Church station (Muni Metro)
| Company type | Light rail station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | June 1980 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Muni Metro services (J Church, F Market & Wharves, N Judah) |
Church station, also known as Church Street station, is a Muni Metro light rail stop situated in San Francisco, California. It lies at the complex six-way junction where Market Street, Church Street, and 14th Street converge within the Duboce Triangle area.
Station layout
Positioned two levels below street level, the station comprises two side platforms with a mezzanine concourse located above them. In contrast to other Market Street subway stops, both Church and Castro Street station feature only a single stairway on each side of Market Street. Access points are found at the northwest corner of Market and 14th Street and the southwest corner of Market and Church Street. Originally a standalone structure, the street-level elevator was later incorporated into the façade of an apartment complex built between 2017 and 2020.
The J Church line serves two surface platforms close to the station: the inbound platform at Church and Market Streets, and the outbound platform at Church and 14th Streets. The F Market & Wharves streetcar line also halts at this intersection. Moreover, the N Judah route departs from the Market Street tunnel before reaching Church station, stopping one block away at Church and Duboce Avenue.
History
Constructed by BART as a segment of the Market Street subway, the station was officially named "Church Street" by the BART Board in December 1965. It commenced operations in June 1980. The station was featured in the 1982 movie 48 Hrs.. A seismic strengthening project took place in early 2009.
In August 2020, following changes to Muni Metro service, the J line was converted to operate entirely on surface streets, terminating at the inbound platform on Church Street to facilitate accessible transfers between J line vehicles and subway trains. Mini-high platforms were introduced at Church and Duboce to enhance accessibility and extend the J line slightly to Duboce Street by October 2020. This mandatory transfer arrangement, which requires passengers to cross streets and use elevators, received criticism from disability rights groups.
On August 25, 2020, bus replacements took over all Muni Metro rail services. Rail operations for the J Church resumed on December 19, 2020, with both mini-high platforms in service and Duboce serving as the new terminus. Early in 2021, artist Simon Malvaez contributed a mural titled Them (Ramp) to decorate the platforms.
In 2022, as part of the Upper Market Street Safety Project, ornamental railings were installed on Market Street boarding islands featuring a quotation from Harvey Milk's 1977 "You've Got to Have Hope" speech alongside an image of streetcar #1051, which is dedicated to Milk.