Muni trims stops on 30-Stockton to speed ride

A portion of Muni’s 30-Stockton route will soon make fewer transit stops in order improve the reliability of the route.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Board of Directors on Wednesday approved plans to reduce bus stops along the Chestnut Street, North Point Street and Van Ness Avenue portion of the 30-Stockton.

The proposal approved by the board includes removing 10 stops, four in the inbound direction and six in the outbound direction.

The transit agency will remove bus stops along Chestnut Street at Franklin, Octavia, Buchanan, Scott, Broderick streets and Mallorca Way.

Muni Forward Program Manager Sean Kennedy said the bus nearly stops at every block on that 1.5 mile segment and can take a bus up to 11 minutes to get through the area.

Kennedy said Muni riders can expect to save as much as 25 percent in the travel time:

“The time savings themselves is not as important as the reliability we think that’s going to bring to the service to the whole 30 line, not just on Chestnut.”

The plan also includes adding bus bulbs at the remaining transit stops and transit islands.

A morning transit-only lane was in the original proposal, but was not favored by the community, said Kennedy. Traffic signals were also proposed at several intersections, but those were not favored as well.

Muni riders on the 30X-Marina line will soon be getting some relief from overcrowded buses. Kennedy said the transit agency plans to roll out 60-foot buses during peak service times starting next month as part of another Muni service increase.

The $8.4 million project will coincide with a San Francisco Department of Public Works repaving project on Chestnut Street set to begin sometime in 2017, the transit agency said.