What’s going on with all the removed parking meters?

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

Photo credit: SFMTA

In mid-December 2022, we, like many of you, noticed that thousands of parking meters were being removed all around San Francisco. Proper bike parking can be hard to come by in SF depending on what block, street, or neighborhood you’re in. For that reason, many people who bike regularly lock their bikes up to parking meters when unable to find a proper bike rack nearby. 

With many parking meters removed, we immediately began pushing the SFMTA to a) give transparency to the public on why many parking meters were being removed and b) recommit to their promise of increasing bike parking in SF. 

While we would have preferred that SFMTA had proactively planned to mitigate the impacts of meter removal before beginning, we do recognize that parking meters present challenges as bike parking: they provide only one point of locking (which is particularly challenging for larger bikes like family e-bikes), and they create accessibility issues for people who need to step onto the sidewalk from the street. For these reasons, we’re focusing our advocacy efforts on pushing SFMTA to install purpose-built bike parking faster, focusing on those neighborhoods impacted by the most meter removal.

In mid-January, after many discussions with the SFMTA, we were promised a plan from the SFMTA to replace bike parking capacity as they remove the meters. In response, SFMTA staff has identified a total of 125 locations for new racks to be installed in the next 1-2 months, and for greater transparency on these changes. 

Safe bike parking is essential to creating a more bike-friendly SF and shifting more people to taking alternative modes of transportation. 

We’re continuing to work with the SFMTA to ensure bike parking comes back more robust than ever. In the meantime, you can still request bike parking racks online. Request a rack at sfbike.org/bikerack

If you’re curious about why the SFMTA is removing parking meters, keep reading for their recent update.

Farewell to our Director of Advocacy, Justin Hu-Nguyen

Posted on by Justin Hu-Nguyen

As a long time member, it has been my privilege and joy to lead the advocacy team at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, and I am sad to see this time come to a close. I could never have imagined that what started off as dusting off my bike to end my continued frustration of being passed by a full N Judah would take me on a grand adventure leading me here to the wonderful San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.  

Though the ride has been shorter than I planned, I stand back in awe of all we have achieved together in the last year. Whether it was cementing JFK Promenade as permanently car-free, or creating the beginnings of an equitable Slow Street program, it has been so life-giving to be a part of advocacy that is collaborative, inclusive, and equity-centered. Here, people power is strong —and communities rise together. From the Active Communities Plan, to a massive expansion of Slow Streets to all communities, I cannot wait to see what is next for a city that had so warmly been my home for many years.

However, my ride is not yet over. I’m riding over the Bay Skyway (spending all my wishes to make this happen) to the East Bay. I will be joining Bike East Bay as their Co-Executive Director of Mobility Justice. I’m extremely excited to bring my work in advocacy, policy and mobility justice to my home and to the communities of the east bay.

To all the members, donors, and volunteers of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, thank you for joining our organization on this ride. I am in awe of the work we have accomplished together, and feel so much confidence and joy that 2023 will be a big year for biking in SF.

Page Street and Lake Merced QB approved!

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

Last Tuesday, the SFMTA Board voted unanimously in favor of making Page Street a permanent Slow Street and approved the Lake Merced quick-build. These are two big steps forward for safety and alternative transportation in SF!

Since Page Street was a preexisting project before the pandemic, it was not part of the original Slow Street Program that was approved in December 2022. Now, Page is part of the permanent Slow Streets Program. With this approval, Page will receive traffic diversion that requires east- and westbound vehicle traffic on Page Street to turn right onto Divisadero Street in order to better prioritize walking and bicycling. Left turns onto Page from Divisadero will be restricted, reducing delays for Muni and crosstown traffic. At the Board meeting, there were over 40 people who called in to give comments and every single one of them was in favor of Slow Page. We are so excited to see the future of this Slow Street. 

The Lake Merced quick-build is one of the largest quick-builds that the SFMTA has taken on. It will include road narrowing and reallocation to create protected bike lanes, as well as improving pedestrian safety through traffic calming, new paint, wayfinding, upgraded sidewalks, and speed cushions. The project will be completed in five phases since it is so large. In the SFMTA Board meeting, a primary topic of conversation was the community living in RVs along Lake Merced Blvd. Supervisor Melgar’s office and the Coalition on Homelessness have been working together to find safe relocation for the RVs since the quick-build requires the removal of the parking spaces they currently occupy. The SFMTA staff promised to ensure that the parking removal will not be started until a new location is found. 

Construction for Lake Merced is expected to begin sometime this spring. This project is a jumping off point for future improvements to the area — so while this quick-build does not include a continuous protected bike lane, we know that SFMTA is working toward that goal for the future.

Support our work to secure more bike and pedestrian infrastructure like this in 2023 and beyond by becoming a member. Join today!

MEET THE CANDIDATES FOR OUR 2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

UPDATE: Watch the recording of the candidates’ statements at our annual board meeting here.

It’s time for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition annual election of our all-volunteer Board of Directors. Here you will find information about the process, statements by the candidates, and links to questions you may have.

The timeline is:

  • Online voting begins on Jan 23, 2023 and ends Feb 1, 2023 at 9:59 pm PST.
  • Members will each receive an individual e-mail on Jan 23 with a code and link enabling them to vote. This code will be sent to the e-mail address on file through which the member receives communications from the SF Bicycle Coalition. Please add invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com to your contacts. If you do not see your invitation in your inbox, please check your spam folder.
  • Opportunities to meet and hear from candidates will be available at our Annual Member Meeting on Jan 19.
  • Only current SF Bicycle Coalition members as of Friday, Jan 13, 2023 at 11:59 pm PST may cast a ballot.
  • Results will be announced in the Biker Bulletin email and on our website.
  • If you have technical questions regarding voting, please contact our election administrators at boardvoting@sfbike.org.

