding the corner from First onto 

Mission Street, there is some pedestrian blockage due to the location of the bus shelter and 

waiting passengers. This is also the corner with the highest observed peak pedestrian flows in 

the area (see Figure 3.4-1) and a pedestrian LOS of C. 

The GGT bus stops along Fremont Street just south of Mission Street have the longest queues 

and create the most sidewalk congestion. The congestion peaks between 5:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. 

when as many as 25 people wait in a 144-square-foot area. The sidewalk width in this area is 

about 14.5 feet, but the bus shelter reduces its effective width. In addition, the sidewalk is 

bordered by a temporary plywood wall that prevents waiting bus passengers from being able to 

step back from the sidewalk. The bus queue travels up Fremont Street and at times provides only 

about two feet of clearance for through pedestrians. This GGT stop is also not well-signed. 

There is a poorly painted curbline stop and a GGT decal on a traffic signal post. Another 

difficulty at this stop is a lack of curb space for buses to pull up at the same time. 

The third GGT bus stop in the area is located along Fremont Street just north of Mission Street. 

This stop has the fewest pedestrian queuing problems. The sidewalk at the stop is no wider than 

the sidewalk at the stop south of Mission Street, but the adjacent building features an overhang, 

which creates an additional six to ten feet of pedestrian space and provides shelter for waiting 

passengers. Passengers have enough room to create an orderly line that allows room for through 

pedestrians. 

At all three stops, the highest number of pedestrians waiting for buses occurs between 4:30 p.m. 

and 5:15 p.m. Figure 3.4-3, Pedestrian Activity Areas, summarizes the pedestrian conditions in 

the Transbay area. Most GGT buses and all Golden Gate ferries are equipped to transport 

bicycles. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-49 

Figure 3.4-3: Pedestrian Activity Areas 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-50 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

3.4.1.4 Origin/Destination Analysis 

It is important to understand the destination of pedestrians flowing out of the Transbay Terminal 

area to identify key pedestrian travel corridors. To gather this information, surveys were 

conducted around the Terminal. Passengers riding Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans and other 

transportation modes were intercepted outside the Transbay Terminal. In addition, surveys were 

distributed to waiting AC Transit passengers inside the Transbay Terminal. The surveys asked 

these Transbay Terminal area patrons about their destinations after leaving the terminal area and 

origins before coming to the terminal area. Valid surveys were collected from 2,570 Transbay 

Terminal patrons. About 690 surveys were collected from passengers outside the terminal and 

about 1,880 were collected from people inside the terminal. 

The survey was conducted during evening commute hours and asked people about their travel 

patterns both when leaving the terminal in the morning and returning to the terminal area in the 

evening. Patrons were asked how they got to the Terminal area in the morning. The mode of 

travel to San Francisco of those surveyed is shown in Table 3.4-2. 

Table 3.4-2: Mode of Travel to San Francisco 

Mode Frequency Percent 

AC Transit 1,078 41.95 

Carpool 826 32.14 

Golden Gate Transit 249 9.69 

MUNI bus 159 6.19 

BART 119 4.63 

SamTrans 63 2.45 

Napa Valley Commute Club 25 0.97 

Drove 14 0.54 

Ferry 9 0.35 

Bike Shuttle 8 0.31 

MUNI light rail 6 0.23 

Walked 4 0.16 

Greyhound 3 0.12 

Other/No Response 3 0.12 

Bicycled 2 0.08 

Caltrain 1 0.04 

VTA 1 0.04 

Total 2,570 100 

Source: Nelson\Nygaard, August 2001

Figure 3.4-4 shows the San Francisco destinations of the Transbay Terminal area patrons after 

leaving the terminal area in the morning. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSP

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-51 

Figure 3.4-4: San Francisco Destinations of AM Transbay Terminal Area Patron
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-52 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

The majority (78 percent) of Transbay Terminal area patrons walk from the Terminal (or 

Terminal area) to their morning destinations. Just 1.7 percent (44 people) use BART to get to 

their destinations, 7.3 percent use Muni buses and 3.0 percent use the Muni Metro light rail. 

Table 3.4-3 shows how terminal patrons get to their morning destinations within San Francisco. 

Table 3.4-3: Mode of Travel from the Transbay Terminal to 

Morning San Francisco Destinations 

Mode Frequency Percent 

Walked 2001 77.86 

MUNI bus 188 7.32 

No Answer 138 5.37 

MUNI light rail 76 2.96 

BART 44 1.71 

N/A-didn't come through area in morning [1] 27 1.05 

Bicycle 26 1.01 

Drove 24 0.93 

Used a shuttle 23 0.89 

Other 15 0.58 

SamTrans/Golden Gate Bus 5 0.19 

Caltrain 3 0.12 

Total 2570 100 

Notes: [1] Since the survey was conducted in the PM, this choice was provided. 

