M-Oceanview scheduled for week­end shutdowns

A number of pedestrian safety and transit upgrades along 19th Avenue will require the closure of the M-Ocean View on four weekends.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency will close the M-Ocean View on the following weekends: Oct. 27 to Oct. 30, Nov. 3 to Nov. 6, Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 and Nov. 17 to Nov. 20.

Transit officials said they will run bus shuttles between West Portal and Balboa Park starting at 9 p.m. on Fridays until the start of service Monday morning.

Crews will work on installing a pedestrian refuge at 19th Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard.

SFMTA Director of Transportation Ed Reiskin said in August that the intersection was an “awful, unfriendly environment” for pedestrians crossing the intersection.

The project also includes crews installing intrusion measures such as speed humps and red paint to alert drivers from entering the Muni rail tracks. Red paint will also be installed at the 19th Avenue and Rossmoor Drive Muni right-of-way to alert drivers not to block the intersection.

A major part of the project will be replacing the 40-year old rail tracks at 19th Avenue between Winston and Rossmoor drives. Crews will also replace the old catenary system poles, according to a SFMTA staff report.

SFMTA officials said the project will also help improve transit reliability on the M-Ocean View.

Crews will install train detection to allow for transit signal priority at the Rossmoor Drive Muni right-of-way. Currently, the signal operates at time fixed intervals, which means northbound traffic stops even if a Muni train is not present.

The SFMTA said the timed fixed intervals can also cause the 28-19th Avenue local and rapid buses unnecessary delays.

During two of the weekend closures in November, northbound traffic will be not be allowed through 19th Avenue between Winston and Eucalyptus drives. Inbound M bus shuttles will not stop at the Muni right-of-way at Eucalyptus Drive during the traffic closure.

Officials have not yet decided on which two weekends in November the traffic closure will occur on.

The cost of the project is about $3.4 million in Federal and local funds.