SFMTA unveils draft environmental report for proposed Muni projects

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has released a draft environmental impact report for the Transit Effectiveness Project (TEP) designed to improve the Municipal Railway (Muni).

The TEP is a joint effort between the agency and the City Controller's Office that aims to "transform Muni so that people can get where they what to go more quickly, reliably and safely," SFMTA officials said in a press release.

The plan features travel time reduction proposals; service changes and associated systemwide infrastructure upgrades; terminal and transfer point improvements; overhead wire expansions; and long-term studies. Together, the TEP proposals anticipate up to a 20 percent reduction in travel time and a 10 percent increase in service along eight project corridors.

"The TEP is a crucial yet enormous undertaking that we must commit to in order to improve Muni," said SFMTA Chairman Tom Nolan.

The TEP draft environmental report contains an analysis by the San Francisco Planning Department on the environmental impacts of a broad range of Muni project proposals.

In fall, agency officials expect to solicit public input to refine the projects, as described in the draft environmental report, to develop the final implementation plan.