The Central Subway will be closed soon for water mitigation work – learn other ways to get around on Muni.
Chinatown-Rose Pak Station is among the deepest of our Muni Metro stations. At 100 feet below the ground, it sits below the water table—that’s the level below the surface at which soil and rock are saturated with water. It’s normal to have some amount of water seep into our tunnels. However, the water getting into Chinatown-Rose Pak Station is beginning to cause some damage. It’s affecting the subway structure and wall panels at the platform level.
From Feb. 26 to March 14, we’re temporarily closing the Central Subway tunnel to address these issues.
We’ll cover which stations and stops will be closed, how to get around on Muni and what crews will focus on.
The closure will allow crews to do work at the platform level.
What's closing and why
Starting on Feb. 26, all four of the Central Subway stations/stops along the northern stretch of the T Third line will be closed. They include:
- Chinatown-Rose Pak
- Union Square/Market Street
- Yerba Buena/Moscone
- 4th & Brannan
We have to close these areas even though the water mitigation work will focus on Chinatown-Rose Pak Station. That's because there are no crossover tracks to turn the trains around at the next station at Union Square/Powell Street. As a result, we must temporarily close all of the stations and stops linked to the Central Subway tunnel.
How to ride Muni during the closure
- Bus shuttle: A T Bus shuttle will operate between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and the 4th & King stop. There will be no T Third Street train service between Chinatown-Rose Pak and 4th & Brannan.
- Train service: K Ingleside and T Third Street lines will operate as a single combined KT Train service. The route will run from Sunnydale to 4th & King, along King and the Embarcadero into the Market Street Subway. Starting at Embarcadero Station, it will run westbound as a K Train to Balboa Park.
- Transferring from bus to train: You can transfer between the T Bus and KT Train at 4th & King. Buses and trains will be scheduled to minimize wait times. Staying on the KT Train may be the fastest way to get to some destinations.
- Alternate routes: The 45 Union/Stockton, 30 Stockton, 30 Stockton “Short” and 8 Bayshore will continue to operate as they do today throughout the closure.
For more help getting around, see our map with Muni service options.
What crews will focus on
To protect the area while work is being done, crews have temporarily removed kiosks, benches, trash cans and ceiling panels at the Chinatown-Rose Pak platform level. The artwork and glass are being covered as well.
Crews started working in non-public areas of the station on Feb 6. However, starting on Feb. 26, the station will need to close to the public. That way, crews can begin water mitigation work in the station platform and cavern itself. They will inject grout into any voids behind the platform cavern arch. If crews find punctures in the existing waterproofing membrane, they will seal them. This work is expected to take 17 days to complete.
While construction is taking place, we will use the closure as an opportunity to complete other work at Chinatown Rose Pak Station. We plan to install new public art at the plaza level, restore the drainage system and install gutters along the plaza roof.
You can learn more on our project webpage (SFMTA.com/CentralSubway).