Ingleside riders have all sorts of opinions about the proposal to remove bus stops on the 29-Sunset bus route.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency shared plans for the second phase of the 29-Sunset Improvement Project in early September. The proposal calls for removing four stops on Grafton Avenue and one stop on Holloway Avenue. (The first phase of the project was implemented in 2023 and focused on changes to the western side of the route, which left some.)
So what do Ingleisders think of the possible changes?
“It’s not horribly inconvenient, but it’s just not as convenient,” said Angelina Mercurio, a San Francisco State University student who uses the Holloway Avenue stop. “I see people using these stops. A lot of older folks use them.”
Alice Kazakov shared Mercurio’s position. She frequents the same Holloway Avenue stop that older residents or those with mobility issues use. While she doesn’t mind walking to nearby stops like the ones at Ocean and Plymouth avenues, she is worried others might.
Moreover, she is unsure if removing stops will fix the chronic overcrowding issues and long wait times since several stops on the route go near several high schools, City College of San Francisco and SFSU.
“If anything, more frequent service during peak commute times would be a better solution,” Kazakov said.
At the Jules and Grafton avenues stop, some riders are not opposed to the changes.
“I don’t really care,” SFSU student Karl Li, who has used the Jules Avenue stop for one year, said. “I can walk to school.”
The 29-Sunset bus route may see changes soon. | Anne Marie Kristoff/Ingleside Light
Nextdoor user Christopher Pederson told The Light he strongly supports the plan and finds the removal of stops to be an inexpensive way to boost the reliability of service and decrease wait times.
“People often say that they don't take the bus because it's too slow and unreliable,” Pederson said. “This is a way to meaningfully address that concern. If my usual stop is removed, I will walk the short distance to either of the stops at Capitol and Grafton or Bright and Garfield.”
Krish Krishnamoorthy said that before SFMTA commits to a plan, studies focusing on traffic and parking impacts should be conducted.
“Before full implementation, it would be great to run a pilot program to see how people respond and whether traffic really improves,” Krishnamoorthy said. “Adding suggestion boxes or polls on buses could help gather valuable feedback.”
Riders can submit feedback to the SFMTA until Sept. 30 via an online survey.
Anne Marie Kristoff (she/her) is a recent graduate from San Francisco State University's journalism program. She enjoys writing about the arts, entertainment and nature.
