Taraval and 28th Avenue station
| Company type | Light rail stop |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | April 12, 1919 |
| Defunct | February 25, 2017 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Parkside district, San Francisco |
Taraval and 28th Avenue served as a light rail stop on San Francisco's Muni Metro L Taraval route, situated in the Parkside district. This station commenced operations alongside the L Taraval line on April 12, 1919, succeeding an earlier shuttle service operated by United Railroads (URR) dating back to approximately 1910. The stop was closed on February 25, 2017, as part of the modernization efforts under the L Taraval Rapid project.
History
In June 1908, the Parkside Transit Company, a subsidiary of URR, constructed a single-track route along 20th Avenue that connected to Wawona Street and 19th Avenue. By around 1910, a shuttle service ran from 20th Avenue down Taraval Street to Sloat Boulevard, linking with the 12 Ocean line. This lightly utilized track impeded the Municipal Railway’s expansion plans into the Parkside area. The 1918 "Parkside Agreements" between the city and URR permitted Municipal Railway streetcars to operate on URR tracks along Taraval Street and Ocean Avenue in return for payment and shared upkeep responsibilities. Consequently, Muni’s L Taraval line launched service to 33rd Avenue in April 1919 using refurbished URR tracks. URR eventually ceased its Parkside Shuttle operations by late 1927.
Closure
Initially, like numerous stops along the route, Taraval and 28th Avenue did not feature platforms; passengers boarded trains at designated poles and had to cross traffic lanes to get on or off. In March 2014, Muni introduced its Transit Effectiveness Project (later renamed MuniForward), outlining proposed modifications for stops on the L Taraval line. The plan included relocating the 28th Avenue stop to the far side of the intersection, adding boarding islands, and implementing transit signal priority systems to replace stop signs for improved traffic flow.
On September 20, 2016, the SFMTA Board gave approval to the L Taraval Rapid Project, with construction scheduled between 2018 and 2020. Initial changes commenced on February 25, 2017, including closing the 28th Avenue stop due to its close proximity to both the 26th Avenue and 30th Avenue stops. Currently, a small accessible high-level platform is being built at 28th Avenue for outbound service; however, this platform will operate as part of the 30th Avenue stop rather than as a separate station.