Source: Nelson\Nygaard, August 2001

According to Table 3.4-3 above, 1.71 percent of Transbay Terminal Area patrons used BART to 

get their final destinations in San Francisco after coming to the Transbay Terminal area in the 

morning. Table 3.4-4 below shows the mode that patrons transferred from before getting on 

BART to travel within the city. 

About 27 percent (12 of 44) of those who said they used BART to get to their morning 

destinations in the city from the Terminal area were actually on BART for the whole trip9

. Just 

32 of the 2,543 patrons surveyed (1.3 percent) who came through the Transbay Terminal area in 

the morning transferred from another travel mode to BART. 

 

9 Because the survey was conducted in the evening, it was possible to have surveyed patrons in the terminal area who rode BART 

for their entire morning commute and did not actually come through the terminal area in the morning. Thus, these people did not 

transfer from another mode to BART.
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-53 

Table 3.4-4: Travel Mode of Survey Respondents 

Using BART To Get To San Francisco Destinations 

In the Morning 

Mode Number [1] Percentage 

AC Transit 11 25.00% 

BART 12 27.27% 

Carpool 9 20.45% 

MUNI bus 3 6.82% 

Golden Gate Transit 9 20.45% 

Total 44 100% 

Notes: [1] Terminal Area Patrons Using BART to get to their SF destination in the morning. 

Source: Nelson\Nygaard, August 2001

3.4.2 BICYCLE CONDITIONS

3.4.2.1 Bicycle Access 

Howard, Market, Folsom and Second Streets and the Embarcadero are designated as citywide 

bike routes serving the area. Howard, Folsom, and Embarcadero Street feature striped bike 

lanes while Market and Second Streets does not. The Howard Street bike lane runs on the north 

sides of the street between Fifth and Eleventh Streets but not within the area immediately around 

the Transbay Terminal. The San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic is currently 

considering a proposal to extend the Howard Street bike lane eastward to Fremont Street and 

provide a new bike lane on Second Street. 

There are many obstacles to bicycle riding on Folsom, Howard, and Market Streets. The sixfoot-wide bike lane on Folsom Street is not continuous throughout the study area. The bike lane 

stops and starts to allow for on-street parking and right-hand-turn lanes. Street parking on 

Howard Street forces bikes and cars to share a narrow lane along much of its length while 

stopped transit vehicles and traffic islands can impede both bicyclists and cars alike on Market 

Street. At the intersections of First and Howard Streets and Beale and Howard Streets, righthand-turn lanes force bicycles to merge into traffic. 

Public transit serving the area accommodates bicycles. Both BART and Caltrain allow bikes on 

trains. Caltrain has bike racks on certain cars, and each train is able to accommodate up to 24 

bikes. Most of AC Transit’s Transbay buses and most of SamTrans’ buses are equipped with 

bicycle racks. The Transbay Terminal itself has eight bike lockers. The City of San Francisco’s 

Department of Parking and Traffic purchased these lockers with a Clean Air Quality grant. The 

lockers are maintained with user fees. Lockers can be rented for six months or a year, for $45 

and $75, respectively. All are currently rented and there is a waiting list. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

3-54 Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 

Caltrans operates a bike shuttle between the MacArthur BART station in Oakland and the 

Transbay Terminal during morning and evening commute hours. Service consists of six morning 

and six evening trips. Four of the morning trips run east to west (Oakland to SF) and two run in 

the reverse commute direction (SF to Oakland). In the evening, four trips run from the Transbay 

Terminal (SF) to MacArthur BART (Oakland) and two run in the opposite direction. The fare is 

$1.00 each way. Each trip can accommodate up to 14 bicycles. 

3.4.2.2 Bicycle Traffic Levels 

While there is no standard for defining bicycle Levels of Service, bicycles counts were 

conducted to get a sense of the volume of bicycle traffic flowing through the study area. The 

counts were conducted at the five-named intersections between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. The 

peak 15-minute bicycle counts for each intersection are shown in Table 3.4-5. 

Table 3.4-5: Peak 15-Minute Bicycle Traffic Volumes 

Intersection Street Bikes Per Peak 15-Minutes 

Mission 2 Mission & First First 5 

Mission 3 Mission & Fremont Fremont 2 

Howard 11 Howard & First First 5 

Howard 9 Howard & Fremont Fremont 2 

Folsom 3 Folsom & Beale Beale 3 

The highest volumes of bicycle traffic in the evening peak were observed on Howard Street. 

Overall, bicycle traffic is light at the intersections observed. Figure 3.4-5 shows the bicycle 

network in the study area. 
CHAPTER 3: TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS 

Transbay Terminal / Caltrain Downtown Extension / Redevelopment EIS/EIR 3-55 

Figure 3.4-5: Map of Bicycle Network