As Phase 2 of the Muni Metro Escalator Rehabilitation Project continues to make progress, construction will reach another benchmark. The system upgrades on the inbound escalator at Castro and the one at the east end of Powell will be completed by the end of March. The two units that have been under construction since November 2016 will resume service to customers as soon as they are certified by the state.
Immediately after that, rehabilitation will begin on the escalator that serves the platform at the west end of Powell Station, next to the Westfiled Center. At the same time, work will begin on the inbound escalator leading to the platform at Church Station. The two escalators will be out of service for about five months. During this time, the stairway by the escalator will remain open. Customers unable to walk up the stairs can use the station elevator or the other escalator for service.
Work hours for the escalator project will be from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays with some weekend work required.
To ensure safety as well as contain construction debris and minimize noise levels, a wooden barricade will be built around the escalator under construction.
Most of the old escalators at Muni Metro stations have been on the job for over 40 years. They are outdated and easily break down. The new units equipped with state of art technology will make the Muni system safer, more reliable and accessible, especially for seniors and customers with special needs.
The escalator rehabilitation project has two phases. Phase 1 that replaced five escalators at Church, Powell and Van Ness stations was completed in 2014. Phase 2 of the project that started in November 2015 will rehabilitate 17 escalators at Montgomery, Powell, Hallidie Plaza, Civic Center, Van Ness, Church and Castro. Construction will last for about four years starting in November 2015.
To maintain service, only one escalator per station and two escalators total will be taken out of service. The rehab work takes approximately five months because each escalator is custom designed.