Re: Munisides

07/25/09 - posted by John Martini

Hey JB. Please excuse this departure from purely fog-bound Outside Lands topics, but change is in the air for the historic MUNI streetcars.

Barring anything unforeseen (aside from environmental impacts and such), plans are proceeding to extend the waterfront streetcar line from the Embarcadero to the Marina.

There's a nearly-forgotten train tunnel that runs beneath Fort Mason and connects Aquatic Park with the Marina Green, and plans call for reopening it as a streetcar tunnel for what will be designated the "E Embarcadero" line.

The original plan called for digging up the now-buried tracks beneath the Marina Green and have the E cars run all the way to the Presidio and Crissy Field, but there's some pretty vehement opposition from Marina Boulevard homeowners. I was at a public meeting where one stated "I'll be danged if I'll ever let any Toonerville Trolleys full of tourists run past my windows!"

For now, plans call for stopping the E Car across from the Marina Safeway.

More info at http://blog.streetcar.org/2009/06/reunifying-the-wharf.html