Thousands of riders depend on the T Third to get around San Francisco every day.
Your ride on one of San Francisco's most important transit lines has gotten faster and more reliable. The T Third crosses the city to connect Bayview-Hunters Point and Visitacion Valley to places like Chinatown, Union Square, Mission Bay, SoMa and Dogpatch. And the T Third Improvements Project has reduced delays on the line.
Providing you with a better trip
Long travel times have been a problem on the street-level section of the T Third. And that can make your trip less reliable.
The T Third Improvements Project focuses on adjustments to the transit signal priority (TSP) system at some of the most delayed intersections along the line. We’ve seen significant improvements since making these traffic signal timing changes.
“The T is such an important line. It goes to important places. You can take the T to Chinatown, [to] Chase Center,” explained SFMTA Assistant Engineer Jasper Lee. “We really wanted to make sure when the T gets to an intersection, the light stays green.”
We have completed the first two phases of our signal improvements. Phase 1 in the summer of 2025 focused on signal timing between Bryant and Berry streets in SoMa.
Phase 2 happened in the spring of this year. We made signal timing changes at intersections between Berry Street and Cargo Way in Mission Bay and Dogpatch. We also made signal adjustments in Bayview, with additional upgrades at 3rd Street and Kirkwood Avenue.
We’re now seeing travel time savings across the entire line:
• Up to four minutes saved roundtrip on weekday mornings (7 a.m. – 9 a.m.)
• Up to seven minutes saved roundtrip on weekday evenings (4 p.m. – 7 p.m.)
• Up to six minutes saved roundtrip on weekends (9 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
Transit signal work has made the T Third more reliable, and there is more of that work to come.
A vital connection for San Francisco
Launched in 2007, the T Third serves over 26,600 people during the weekday across historically underserved southeast neighborhoods. Thanks to the Bayview Community-Based Transportation Plan, we know our riders want better service on the T Third.
“You have people commuting from the Bayview into the Financial District,” Lee, our assistant engineer, said. “Or maybe you take the T to get to a date. You can’t be late for that!”
He has been with the SFMTA for three years and loves seeing these improvements come to life and benefit the city.
“I know how much time and effort goes into implementing a project like this,” Lee said. “Our team has to consider safety, accessibility, resources — all have to be balanced.”
What’s next
This project isn’t finished. We plan to start Phase 3 later this year to improve traffic signal timing along the rest of the line in Bayview and Visitation Valley.
Once Phase 3 is complete, we expect even more travel time savings for riders.
“It’s a constant work in progress,” said Lee. “We’re already seeing a lot of improvements but we’re always trying to get better.”
See the T Third improvements in action
Want to learn more about the project directly from the team? Join us for a guided T Third Ride Along on Sept. 13. Jasper Lee will lead two tours from 4th & Brannan streets to 3rd Street & Kirkwood Avenue. Along the way you’ll learn about the improvement work, transit signal priority and what’s ahead for Phase 3.
Both tours currently are sold out, but you can join the waitlist in case a spot opens up. Just click here to sign up for the 10:30 a.m. tour or click here for the 12:30 p.m. tour.
SFMTA Transit Signal Electrician Michael Chue, Assistant Engineer Jasper Lee, Transportation Planner Mike Hua and Transportation Planner Jessica Kuo were recognized recently for their work to improve the T Third.
Delivering the best service we can is always our priority. And the team working on this project received a commendation on Aug. 4, 2026, at the SFMTA Board of Directors meeting. A strong transit system that gets everyone where they need to go makes life in San Francisco even more wonderful.