The planning phase of this project is complete. For more information on upcoming construction, visit J Church and M Ocean View Transit and Safety Project.
For information about other J Church related projects, please see the timeline for capital and service improvement projects along the line, or learn more at the following project webpages:
Before the pandemic, the J Church served 17,000 Muni riders each weekday in Noe Valley, the Castro, the Mission, Glen Park and Mission Terrace, and riders continue to return. We’ve heard concerns about Muni service reliability along the J Church corridor including long transit wait times, as well as concerns about vehicle speeding and safety for people walking. As part of the Muni Forward program, multiple J Church projects will focus on making improvements to address these concerns along Church Street and San Jose Avenue.
Reliability challenges
When delayed, the J Church often sees long gaps in service followed by the bunching of two or more trains in a row. A 2013 project improved reliability for the J Church on Church between Duboce and 16th Street. The project added red transit lanes and left-turn restrictions. The project was able to reduce travel time variability by 27%. It also improved travel times up to 14% on that segment. The SFMTA is building on the success of this project to address delays on the remainder of the line.
Over the last few years, we have heard the following concerns from J Church customers:
- Concerns about transit reliability and travel times
- Requests to improve safety, accessibility and features at train stops
- Requests to improve safety for people walking along and near the J Church
- Implementation / Construction
Approved Improvements on San Jose Avenue
Improvements along the J Church will be planned and implemented as separate projects. The San Jose Avenue section of the line was approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors in October 2023. There are a range of approved improvements that will be implemented on San Jose Avenue to enhance reliability, safety and accessibility. Some of the approved upgrades include:
- Transit lanes on San Jose Avenue that allow left turns by private vehicles
- New wheelchair-accessible ramps at some stops to improve accessibility for people who use mobility devices
- Flashing beacons to help improve safety for people walking
- Safety improvements for people walking, including intersection daylighting (corner red zones) to improve visibility for people crossing the street
- Traffic signal improvements
For more information on the locations of these approved treatments along San Jose Avenue, please see the project scope boards that show block by block details and the map of the corridor.
Other projects along the J Church line
This project is part of a larger effort to improve Muni reliability, service and safety amenities along Church Street and San Jose Avenue. In addition to the improvements along San Jose Avenue, we are working to make improvements along the rest of the line. Other corridors where improvements are proposed include Church and Market Street intersection and Church Street from 22nd to 30th streets.
This project is made possible by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority through a grant of Proposition K Local Transportation Sales Tax Funds.
