Editing L Taraval (section)

===L Taraval Improvement Project===
====Planning====
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Outbound train at Taraval and 40th Avenue, June 2018.JPG
| caption1          = Painted exclusion zone to protect passengers at [[Taraval and 40th Avenue station|Taraval & 40th station]] (Jun 2018)
| image2            = Inbound train at Taraval and 19th Avenue, February 2019.JPG
| caption2          = New concrete boarding island at [[Taraval and 19th Avenue station|Taraval & 19th station]] (Feb 2019)
| image3            = L Taraval Track reconstruction.png
| caption3          = Worker apply finishing touches before return to service (May 2024)
| image4            = Muni Metro outbound L Taraval Siemens LRV4 (S200) heading to SF Zoo.jpg
| caption4          = An outbound train to SF Zoo the day of reopening
}}
For its first 100 years in operation, the L Taraval operated similarly to a bus, with rail vehicles receiving no priority over any other vehicle, obeying all stop signs, and stopping frequently when requested or when flagged down by passengers waiting at marked stops on the sidewalk. Because the rails were in the center of a four-lane roadway, passengers boarding or exiting must cross an active traffic lane. Often, drivers would not stop for crossing passengers, leading to many being hit and injured getting off and on the L Taraval over the decades.

Starting in the early 2010s, Muni began proposing major changes to the L Taraval corridor to increase pedestrian safety and speed up trains, which would prove controversial. The plan, eventually named the L Taraval Improvement Project, would dedicate the center lanes to rail vehicles, consolidate stops, and, where stops remain, add boarding islands between the [[transit-only lane]] and the general traffic lane, giving passengers a protected area to exit or wait for the L Taraval. The project would also replace many of the stop signs along the route with traffic signals with [[Transit signal priority|transit priority]], add additional [[traffic calming]] measures like [[Curb extension|curb extensions]], replace the worn rails and overhead wire, along with sewer and water line replacements.

The plan was controversial because adding boarding islands would require the removal of street parking along Taraval, worrying nearby merchants, who feared less parking would reduce traffic in their businesses. The loss of parking along Taraval would be offset by moving parking spaces and meters to side streets and by converting side streets to angled parking to increase density.<ref name="RapidWebinar16">{{cite web |date=2016 |title=L Taraval Rapid Project Webinar |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/projects/2016/Webinar_final.pdf |access-date=24 February 2022 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>{{rp|3;9–11}} Seniors and some disability advocates were opposed to the removal of stops because it would require longer walks for some passengers. Other disability advocates supported the project because it would add accessible ramps at more stops.

Under pressure from these groups, Muni agreed to a pilot project in 2016 to see if better street markings would get more drivers to stop for crossing passengers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/projects/2016/Pilot%20explanation.pdf |title=Inbound Stop Pilot |date=2016 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency |access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref> The pilot program was unsuccessful, showing only a two percent increase in drivers stopping behind trains.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rudick |first=Roger |date=2017-12-06 |title=Taraval to Get Boarding Islands at All Stops |url=https://sf.streetsblog.org/2017/12/06/taraval-to-get-boarding-islands-at-all-stops/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=Streetsblog San Francisco |language=en-US}}</ref> The final plan adds boarding islands at [[Taraval and 19th Avenue station|19th]], [[Taraval and 26th Avenue station|26th]], [[Taraval and 30th Avenue station|30th]], [[Taraval and 32nd Avenue station|32nd]], [[Taraval and 40th Avenue station|40th]], [[Taraval and 42nd Avenue station|42nd]], [[Taraval and 44th Avenue station|44th]], and [[Taraval and 46th Avenue station|46th (westbound only)]], along with an extension of the existing islands at Sunset and 22nd/23rd Avenues.<ref name="RapidWebinar16" />{{rp|16–24}} Stops were removed in 2017 and 2018 at [[Ulloa and 15th Avenue station|15th Avenue]], [[Taraval and 17th Avenue station|17th (westbound)]], [[Taraval and 22nd Avenue station|22nd (westbound)]], [[Taraval and 24th Avenue station|24th (eastbound)]], [[Taraval and 28th Avenue station|28th]], and [[Taraval and 35th Avenue station|35th]].<ref name="RapidWebinar16" />{{rp|19, 21}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Revised L Stop Proposals |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/projects/2016/Revised%20L%20Stop%20Proposals_0.pdf |access-date=24 February 2022 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>

