San Francisco Chronicle: Chinatown subway plan gets agency's nod

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S.F. Chinatown subway plan gets agency's nod
Cecilia M. Vega, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, February 20, 2008


A plan to build a subway to San Francisco's Chinatown received a nod of approval Tuesday from the governing board that oversees the city's transportation agency, but officials warn the $1.3 billion project still faces a series of hurdles.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve a route change for the proposed 1.7-mile Central Subway, which would act as an extension to the newly constructed T-Third line.

Under the route change, the subway line would go underground after the Fourth and Brannan streets station. Previously, the plan called for the train to go below ground a few blocks south at Fourth and King streets, but MTA officials said residents in the South of Market neighborhood lobbied for the change.

The subway will run below ground all the way to its destination in Chinatown, an area with comparatively few transit options.

Officials hope to begin construction in 2010 and have the line running by 2016. The new route is expected to reduce what is now a 20-minute bus trip from Muni's station at Fourth and King streets to Chinatown down to seven minutes. At its peak, the line could carry as many 80,000 riders a day, said Nathaniel Ford, the MTA's executive director.

Mayor Gavin Newsom and transit leaders praised the plan, saying it will improve Muni's overall on-time performance and provide a much-needed public transportation route for tourists and Chinatown residents.

"At the end of the day, the Chinese community deserves this project," Newsom said. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/02/20/BAE0V5482.DTL&hw=chinatown+subway&sn=001&sc=1000