Third Street Light Rail Project

In 1993, the San Francisco Municipal Railway published the Bayshore Transit Study, which offered the following seven goals:{{cite report |url=https://archive.org/details/bayshoretransits1993sanf |title=Bayshore Transit Study |date=1993 |author=Wilbur Smith Associates |publisher=City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Municipal Railway |access-date=10 March 2017}}

1. Improve transit service to, from and within the Bayshore corridor (decrease transit times and improve ridership)
2. Facilitate economic development in the area (stimulate new development and employment)
3. Enhance the area's environment (air quality and visual improvements)
4. Enhanced current and planned City & regional transportation (connections to other modes of transportation)
5. Implement a cost-effective and financially feasible system (minimize operating and capital costs)
6. Implement project as soon as possible
7. Implement an equitable system (bringing transit service to citywide levels)

The Bayshore Transit Study presented nine alternatives (including a "do nothing" alternative) ranging from building a trolley coach to expanding the MUNI Metro light rail system. In the two alternative light rail routes proposed, rail service would be extended south to Caltrain's Bayshore Station along Third Street from the Financial District. Potential future extensions studied included lines along Hunter's Point, in Little Hollywood (to Candlestick Park), and along Bayshore and Geneva to the Balboa Park station.

The project was initially budgeted at $667 million. As of July 2006, the budget increased by $120 million.

The T Third starts at Chinatown station, and runs through the Central Subway to the Caltrain Depot at 4th and King streets, then along Third Street.{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Christopher |title=New T Third Connecting Chinatown to Sunnydale Starts Saturday |url=https://www.sfmta.com/blog/new-t-third-connecting-chinatown-sunnydale-starts-saturday |website=New T Third Connecting Chinatown to Sunnydale Starts Saturday {{!}} SFMTA |publisher=SFMTA |access-date=22 February 2023}} The 15-Third bus line was eliminated and the 8-Bayshore bus line was extended to replace the 15 in areas not served by the metro extension, including City College and Fisherman's Wharf.

The extension was supposed to connect directly to the Bayshore Caltrain Station when the station was in San Francisco County. However, as part of Caltrain's 2004 CTX project, Caltrain relocated the Bayshore Station to San Mateo County without informing Muni. To complicate matters, this connection has been plagued by cost and design issues. As a result, the southern end of the line terminates at the Sunnydale Station on Bayshore Boulevard for the time being.

18 new stations were built along the line. They consist of either island platforms between the tracks or side platforms, with elevated platform heights to allow level boarding with the internal train stairs raised, similar to the ones used by the N Judah along the Embarcadero.

As part of the project, the entire Third Street corridor was repaved and received new streetlights. Additionally, palm trees were planted, sidewalks reconstructed and the pavement on 3rd Street repaved. Stations along the route have a distinctive marquee pole with a sculpture or mobile.

Light rail vehicles (LRVs) operate in an exclusive right-of-way in the center of the street along most of the line to bypass vehicular congestion and increase speed along the line. LRVs operate in mixed flow traffic at the 4th Street Bridge (the bridge does not have enough room for LRV exclusive right-of-way) and in a 10 block segment (from Kirkwood/La Salle stop through Revere/Shafter) in the Bayview business district to maintain parking on both sides of the street for customers of local businesses.

In addition, transit signal priority has been implemented along the entire corridor. The goal is to allow LRVs to have a green light at every intersection so they can travel from station to station without stopping.

{{main|Central Subway (San Francisco)}}

The Third Street Light Rail Project is the first part of a multi-phase plan to expand the Muni Metro system. The second phase, known as the Central Subway, removed the need for the T Third to share tracks with N Judah north of 4th and King. T Third was routed to new tracks extending north from the Caltrain depot at 4th and King above ground to a new station at 4th and Brannan, then proceeds underground with intermediate stops at the new stations Yerba Buena/Moscone station and Union Square/Market Street station before terminating at Chinatown station at Stockton and Washington Streets. In addition, the second phase includes short turn service via the new Mission Bay Loop, which was completed in 2019{{cite news |url=https://www.potreroview.net/efforts-continue-to-improve-mission-bay-mobility-in-the-face-of-new-demands/ |title=Efforts Continue to Improve Mission Bay Mobility in the Face of New Demands |author=Cohen, Bettina |date=September 2019 |work=The Potrero View |access-date=16 June 2021}} at a cost of $10.2 million. This improves service to Chase Center.{{cite news |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Joe Fitzgerald |title=Cost for long delayed Muni 'loop' to boost Warriors train service jumps $1.4 million |url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/long-delayed-muni-loop-boost-warriors-train-service-jumps-1-4-million/ |access-date=24 July 2018 |agency=The Examiner |date=23 July 2018}} T Third trains began through-running into the Central Subway on January 7, 2023.

