Church and Market station
| Company type | Muni Metro light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | June 1980 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | San Francisco, California |
| Products | Light rail transit services |
Church station, also known as Church Street station, is a Muni Metro light rail stop situated in San Francisco, California. It lies at the junction where Market Street, Church Street, and 14th Street converge within the Duboce Triangle district.
Station layout
Positioned below street level on the second subterranean tier, the station consists of two side platforms, with a mezzanine concourse located above them. In contrast to other subway stops along Market Street, both Church and Castro Street station feature only a single staircase on each side of Market Street. Access points are found at the northwest corner of Market and 14th Street, as well as the southwest corner of Market and Church Street. The street elevator, initially a standalone structure, was incorporated into the façade of an apartment complex constructed between 2017 and 2020.
The J Church line serves this location through two surface-level platforms: the inbound platform is near the intersection of Church and Market Streets, while the outbound platform is close to Church and 14th Streets. The historic F Market & Wharves streetcar also halts at this crossing. Furthermore, the N Judah line exits the tunnel prior to reaching Church station and stops one block away at Church and Duboce Avenue.
History
Constructed by BART as an element of the Market Street subway project, the station's designation "Church Street" received approval from the BART Board in December 1965. Operations commenced in June 1980. The station was featured in the 1982 motion picture 48 Hrs., starring Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. It underwent seismic strengthening enhancements in early 2009.
In August 2020, following changes to the system, the J line was converted to operate entirely on surface tracks, terminating at the inbound platform on Church Street to facilitate accessible transfers to subway trains. Mini-high platforms were introduced inbound at Church and Duboce as well as outbound along Church Street south of Market Street, extending the J line slightly to Duboce Street by October 2020. Nevertheless, disability rights groups expressed concerns about the required transfer at Church station involving street crossings and elevator use.
Shortly after these modifications, on August 25, 2020, Muni Metro rail service was suspended and replaced with bus operations. Rail service for the J Church resumed on December 19, 2020, featuring operational mini-high platforms with Duboce serving as its terminus. Early in 2021, these platforms were adorned with Them (Ramp), a mural created by artist Simon Malvaez.
In 2022, decorative railings were added to both boarding islands on Market Street as part of the Upper Market Street Safety Project. These railings incorporate a quotation from Harvey Milk’s 1977 "You've Got to Have Hope" address alongside an illustration of historic streetcar #1051 dedicated to Milk.