New Transbay Terminal

originally posted 12/10/08: Dateline: The New City, southeast corner of Howard and Beale Sts, where California and City officials broke ground on the new Transbay Transit Center. Here was an event seemingly made for a Mr. San Francisco. After all, it’s billed as the “Grand Central Station of West.” Boosters promise the new terminal will accommodate 45 million passengers each year by 2015, link to eight counties, service an anticipated High Speed Rail line, extend the rail line from King Street, create new demand for rail and bus ridership, and remove 8,000 cars per day from the roads in a near future when the state says the City should expect 48,000 new daily commuters. But with so much economic uncertainty, the Transbay Joint Powers Authority struggles to garner enthusiasm from a skeptical San Francisco. The morning ground breaking had all the sentimentality of a mandatory study group. “Is this the epicenter of tomorrow’s San Francisco,” asked Mister SF, and there really wasn’t a City official outside of the TJPA who didn’t think I was kidding. A Chronicle reporter asked if Mister SF was working for the state. There may be no love for the new terminal so far, but we’ll stay tuned and see what develops.

Today’s Tomorrow? The Transbay Transit Center is coming to the New City, replacing the old Transbay Terminal.

Finger pointing already?