Why the J Train Literally Runs Through People's Backyards
If you've ever ridden the J Church between 18th and 22nd Streets, you've experienced one of San Francisco's weirdest transit moments: the train suddenly dips off the street and…
By The Desk · May 2, 2026
The answer, like so many things in this city, comes down to a hill.
Church Street between 20th and 22nd is brutally steep — steep enough that early transit planners knew a streetcar couldn't handle the grade. So instead of running the line straight up the street, they carved out a private right-of-way that cuts through the interior of the block, skirting the worst of the incline on a more manageable path. As one local put it, "If you take a walk on Church St, from 20th St to 22nd you'll find out why."