URBAN EXPLORER / SF’S FAULTY TRANSIT CENTER FIXED

Original www.PillartoPost.org image shows escalators leading to Salesforce Transit Center 's Fremont Street level

PUBLIC APOLOGY COMES WITH JULY 1 REOPENING 

OPEN LETTER / Mohammed Nuru, Board Chair, Transbay Joint Powers Authority--In September 2018 the Salesforce Transit Center was temporarily closed as a precaution after fissures were found in two beams on the bus deck of the new, four-block-long, one-million-square-foot facility. I am happy to report that the problem has been fixed and we can move forward with reopening the facility, which independent experts have deemed to be safe, resilient and ready to resume operations to serve the Bay Area.

Fremont Street: 2 cracked beams fixed.

We committed to reopening the facility only after determining the cause of the fissures, repairing the affected area, performing a facility-wide review, and fully cooperating with an independent review. I am happy to report that all of these steps are now complete and the Salesforce Transit Center will reopen to the public on July 1. Local bus service out of the street level bus plaza will resume in early July and regional bus service from the third level bus deck will resume later this summer.

Independent oversight gives green light

Public safety is at the core of our work. I would like to apologize to our transit riders and to the public for the inconvenience they experienced due to the closure. As a taxpayer-funded project, we are held to a high standard in design, engineering, and construction excellence. We know we let you down. Be assured that the problem was addressed with thorough, proper, and independent oversight and all have concluded that the issue was localized to the Fremont Street location. I would like to thank San Francisco Mayor London Breed and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for requesting the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s independent review. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission has affirmed that the center can now reopen. We are thankful for the expert, independent review.

Plea to return.

The transit center is a safe, strong and sustainable facility and we are eager to welcome you back. From our five-acre world-class rooftop park complete with year-round free events and activities to our acclaimed public art program to efficient and reliable transit options, there are many reasons to come to Salesforce Transit Center.

OK, the big, big baby burped, now let's see how things go during its toddler years.

For information about park activities, new services, hours of operation, and the temporary closure, please go to salesforcetransitcenter.com. Again, thank you for your patience as we carried out all of the steps necessary to reopen the transit center and welcome you back.

Mohammed Nuru took plenty of the heat for the temporary, but serious, flaws that closed the barely new Salesforce Transit Center closure last fall.  They fixed it and apologized. Onward.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Mohammed Nuru serves as director of San Francisco Public Works, overseeing one of that City's 1,600 member workforce, a $312 million annual operating budget and an active capital project portfolio more than $5.6 billion. He is also the Board Chair of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.