San Francisco Mobilizes for Crucial Transit Measures as Muni Ridership Reaches Half a Million Daily Passengers

Muni Ridership Surpasses 500,000 Daily Passengers Amid Budget Safeguards

SAN FRANCISCO, California — Celebrating a milestone resurgence in regional public transit usage, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced in late September 2026 that average weekday Muni ridership has officially surpassed 500,000 passengers. Powered by robust frequency restorations and comprehensive safety initiatives, weekend system ridership has surpassed pre-pandemic benchmarks, with passenger customer satisfaction ratings reaching their highest levels in 25 years.

To safeguard this transit turnaround against an impending $307 million operating deficit caused by the exhaustion of federal pandemic relief grants, municipal transit leaders and Mayor Daniel Lurie mobilized public support for Proposition H and the regional Connect Bay Area Act on the upcoming November ballot. The measures establish dedicated revenue streams for transit maintenance, averting catastrophic service reductions and protecting operator employment across San Francisco's 72 bus and light rail lines.

Potrero Yard Modernization and M Ocean View Infrastructure Upgrades Complete

Demonstrating commitment to state-of-good-repair capital delivery, SFMTA engineering crews completed major emergency track reconstruction along the M Ocean View line at San Jose and Niagara avenues on September 28, 2026, restoring full light-rail train service ahead of schedule. Concurrently, environmental demolition permits were officially filed for the 2500 Mariposa Street site, launching the historic Potrero Yard Modernization Project, which integrates a modern bus maintenance facility with approximately 500 units of permanently affordable housing built above the depot.

Board of Supervisors Advances Unified Housing Department and 921-Unit Tower

In municipal governance, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors advanced structural reforms to streamline housing delivery, moving forward with legislation to create a unified municipal housing department. Supervisors also celebrated the final entitlement approval for the 10 South Van Ness Avenue tower, a 55-story development delivering 921 homes in the Hub district. Civic leaders emphasized that pairing ambitious transit-oriented residential development with dedicated mass transit funding positions San Francisco for resilient and equitable urban renewal.