San Francisco residents celebrated the return of the Muni 21-Hayes bus to Golden Gate Park, especially those living in the Western Addition, Hayes Valley and Tenderloin neighborhoods, while parkgoers took their first ride on adaptive bicycles on John F. Kennedy Drive.
Saturday's celebration was announced by the San Francisco Recreation and Park District (SFRPD) and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).
Advocates for transit riders, seniors, and people with disabilities boarded the 21-Hayes bus at Alamo Square for a community ride with representatives from SFRPD and SFMTA and Supervisor Dean Preston, who supported the reinstatement of the line, which had been suspended since March 2020.
The slightly modified new route runs every 20 minutes from Grove and Hyde streets near Civic Center Station and the main library to St. Mary's Hospital, just across the street from the east end of Golden Gate Park, including the car-free JFK Drive. It is one of three mainline routes back in service, which also includes the 6-Haight-Parnassus and 2-Sutter lines.
“After a long wait, I am happy to welcome these neighborhood bus lines back,” said Mayor London Breed.
“As our city continues to recover from the impacts brought on by the pandemic, we must ensure that it is easier for all residents to access all that San Francisco has to offer, especially our public spaces. Restoring Muni to pre-pandemic levels and providing equitable alternative modes of transportation will help us deliver on our promise to create a more accessible San Francisco.”
For his part, Supervisor Preston detailed that “public transportation is fundamental to our city. I am delighted to celebrate the return of these essential bus lines, including my daily commute: the 21 Hayes.”
“This has been a difficult time for transit riders, operators, and all the workers who keep transit running. I greatly appreciate the remarkable coalition of advocates who successfully pushed for the return of these lines, and I look forward to continuing to champion efforts to restore and expand transit in our city,” she added.
On Saturday, at Golden Gate Park, community members hopped on the park’s free shuttle to watch a demonstration of the Bay Area Recreation and Outreach Program’s Adaptive Cycling Program, which was launched.
The free program matches people with disabilities with adaptive bicycles by reservation. BORP Cycling Center houses one of the largest collections of adaptive bicycles in the world, including handcycles, recumbents, side-by-side tandems and other models. The program serves children, youth and adults with physical and visual disabilities, as well as their family members and friends.
“Golden Gate Park belongs to everyone, and we are delivering on our promise to improve access to its treasures,” said Phil Ginsburg, general manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park District.
“The Adaptive Cycling Program means that park visitors, regardless of disability, can reap the benefits of nature while enjoying an exciting workout at car-free JFK,” she said.
“We are listening to the community and know there is strong support for both a robust transit system and improved access to the parks,” said Jeffrey Tumlin, SFMTA’s director of transportation. “We are pleased to support healthy transportation options for all San Franciscans traveling to and around Golden Gate Park, especially those with limited mobility options.”
The Adaptive Cycling Program will run from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. by appointment from April through October. Locations will alternate between Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park next to the new accessible shell lot and Great Highway at Judah Street.
To reserve a bicycle, interested parties may contact BORP Cycling Center at (510) 848-2930 or cycling@borp.org.
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