The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has secured 41 million USD in state funding to support a major upgrade to the Muni Metro train control system.

The grant, awarded through California’s Solutions for Congested Corridors programme, will help replace outdated control technology and expand automated management of Muni Metro services beyond the subway system.

The current train control system runs on technology from the 1990s and is only active within subway sections. On-street services depend on manual operation and line-of-sight driving. The upgrade will introduce Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC), which uses wireless signals to monitor and manage train locations and movements across the network.

Funding for the Train Control Upgrade Project will help make Muni Metro trips more reliable and faster

© SFMTA

The new system will provide operators and service managers with more precise information, allowing for more consistent scheduling and improved coordination. The technology is also designed to communicate with traffic signals, which may reduce delays at intersections.

The project, known as the Train Control Upgrade Project (TCUP), is being rolled out in phases. The first section to receive the upgrade will be between Embarcadero Station and Mission Bay. This work is expected to be completed in 2028. A separate phase covering all subway sections is scheduled to begin in 2026, with completion anticipated in 2030. The remaining street-level segments are due to follow, with all phases projected to finish by 2032.

The agency has structured the project with separate contracts for design, supply and installation, aiming to reduce risks and allow for greater flexibility. Payments to contractors will be linked to meeting specified performance goals.

While this grant supports a key part of the modernisation programme, SFMTA says it will continue seeking additional funding to maintain and improve day-to-day transit operations.

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