The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, in partnership with the Transbay Joint Powers Authority, announced the grand opening of the Salesforce Transit Center at 425 Mission Street, San Francisco. In advance of this historic relaunch of our Transbay Bus Lines, AC Transit will play active roles in an inaugural Ribbon Cutting and Neighborhood Block Party.
Ribbon Cutting
Bay Area mayors, transportation stakeholders, and federal officials are scheduled to attend the TJPA’s official Ribbon Cutting, Friday, August 10. AC Transit Board Director Greg Harper will be a featured speaker at the 11:00 am invitation-only event. Following the ribbon cutting, credentialed members of the media will have a photo or video opportunity and access to interviews with TJPA and AC Transit officials.
Neighborhood Block Party
To commemorate this milestone in Bay Area public transportation, AC Transit and our partner agencies will host a Neighborhood Block Party on Saturday, August 11 from Noon to 4:00 pm. Attendees should make their way to Level 3 of the Salesforce Transit Center where the bus deck will be transformed into a “bus garden.” The garden of rubberized wheels features coaches from bygone eras alongside the modern coaches of AC Transit, SFMTA, samTrans, Golden Gate Transit, WestCAT and others. Family festivities within the bus garden will include caricature and balloon artists, face painting, games, prizes and AC Transit’s child friendly one-quarter sized bus.
New Transbay Bus Lines Assignments
While we will say goodbye to the Temporary Transbay Terminal on Saturday, August 11 – Bus Lines F and NL will make final departures at 12:05 am — riders will not experience any diminishment of service. AC Transit will transfer our full roster of 27 weekday Transbay Bus Lines, three weekend Transbay Bus Lines, and our fleet of 140 buses to the Salesforce Transit Center.
“The new Salesforce Transit Center allows AC Transit to enhance our commitment to getting riders closer to jobs,” said Board of Directors President, Elsa Ortiz. “Additionally, its world-class design minimizes travel delays. Our buses now bypass congested San Francisco surface streets and travel a new dedicated bus ramp connecting the bus deck to the Bay Bridge.”
“Already more than 13,000 riders choose Transbay Bus Lines to San Francisco daily. Now, 30 bus bays dedicated exclusively to AC Transit allows us to better accommodate our increasingly popular service but also prepare for up to 300 additional daily trips and potentially 24,000 riders per hour,” said General Manager, Michael Hursh. “What’s more, the first of its kind Bus Storage Facility, located just adjacent to the Salesforce Transit Center helps us reduce fuel consumption, maintenance costs and greenhouse gases while preparing our network for the introduction of increased capacity double-decker buses before the year’s end.”
Salesforce Transit Center Bus Deck Facts & Features
- Crisscross walking paths have been replaced with a single easy to navigate bus deck;
- Located on Level 3, the bus deck features multiple public restrooms and digital transit information signs;
- Fully ADA compliant with ramps and elevators;
- Escalators, staircases and universal wayfinding span the Transit Center;
- The north side of the bus deck host odd numbered bus bays 1 – 37;
- The south side of the bus deck host even numbers bays 2 – 36;
- More bus bays create the potential of service expansion from 140 buses to 300 buses (at per peak hours);
- Rider capacity can now potentially grow from just over 13,000 to 24,000 per weekday.
- New bus bays are identifiable by nine-foot tall LED pylons. Each pylon houses a digital timepiece, lighted bay numbers and an innovative touchscreen design that allows riders to select their bus line, view maps and timetables, as well as up to the moment information.
- The new bus deck also shields riders from the elements and offers direct access to either the 5.4-acre rooftop public park or ultimately any one of the many shops and eateries extending across 100,000 square feet of the Transit Center.
- Riders should note the new Transit Center is a half-block walk from the Temporary Transbay Terminal.
- AC Transit supervisory staff and specially attired ambassadors will be onsite (at the Temporary Transbay Terminal and Salesforce Transit Center) August 6 – 17 with helpful maps and information to assist in the transition.
- Motorists entering the Bay Bridge eastbound – at First and Harrison Streets – should be mindful of a newly added merge lane from the dedicated bus ramp. Flashing safety lights are now activated alerting drivers to buses merging on the right.