In early March 2009, media and community groups proposed that as the Central Subway is being built, plans should be drawn up to extend the T Third past Chinatown through North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf neighborhoods, passing Pier 39, potentially using an old steam railroad line underneath Fort Mason and ending up at The Presidio.{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Extending-S-F-s-Central-Subway-would-draw-5920673.php |title=Extending S.F.'s Central Subway would draw riders, study says |author=Cabanatuan, Michael |date=26 November 2014 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=10 March 2017}} These plans were presented in October 2014 as a third phase (northern extension to Fisherman's Wharf) and a conceptual fourth phase (extension west to the Presidio).{{cite report |url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/agendaitems/2014/12-2-14%20Item%2015%20T-Third%20Phase%203%20Concept%20Study.pdf |title=T-Third – Phase 3 Concept Study |author= |date=October 2014 |publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, Sustainable Streets Division |access-date=10 March 2017}} Formal planning for a Central Subway extension was kicked off in late 2018 with several community meetings, and an Alternatives Study is underway with a projected completion in late 2019.{{cite news|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/marina-district-may-board-central-subway-extension/|title=Marina District may be on board for Central Subway extension|last=Rodriguez|first=Joe Fitzgerald|work=San Francisco Examiner|date=December 8, 2018|access-date=December 10, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sfmta.com/sites/default/files/reports-and-documents/2018/10/central_subway_extension_kickoff_presentation_boards.pdf|title=Central Subway Extension Alternatives Study|date=September 27, 2018|access-date=December 10, 2018|publisher=San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/article/Going-underground-in-Chinatown-3288206.php |title=ON REGIONAL TRANSIT Going underground in Chinatown |author=Cauthen, Gerald |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=April 7, 2008 |access-date=21 March 2017}}
• {{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Everyone-has-an-idea-on-S-F-subway-plan-3195577.php |title=Everyone has an idea on S.F. subway plan |author=Nevius, C.W. |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |date=September 13, 2008 |access-date=21 March 2017}}
• {{ cite web |url=http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/msc/const/3rdover.htm |title=Overview: The Project in a Nutshell" |archivedate=2007-01-21 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070121095708/http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/msc/const/3rdover.htm |website=SFMuni.com}}
• {{ cite web |url=http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/img/l153img/3rdstlg.gif |title=Map of the extension |website=SFMuni.com |archivedate=2007-03-10 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310193210/http://www.sfmuni.com/cms/img/l153img/3rdstlg.gif }}
• {{ cite web |url=http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mcentral/centralover.htm |title=Central Subway Overview |website=SFMTA.com |archivedate=2008-05-17 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517143857/http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mcentral/centralover.htm }}
• {{ cite web |url=http://sfappeal.com/news/2009/03/central-subways-147-million-tab-hits-budget-hard.php |title=$147 Million Deal Could Derail Central Subway Project Budget |author=Finnie, Chuck |publisher=San Francisco Appeal |date=March 9, 2009 |access-date=21 March 2017}}
• {{ cite web |url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/Central-Subway-may-travel-farther-north-than-planned-41416237.html |title=Central Subway may travel farther north than planned |website=SFExaminer.com |archivedate=2009-04-23 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423160517/https://www.sfexaminer.com/local/central-subway-may-travel-farther-north-than-planned-41416237.html }}
• {{cite report |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100981229 |title=Third Street Light Rail Project, Transportation Improvements, San Francisco: Environmental Impact Statement |author=ICF Kaiser Engineers |date=1998 |publisher=City and County San Francisco, Planning Department |access-date=28 March 2017}}

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Category:Muni Metro

Category:Railway lines opened in 2007

Category:2007 establishments in California