The L-Taraval light-rail line, which has been suspended since 2019 and replaced by a bus, will be returning to service this fall. And the SFMTA just completed a paving project on Taraval Street.
Now five years in, the L-Taraval Improvement Project is on schedule to be completed this fall, with new stop shelters, boarding islands, decorative pavers, and mosaics still going in along Taraval Street. The SFMTA provided an update Friday, posting a photo to X of the completed paving work on the street, letting riders know that the project remains on track.
The bulk of the hard work was completed in recent years, including replacing water and sewer lines under Taraval Street, replacing worn tracks, and digging up the whole street. Work to improve the overhead electrical lines is also nearing completion.
Look, new streets! 👀 We just finished paving for the #LTaraval Improvement Project. Next up: new boarding islands to improve safety. Other enhancements coming soon are mosaic art, decorative pavers, landscaping & transit shelters with real-time displays. https://t.co/mg7iN8cKYy pic.twitter.com/nYQZY4rTIN
— SFMTA (@SFMTA_Muni) May 30, 2024
The SFMTA is promising that when the trains return, there will be less rocking along the route thanks to the infrastructure improvements, and the tracks won't make so much noise when they're driven over by cars.
The improvements in the $90 million project also include sidewalk bulb-outs for better safety for riders, safer boarding islands, and new street trees.
Since Muni service resumed during the pandemic, L-Taraval riders have had to depend on buses that run between the San Francisco Zoo and West Portal Station, typically having to transfer to the underground trains there. There have also been infrequent L-Taraval buses that run the length of the former route from the zoo to Embarcadero, which only run midday on weekdays.
It's not clear how the SFMTA plans to adjust schedules to accommodate L-Taraval trains in the downtown core underground tunnel, which have not been competing for space for five years — and the agency announced the intention of reducing traffic in the core tunnel four years ago, in order to cut down on service delays and crowding of trains. Transfers may still be necessary at West Portal once the trains are back online, though that hasn't been made clear.
Look for a relaunch date for the L-Taraval sometime this fall.
