San Francisco MTA completes Muni subway entrance

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) on Monday announced the completion of a tunnel portal entrance for its new Central Subway.

The entrance, to be used by Municipal Railway (Muni) light-rail vehicles, was the final element of the overall tunneling contract, SFMTA officials said in a press release.

"This is a major milestone for the Central Subway project that will help us deliver on our promise of a world class, 21st century transportation system for San Francisco that is safe, reliable and affordable," said Mayor Ed Lee.

The larger Central Subway project calls for the construction of a 1.7-mile extension of Muni's Third T Line from a Caltrain Station on 4th street into Chinatown. The Central Subway is slated to open in 2019.

The Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program is providing $942.2 million toward the $1.58 billion project. The remainder will be funded through existing state and local grant funds.