Problems persist with drivers attempting to enter Muni tunnels

It keeps happening, again and again.

On the night of Sept. 25, an unauthorized vehicle entered the Sunset Tunnel near Carl and Cole streets around 7:37 p.m. The N-Judah was delayed until about 9:28 p.m., according an incident report from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Bus shuttles supported the N-Judah during the delay.

Hoodline reports that San Francisco police arrested the driver for driving under the influence.

Incidents like these are not uncommon for the transit agency. According incident report from the SFMTA, a vehicle on Aug.19 stalled at the entrance of the Sunset Tunnel blocking the N-Judah from 5:40 a.m. to 6: 42 a.m.

The SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose said since 2010, the transit agency reported 22 incidents of unauthorized vehicles blocking or entering the Sunset Tunnel.

No data was available on how many drivers have entered or attempted to enter the Duboce Tunnel, which is where the N-Judah and J-Church get into Muni’s underground subway.

Despite the lack of data, that tunnel too has been the scene of incidents of drivers attempting to enter the tunnel.

Rose said the transit agency put up new “DO NOT ENTER” electronic signs this year near Carl and Cole Streets to dissuade drivers from entering the Sunset Tunnel. Electronic signs at intersection of Church Street and Duboce Avenue were put up by the transit agency in 2011, said Rose:

“We’re always looking for ways to deter and prevent autos from entering the tunnel.”

Speed bumps are present on both entrances of the Sunset Tunnel and at the Duboce Tunnel.

The bumps help change the feel of the road to hint at the motorist that they should not drive on this part of road, but it still did not stop the motorist from entering the tunnel during the incident on Sept. 25.

The transit agency does close the gates late at night once trains stop running to prevent motorists from entering the tunnel in the middle of the might, but the incident on Sept. 25 happened during when N-Judah trains were still running.

When an incident happens like the one on Sept. 25, there is a protocol that the transit agency follows. First, a number of transit agency staff including a supervisor and the rail track department, are called to the scene. A tow company and the police department are also contacted.

Rose said the supervisor assesses the situation and the track department inspects the track for damage and aids in moving the vehicle. The tow company removes the vehicle and the police department assists with any other issues and cites the driver.

The incident on Sept. 25 occured with an N-Judah train already inside the Sunset Tunnel, so Muni riders were assisted in getting of the train.

Twitter users came up with some ideas to prevent these incidents from happening again including spike strips and bollards that move down as a train arrives and then move back up to block vehicles:

Spike strips

— C. Ungar (@ratherjaundiced) September 28, 2016

Can't they install some bollards that lowers when a train arrives? https://t.co/7REHV2zjFf

— Akit (@AgentAkit) September 27, 2016

https://twitter.com/soundslikepuget/status/780958493901631489

https://twitter.com/mike3k/status/780959548022464513

Have the N go underground from Van Ness to Carl & Cole and remove the tunnel entrance entirely 🙏

— chris arvin (@chrisarvinsf) September 28, 2016

(of course, a fully grade separated tramway—or subway—would definitely solve this…)

— ʀeeᴅ (@reedm) September 28, 2016

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.