Next week, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will kick off work to install a new traction power electrical circuit and add new switch equipment along Church Street between Market and Duboce.

The goal of the project is to reduce unexpected shutdowns and power outages on the J-Church and N-Judah Muni metro lines. SFMTA expects the new circuit to minimize single points of failure in the system, enabling multiple different electrical substations to power the Duboce Portal.

The electrical system has been strained in recent years by increased service on both lines, fueled by rising ridership.

Photo: Teresa Hammerl/Hoodline

Starting next Monday, November 5, crews will work on-site for approximately two weeks, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The work will be conducted primarily on the western sidewalk of Church Street, but a path of travel is expected to remain open, with access to businesses and residences.

An SFMTA spokesperson added via email that since all construction will take place on the sidewalk, the work should not interrupt transit service.

The agency also noted that trench excavation will take place section by section and will stay in front of a property for about one or two days. It will be covered up at the end of each work day.

SFMTA ambassadors will also be sent to the site during work hours.

As we reported earlier this year, the transport agency decided not to install two new utility cabinets proposed for the northwest corner of Duboce Avenue and Church Street, in response to public feedback. Instead, the agency chose to pursue the current path, moving its infrastructure underground.