Muni preserves L-Taraval ‘Safeway’ stop at 17th Avenue

An inbound transit stop across the street from Safeway on 17th Avenue and Taraval Street will officially remain on the L-Taraval Muni line.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Board of Directors approved keeping the transit stop after neighbors attended several meetings in regard to the L-Taraval Rapid Project. Transit planners had originally planned to get rid of the stop to improve the efficiency of the light rail line.

Supervisor Norman Yee announced in January that his office and the SFMTA worked on a plan to keep the stop while gaining efficiencies elsewhere along the route.

Yee said in a statement:

“ I consistently advocated to keep the 17th Ave inbound stop and worked closely with the SFMTA staff, Safeway and community stakeholders to negotiate a compromise. I appreciated this opportunity to lead the community effort to save this important stop which so many people rely on to commute and shop for groceries.”

He added:

“I strongly disagreed with the original proposal to remove the stop, even on a trial basis. My top priorities remain Vision Zero and maintaining access for seniors and people with disabilities.”

The stop will remain, but the transit agency will move it from the near side to the far side, and build a boarding island and accessible ramp, said Michael Rhodes, a transit planner with the SFMTA.

Additionally, the transit agency will remove the inbound 15th Avenue stop, and the inbound and outbound stops at Ulloa Street and Forest Side Avenue.

Rhodes said the 15th Avenue stop removal was recommended because the 17th Avenue stop will shift closer to 15th Avenue when it moves from the near side to the far side.

The proposal will add new inbound and outbound stops at 14th Avenue and Ulloa Street.

Paula Katz, with the Save Our L-Taraval Stops, said keeping the stop would prevent seniors and people with disabilities shopping at Safeway from having to board the next transit stop by crossing the treacherous 19th Avenue:

“Keeping the stop will also allow many seniors and those with disabilities to ride the L to shop at Safeway. Thus, maintaining their independence without the inconvenience and added cost of having to use paratransit.”

The L-Taraval Rapid Project includes building concrete boarding islands at all transit stops kept by the SFMTA, replacing rails, overhead wiring, sewer work as well as repaving the entire street.

Rhodes said the transit agency anticipates the project to start early next year and last for approximately two years.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.