Taraval and 40th Avenue station

Taraval and 40th Avenue is a light rail stop on the Muni Metro L Taraval line, located in the Parkside neighborhood of San Francisco, California, United States. The station opened with the second section of the L Taraval line on January 14, 1923.

Taraval and 40th Avenue
L Taraval
The westbound stop, with a painted clear zone, an early trial change to Taraval and 40th Avenue station in May 2018
General information
LocationTaraval Street at 40th Avenue
San Francisco, California
Coordinates37°44′31″N 122°29′53″W / 37.74205°N 122.49819°W / 37.74205; -122.49819
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
Construction
AccessibleNo
History
OpenedJanuary 14, 1923[1]
Rebuilt2019–2021
Services
Preceding station Muni Following station
Taraval and 42nd Avenue
towards SF Zoo
L Taraval
Suspended
Taraval and Sunset
towards Embarcadero
Location
Map

Service edit

Since August 2020, service along the route is temporarily being provided by buses to allow for the construction of improvements to the L Taraval line. The project is expected to wrap up in 2024.[2]

The stop is served by the L Bus and L Owl bus routes, which provide service along the L Taraval line during the early morning and late night hours respectively when trains do not operate.[3]

Reconstruction edit

Like many stations on the line, Taraval and 40th Avenue has no platforms; trains stop at marked poles before the cross street, and passengers cross travel lanes to board. In March 2014, Muni released details of the proposed implementation of their Transit Effectiveness Project (later rebranded MuniForward), which included a variety of stop changes for the L Taraval line. The stops at 40th Avenue would be moved to the far side of the cross street as boarding islands, with a traffic signal with transit signal priority replacing the existing stop signs to prevent trains from stopping twice.[4]

 
Outbound platform construction in 2021

On September 20, 2016, the SFMTA Board approved the L Taraval Rapid Project. Construction will occur from 2018 to 2020.[5][6] Boarding islands are planned to be built at 40th Avenue; contrary to the original plan, the stops will remain on the near side of the cross street, with no new signal.[7] Early implementation of some project elements, including painted clear zones where the outbound boarding island will be located, was done in early 2017.[8]

In response to merchants complaining about the loss of parking spaces to allow for boarding islands, the Board agreed to an experimental pilot program on the inbound side at five stops: 26th, 30th, 32nd, 35th, and 40th Avenues. Painted stripes and signage were added to indicate that vehicles should stop behind trains to allow passengers to board and alight safely. If 90% of vehicles were observed to stop behind trains, Muni would not construct inbound boarding islands at the five locations.[9] The six-month testing period ran from April 3, 2017, to October 2017.[10] In November 2017, the SFMTA released the results of the study: only 74% of drivers stopped safely behind trains, and boarding islands will be built (except at 35th Avenue, which was closed for operational reasons in 2018).[11] Painted clear zones were added at the remaining four inbound stops in 2018.[12]

Construction on the first phase of the project, between 33rd Avenue and 46th Avenue, began in September 2019.[13] When Muni Metro service resumed on August 22, 2020, after a five-month closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, L Taraval service remained suspended west of Sunset Boulevard for construction.[2] Rail service was re-replaced with buses on August 25 due to issues with malfunctioning overhead wire splices and the need to quarantine control center staff after a COVID-19 case.[14] Construction of the outbound platform began on November 24, 2020; construction of the inbound platform began on March 15, 2021.[15][16] The first phase of the project, including the platforms at 40th Avenue, was completed in July 2021.[13]

References edit

  1. ^ Perles, Anthony (1981). The People's Railway: The History of the Municipal Railway of San Francisco. Interurban Press. p. 75. ISBN 0916374424.
  2. ^ a b Maguire, Mariana (August 18, 2020). "Major Muni Service Expansion August 22" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
  3. ^ "Muni Service Map". SFMTA. July 9, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  4. ^ "Chapter 3: Proposals by Route". Transit Effectiveness Project Implementation Workbook (PDF). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. March 24, 2014. pp. 60–62.
  5. ^ Rodriguez, Joe Fitzgerald (September 20, 2016). "SFMTA approves controversial L-Taraval changes in name of safety". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  6. ^ "L Taraval Rapid Project Approved by SFMTA Board" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. September 20, 2016.
  7. ^ "L Taraval Proposal Detail" (PDF). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. 2016.
  8. ^ Hyden, Rachel (December 13, 2016). "Muni Forward Upgrades on Taraval Start in January" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
  9. ^ "Evaluation Metrics" (PDF). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. 2017.
  10. ^ "L Taraval Pilot Period Kicking Off April 3, 2017" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. April 3, 2017.
  11. ^ "Loading Zone Pilot Results and Additional Proposals for Taraval" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. November 17, 2017.
  12. ^ "Clear Zone Installation and Parking Time Limits to SFMTA Board". San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. March 19, 2018.
  13. ^ a b "L Taraval Improvement Project Reaches Key Milestone" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. July 9, 2021.
  14. ^ "Bus Substitution for All Rail Lines" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. August 25, 2020.
  15. ^ "L Taraval Improvement Project Work Forecast November 15 – December 5, 2020" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. November 15, 2020.
  16. ^ "L Taraval Improvement Project Work Forecast March 15 to March 26, 2021" (Press release). San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. March 15, 2021.

External links edit