Sections of the M Ocean View track route will undergo vital pedestrian safety and transit system upgrades to improve safety and reliability through the corridor and keep M trains moving through busy 19th Avenue traffic. Upgrades to the transit system include a track replacement and added train sensors to improve how trains move through intersections between the Stonestown platform and Rossmoor Drive.
New train sensors will help keep the train moving through the intersection and avoid needless delays due to vehicle traffic. Pedestrian safety improvements include a pedestrian refuge at 19th Avenue and Junipero Serra, accessible ramps, and vehicle deterrents at the Muni track entrance to prevent people from driving onto the trackway.
- Completed
Project is focusing on two sections of the M Ocean View route on 19th Avenue. Scope of work at both sites aimed to improving the reliability and on-time performance of the M Ocean View through the heavily traveled 19th Avenue corridor, pedestrian safety around the Muni track right-of-ways and replacing a section of aging track around 19th Avenue and Rossmoor Drive.
Phase 1: Safety and Transit Improvements at 19th Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard
- New pedestrian refuge for people walking across 19th Avenue
- Intrusion treatments at track entrance to deter people from driving into the trackway
- New train sensors to keep trains moving through the intersection
- Traffic lanes and crosswalks restriped to accommodate refuge
19th Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard is a highly traveled and often busy intersection. For the M Ocean View, it's a critical crossing to get to downtown and Balboa Park Station. The M trains share a traffic lane with drivers turning onto Highway 280-S, and during rush hour, drivers often pack the intersection. The traffic can cause the train to wait for additional traffic cycles, or "green lights", which causes delays and reliability issues for M line riders further along the route. People have also driven onto the train tracks, which cause longer delays and sometimes requires Muni to deploy substitute bus service. Installing the Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system will help prevent further delays to Muni trains. When the train approaches the intersection, the sensor communicates with the traffic signals to keep the green light a bit longer if it is close. Vehicle deterrents such as red paint striping and low-profile speed bumps, also called "intrusion treatments," will be installed to help people avoid driving onto the tracks.
A new pedestrian refuge area is being built along the inbound M tracks on northbound 19th Avenue. For people who cross 19th Avenue at this intersection, the pedestrian space between the M tracks and the traffic lanes can feel too small a space. The new pedestrian refuge area will create a safer and more comfortable space for people waiting to cross the street. The crosswalks will also be re-aligned to create a more direct crossing from 19th Avenue to Junipero Serra.
Phase 2: Track replacement between Winston Drive and Rossmoor Drive, pedestrian safety and performance improvements
- New train tracks between Stonestown train platform and the private Muni right-of-way at Rossmoor Drive
- A new traffic signal for Rossmoor Drive at 19th Avenue to improve safety for people walking, enhance Muni reliability, and address a pattern of reported traffic collisions
- New train sensors to help trains get a green light quicker
- New accessible ramps at 19th Avenue and Rossmoor
- Removal of median fence and existing island at 19th Avenue/Rossmoor; will be replaced with new fence and curb
- Installing red dashed marking at "Keep Clear" trackway crossover
Light rail tracks have an average lifespan of 50 years. As part of a maintenance to keep the Muni system safe and reliable, tracks and its infrastructure must be regularly replaced. The entire section of track between the Stonestown station platform and the Rossmoor Drive private trackway will be replaced. New traffic signals and sensors will help M trains to continue moving through 19th Avenue which will improve safety and transit reliability across the route. The vehicle approach to the crossover area will be signalized to keep the track crossover clear and intrusion treatments will be added to the opening of the private right-of-way to deter people from driving into the trackway. Three new ADA ramps will be installed at the Rossmoor Avenue/19th Avenue intersection along with pedestrian timers and train warning signals