SFMTA’s L Taraval Improvement Project reaches key milestone

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has successfully completed the first of two segments of the L Taraval Improvement Project.  

Construction of Segment A started in September 2019 and was completed in July 2021 on schedule and within budget. 

This project was made possible in part by Proposition K sales tax dollars provided by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. SFMTA’s work on this first phase improved transit and infrastructure between Sunset Boulevard and SF Zoo, with close collaboration between the SFMTA, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and San Francisco Public Works.  

Upgrades to this vital corridor include:  

• Rail track and overhead line replacement; 
• Water and sewer line replacement; 
• Surface repaving; 
• Curb ramp upgrades; 
• Concrete boarding islands and pedestrian bulbs; 
• Traffic signals; and 
• New trees and landscaping. 

These improvements have made pedestrian crossing safer, increased accessibility and improved transit reliability for customers while rehabilitating water and sewer infrastructure and enhancing landscaping to make Taraval Street more enjoyable for everyone. 

SFMTA says it would like to thank Supervisor Mar, Sunset neighbors, local businesses and People of Parkside, Sunset (POPS) for their partnership in shaping and completing this project. The agency notes the project wouldn’t have been a success without the close partnership between community stakeholders, sister city agencies, the contractor and SFMTA staff. 

By partnering with PUC, SFMTA was able to identify potential utility conflicts early on. This led to the decision to split the project into Segment A and Segment B, which provide both PG&E and PUC the time needed to relocate underground utilities. 

In collaboration with the contractor, NTK Construction, a comprehensive communications plan was implemented to provide clear transparent information to local businesses and residents on staging areas, the construction approach and sequencing, things to expect, service interruptions and service support planning. To support local businesses and residents, special accommodations were made to minimize construction impacts. 

To ensure successful project delivery, the project team reflected on the lessons learned from previous projects as important ways of gathering and sharing project knowledge among internal partners.  

While celebrating the completion of Segment A, SFMTA is now gearing up for Segment B, which will make the same improvements from Sunset Boulevard to West Portal. Construction on this next phase is anticipated to start in early 2022 and last through the end of 2024. 

Once completed, the nearly five-mile-long corridor from West Portal to the zoo will boast new transit priority traffic signals, bulbouts to make pedestrian crossing safer, new trees, high visibility crosswalks, safety boarding islands and increased accessibility.