A large portion of San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's Central Subway closed for repairs starting Wednesday because of water seeping into the tunnel.

The tunnel will be closed between the Chinatown-Rose Pak and Fourth/Brannan Muni stations until March 14, according to SFMTA officials.

The repairs are intended to fix problems like water on the staircase, seepage at joints and water damage on tunnel panels. This work includes applying grout to spaces behind "the platform cavern" and fixing punctures in the "waterproofing membrane," according to the transit agency. 

"Because there are no crossover tracks to turn the trains around at Union Square/Powell station, the water mitigation work will require us to temporarily close the Central Subway tunnel between Chinatown-Rose Pak and 4th/Brannan stations," the release regarding the closure said.  

Ed Siu is the chairman of the Chinatown Merchants United Association. He hears from residents and businesses in Chinatown about problems impacting everyday commutes. 

It's not just the water leaks they're concerned about. 

"There's supposed to be two elevators, but only one is working. The other one is broken," said Siu. "If you want to take the elevator, you have to go all the way to the broken elevator to hit the button."   

Since the Central Subway opened in 2023, Siu says service disruptions from ongoing water leaks, -- which the SFMTA tried and failed to address last year -- have negatively impacted ridership and local business. 

But Sui believes the water leaks are just part of a larger problem, including malfunctioning elevators and escalators, which take riders to the subway platform more than 100 feet below street level. 

"Once they shut down this one, can they fix everything at once," asked Siu. 

He understands SFMTA prioritizing addressing the water leaks for safety reasons. But Sui, a longtime small business owner, believes better service, including fully functioning elevators will lead to more ridership and boost businesses. 

Kwok Kung Lau rides the Central Subway four to five times a week to get to Chinatown.  

"It's easier for him. He doesn't need to drive to Chinatown. It's hard to find a parking space," translated Siu.  

Daily weekday ridership for the T Third route averaged about 18,400 in 2024, far below the 43,000 riders SFMTA expects by 2030. 

Lau said he likes his commute because there's plenty of seats and room. Siu however, wants to see packed trains for merchants in Chinatown, and fewer service disruptions because of water leaks. 

"We really hope to nail this down and have a complete fix," said SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato. 

The agency has budgeted $7 million to fix the leaks. 

"Because the central subway sits below the water table, there's always going to be saturation with all the soil and rock that are underneath in the tunnel.  There will always be some amount of water in the tunnel, but there was a little more than we're comfortable with, and because it was causing damage, that's why we're addressing this problem now," said Kato.  

Siu wants SFMTA to do more, but the transit system is facing a $50 million budget shortfall.

"It's hurting our business in Chinatown, also hurting our image," said Siu. 

For now, he's hoping this fix is just the start to make Chinatown an easier place to access and explore, for merchants and residents. 

For the duration of the two-week closure, riders will have to take an alternate route between Chinatown-Rose Pak Station and Fourth and Brannan streets. SFMTA employees will help direct passengers to buses at stations impacted by the closure.

SFMTA will run a T bus between stations to fill in the gap. Muni will also reroute the T Metro line into the Market Street subway tunnel to carry passengers from downtown to the Caltrain station at Fourth Street

During the closure, crews will also install public art and roof gutters and make some drainage system repairs.

More information regarding the closure and alternative transit options are available the SFMTA website.