Construction Information

CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION

• Construction at a Glance 

• Temporary blue curb parking for people with disabilities and loading zones (Google map)

• Navigating without left turns from Van Ness

• Construction sequence animation

• Sign up for project updates

• Temporary Bus Stop Relocations Map

Van Ness Improvement Project Staff are Here to Help

Have a question about construction or the Van Ness Improvement Project? You may also contact project staff directly by emailing VanNessBRT@SFMTA.com or calling 415.646.2310.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The illustration below shows the three construction phases and work you can expect to be conducted in each phase. 

Roadway and Utility Work Phase:

• Preparing the roadway for construction
• Replacing more than 22,000-feet of 1800’s-era water main
• Building an underground sewer system that could sustain a major earthquake and the impacts of climate change
• Overhauling the emergency firefighting system that supplies water to over 1,200 fire hydrants
• Updating streetlights with brighter, more efficient lights and adding sidewalk lighting
• Installing an electrical duct bank that will power the traffic signals and overhead contact system

Once the utility work is completed, the sidewalk and roadway will be restored to begin the next phase of construction.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Build Phase

• Building red center-running Bus Rapid Transit lanes (see features of Bus Rapid Transit below)
• Building station platforms and new medians

This BRT Build phase will begin as the Roadway and Utility Work phase is wrapping up and will last about six months.

Bus Power, Safety Enhancements and Beautification Phase

• Replacing the aging overhead wire system that powers the buses
• Installing new landscaping and rain gardens
• Repaving Van Ness Avenue for a smoother ride
• Building sidewalk extensions and painting crosswalks that will make streets safer for people walking
• Training operators on the new system

Construction of the Van Ness Improvement Project is underway. The project received final environmental certification from the Federal Transit Administration on December 20, 2013. The SFMTA Board made the final legislative approval of the transit and safety improvements on November 18, 2014. After construction is completed, Bus Rapid Transit service is expected to begin 2022.