When the community comes together, change happens quickly. On April 15, we joined Supervisor Matt Haney along with dozens of Tenderloin residents to celebrate the start of a new pilot that turns the entire Tenderloin into a 20 mph zone and prohibits right turns on red at 54 intersections.
This celebration comes just weeks after the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board unanimously approved this pilot in March to increase traffic safety in the neighborhood.
We were one of many community organizations who joined Supervisor Haney to unveil the first brand new 20 mph speed limit sign at Larkin and Eddy. This new sign is the first of over a hundred 20 mph signs to be installed by the end of May, and residents are thrilled to see them go in.
There are too many people who have lost their lives in this neighborhood just trying to get to school or work,” said Supervisor Haney, a Tenderloin resident himself. “Their deaths were preventable. [These changes] will make this community safer, and center the lives and well-being of the people who live here.”
Elgin Rose Sr., a long-time traffic safety advocate who works at Code Tenderloin, closed out the event. “Everybody can benefit from slowing down cars,” said Elgin. “I’ve seen people get hit by cars and their lives be disregarded. We’ve got to continue to work to make our voices heard.”
For decades, the Tenderloin community has asked for lowered speed limits around schools and senior centers, as well as infrastructure improvements like raised crosswalks to lessen speeds. After a long time coming, the community turned out last Thursday to celebrate the neighborhood becoming a 20 mph zone.
We know this work is far from over and that there is so much work to be done to make the Tenderloin a safe place for children, families, seniors, and people with disabilities to walk and bike in their neighborhood. Your SF Bicycle Coalition is committed to doing this work. Now is the time to make bold, innovative changes to the way we see street safety in our neighborhoods and envisioning what our streets and city can look like in the future.
With all of these street safety projects happening in the Tenderloin, we know that education and compliance plays a large role in these projects being successful — which is why developing community alternatives to traffic enforcement (TLCAP) is a top priority for us. To stay in-touch with all of the work we’re doing in the neighborhood, sign up for campaign updates below.
