Facility-Wide Review Complete; Independent Expert Panel Confirms that Transit Center Can Reopen to the Public; Reopening Set for July 1, 2019 with Local Bus Service to Begin in Early July; Regional Bus Service to Follow in Late Summer
San Francisco, CA – The Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) today announced that the Salesforce Transit Center and public rooftop park will reopen on July 1, 2019 at 6 a.m.
Muni and Golden Gate Transit will provide bus service from the street level bus plaza in early July. AC Transit’s 26 Transbay bus lines, Greyhound and Westcat Lynx anticipate service from the bus deck to resume in late summer 2019 following operator training and rider notice. Salesforce Park, the Grand Hall, Food Trucks and public art installations will be open and available on July 1st.
The transit center was temporarily closed last September as a precaution after fissures were found in two beams on the third level Bus Deck at Fremont Street. Since then, the TJPA has determined the cause of the fissures, repaired and reinforced the area, conducted an exhaustive review of the facility, completed a facility-wide fire and life safety reinspection program with city and state oversight, and recommissioned the entire facility.
In October 2018, San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf also asked the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to provide independent oversight and a review of the repairs, reinforcement and the structural steel at the transit center. After this eight month independent peer review, the MTC’s panel concluded that the issue was localized to the Fremont Street location and the transit center may now reopen to the public.
“We are pleased to welcome the public back to the transit center and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this temporary closure has caused,” said Mohammed Nuru, Chair of the Board of Directors, Transbay Joint Powers Authority. “I thank Mayor Breed and Mayor Schaaf for calling for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s independent review, which has now concluded. They provided thorough, proper and independent oversight. We can now reopen this critical piece of our transportation network and important source of open space to commuters, the neighborhood and the entire region.”
The transit center replaced the seismically deficient Transbay Terminal with a modern, regional transportation hub connecting transit systems throughout the Bay Area. It includes a 5.4-acre rooftop public park with free year-round events and activities, a public art program and shopping and dining. At more than one million square feet, the center stretches four blocks with four stories above ground and two stories below.
About the ReviewThe MTC empaneled five nationally-recognized experts in steel structures, fracture mechanics and metallurgy. They reviewed and approved TJPA’s sampling and testing plan; identification of the root cause of the failure; the temporary shoring design, and the steel girder repair and reinforcement. In addition, they affirmed the designer’s findings that no other areas were susceptible to brittle fracture (found and repaired at the Fremont Street location). The panel oversaw the designer’s efforts and independently affirmed the designer’s conclusion that the transit center can now reopen to the public. “We are getting the transit center ready to welcome commuters and the public back to the transit center,” said Mark Zabaneh, Executive Director of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. “We have undergone an exhaustive and independent review and we are fully confident in the transit center.”
Features at the Salesforce Transit Center
- Regional and local bus service
- Bus ramp with direct access to Bay Bridge
- Rooftop public park with free events and activities
- Food trucks on Natoma Street
- Pop Up Retail
- Transit fare kiosks
- Bike lockers and racks
- Beautiful public art
- Ambassadors and 24 hour security
- Park access via privately-operated gondola (new)
The Salesforce Transit Center is a 21st century, world-class transit center serving transportation systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Bounded by Mission, Howard, Beale and Second streets, the center is owned and operated by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority. Funded by U.S. Department of Transportation, State of California, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco County Transportation Authority, City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transportation Authority and AC Transit.