====Construction====
Construction on Segment A of the project, between Sunset Boulevard and 46th Avenue, began in August 2019.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/project-updates/l-taraval-improvement-project-work-forecast-aug-26-sept6-2019 |title=L Taraval Improvement Project Work Forecast Aug. 26 - Sept.6, 2019 |date=August 26, 2019 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2019/08/081519_weekend.pdf |title=SFMTA Weekend Transit and Traffic Advisory For Saturday, August 17, 2019 |date=August 15, 2019 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref> As part of Segment A work, the original track on Taraval west of 46th – the only track in the city still set in [[sett (paving)|granite "Belgian blocks"]] – was replaced. In a nod to its history, the blocks were saved and re-set next to the new tracks.<ref name="EndTrack" /> Bus substitution for Segment A was planned to begin in spring 2020.<ref name="2019openhouse">{{cite web |date=July 11, 2019 |title=Open House Boards |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2019/07/open_house_boards_7_11_2019.pdf |access-date=24 February 2022 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref> However, on March 30, 2020, all Muni Metro service was replaced with buses due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/starting-march-30-new-muni-service-changes |title=Starting March 30: New Muni Service Changes |date=March 26, 2020 |first=Amy |last=Fowler |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>

Muni Metro rail service returned on August 22, 2020, with the routes reconfigured to improve reliability in the subway: [[K Ingleside]] and L Taraval service were interlined, running between [[Taraval and Sunset station|Taraval and Sunset]] and [[Balboa Park station]]; no K Ingleside or L Taraval service entered the subway. Buses continued to replace rail service west of Sunset Boulevard to allow for construction.<ref name="aug22">{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/major-muni-service-expansion-august-22 |title=Major Muni Service Expansion August 22 |date=August 18, 2020 |first=Mariana |last=Maguire |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref> The forced transfer at West Portal was criticized by disability advocates.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/muni-improvements-could-make-things-harder-for-seniors-disabled/ |title=Muni 'improvements' could make things harder for seniors, disabled |first=Carly |last=Graf |date=August 18, 2020 |newspaper=San Francisco Examiner}}</ref> Rail service was replaced again by buses on August 25, 2020 due to issues with malfunctioning [[overhead wire]] [[Line splice|splices]] and the need to quarantine control center staff after a positive COVID-19 case.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/bus-substitution-all-rail-lines |date=August 25, 2020 |title=Bus Substitution for All Rail Lines |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>

K Ingleside rail service resumed again on May 15, 2021, and Segment A work was completed that July, but the L remained a bus route.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/welcome-back-westside-k-ingleside-trains |title=Welcome Back to the Westside, K Ingleside Trains! |date=April 16, 2021 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref><ref name="phasea">{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/l-taraval-improvement-project-reaches-key-milestone |title=L Taraval Improvement Project Reaches Key Milestone |date=July 9, 2021 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref> Construction on Segment B of the project, between West Portal and Sunset Boulevard, began in January 2022. Segment B work was expected to last through 2024.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=L Taraval Improvement Project 'Segment B' Geared Up for Early 2022|date=December 9, 2021|publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency|url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/l-taraval-improvement-project-segment-b-geared-early-2022|first1=Stephen|last1=Chun}}</ref> On July 7, 2022, the L Bus was shortened from downtown to West Portal station and frequency was increased.<ref>{{Cite press release |last=Chun |first=Stephen |date=June 3, 2022 |title=Muni Adding More Service July 9 |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/muni-adding-more-service-july-9 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref> Additional limited bus service to downtown, operating weekday middays on 50-minute headways, was added on October 10, 2022.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/travel-updates/l-bus-special-service-downtown-starting-monday-october-10-2022 |title=L Bus Special Service to Downtown Starting Monday, October 10, 2022 |date=October 10, 2022 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>

Rail service resumed on September 28, 2024, with trains operating between Embarcadero and the San Francisco Zoo.<ref name=sept28>{{cite press release |url=https://www.sfmta.com/project-updates/l-taraval-project-completed-l-trains-return-september-28 |title=L Taraval Project completed: L trains return September 28 |date=September 2024 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}</ref>
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