ABOUT SF BICYCLE COALITION BOARD ELECTIONS

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors. Any SF Bicycle Coalition member can run for the board. The board is responsible for ensuring the organization’s financial health and achievement of its mission. The 15-member board is elected by the membership. There is a board election each year and terms are two years. Eight seats on the board of directors will be elected by the membership this year for the term beginning at the first board meeting following this election until the new board is seated following the 2025 board elections. A full timeline and detailed description of the process can be found here.

This will be our sixth board election using ranked-choice voting, giving members the chance to rank their votes in order of preference. Our board of directors adopted ranked-choice voting in the hope that it will encourage increased member participation in our elections and our work. For more information about multi-winner ranked-choice voting, click here.

If you are a member who is interested in learning more about board service in future years, please contact us at boardnomination@sfbike.org.

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

All candidates completed an online questionnaire to declare their interest in running for the board.  You can view all candidate questionnaire responses here. 

All candidates participated in the board interview process.

RAYNELL COOPER

he/him

I’m thrilled to be a candidate for the San Francisco Bike Coalition Board. If elected, I would bring a lifelong passion for problem-solving, stakeholder engagement, and transportation planning to support SFBC’s mission to make SF as friendly as possible of a place for cyclists of all ages and abilities. I learned how to ride as an adult here in San Francisco so I know first-hand the barriers to cycling in the city. As a parking planner at SFMTA and a member of the most recent Redistricting Task Force, I’ve gained perspective on how to work with communities in San Francisco to achieve positive outcomes I’m looking forward to continuing to think critically about our public right-of-way, both professionally and in my growing role as an advocate for better community spaces in San Francisco, and would be honored to have your vote!

ERNESTO CUELLAR

he/him

“As San Francisco goes, so goes the nation ” is a phrase we love to say when speaking about our values and the boundary pushing work in our City. I believe the Bicycle Coalition has been and will continue to be part of this legacy of transformative work, which is why I am excited to be running for Board of Directors. 

My name is Ernesto Cuellar and I am a proud Bayview-Hunters point kid raised by our communities and our public schools. Through lived experience, professional and advocacy work I understand the importance of street safety from traffic violence, but more personally the importance of decentering carceral methods and systems of punishments as enforcement and rather focus on infrastructure to address community needs. 

It would be an honor to serve on the board and be able to support the work of everyone in the coalition to the best of my abilities.

JOANNA GUBMAN (INCUMBENT)

she/they

SF should be a biking, transit, and walking-first city – making it safer, more just, and more vibrant. The SF Bicycle Coalition has an essential role to play in getting us there, and it’s been a privilege to serve you on the Board these past two years.

By day, I run Urban Environmentalists; I’ve also held many community volunteer roles. As an SFBC Board Member, I’ve focused on governance, updating our elections process, and supporting board & staff cohesion. I also pitch in wherever helpful and volunteer at events.

Next term, I will prioritize fundraising and membership growth. The Board must also support a community process to chart a re-envisioned, intentional path for the organization. The landscape has altered: covid catalyzed change, we’ve had big wins, new groups have sprung up, SFBC has strengthened its commitment to antiracism, e-bikes have changed everything, and there’s a sense of possibility. Let’s go!

ROAN KATTOUW (INCUMBENT)

he/him

As an immigrant from the Netherlands, I’ve been biking my entire life. Having grown up there, I know that safe infrastructure is what makes biking a part of everyday life. It’s what gave me the freedom to go places on my own as a teenager, long before I could drive.

I’ve been a member for 10 years, and a board member for 2 years. During my first term on the board, I served on the audit & endorsements committee, leading the endorsements process for the 2022 elections among other things. I’m running for a second term because I would like to continue this work, further improve our internal processes, and apply my knowledge of local government and politics.

At my day job, I lead a team of software engineers at Wikipedia. After work, I advocate for safe streets, bike lanes and transit, and volunteer with local election campaigns.

MEAGHAN MITCHELL (INCUMBENT)

she/her

What does being part of a coalition in San Francisco mean to you? For me, being part of a coalition in San Francisco means so much more than uniting people to promote a common cause. It requires acting as a community leader, connecting those who support an initiative with those who may need more convincing. We must remember to be inclusive and to consider what is best for all members of this city, not just the neighborhood closest to us or the neighborhood where everyone looks like us.

The past two years have shown me the significance of this kind of work and the importance of continuing this mission. I am confident in my ability to lead, and I am thrilled to run for another term on the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Board. I hope that I can count on your vote.

VICTORIA NORMAN

she/her

It’s imperative we rely less on fossil fuels – as individuals and as a society– so when I moved to San Francisco, I began riding a bike (for the first time as an adult) to commute from the Sunset to the East Bay. Over time, I really got into cycling and it’s now both a mode of transportation and an activity that brings me much joy. The movement to keep car-free and slow streets open has galvanized me into getting more involved with SF Bicycle Coalition; I’d be thrilled to work on your behalf to continue the fight in making our city safer and more accessible, where a bicycle (rather than a car) is the commonsense mode of transportation.

My day job is managing a nonprofit in the sustainability sector. I’m also an indoor cycling instructor at 17 Reasons Why AC in the Mission. This year, I’m doing my third Climate Ride, raising funds for the Coalition.

JULI UOTA (INCUMBENT)

she/her

The SF Bicycle Coalition’s Adult Learn to Ride class changed my life. Being on a bike made me rethink how I see myself, move around my city, and connect in community. Serving on this board, and teaching Adult Learn to Ride, help me return the empowerment I received. After 15+ years as a member and volunteer, much of that time as part-time staff, I continue to dedicate my time to this organization because of its power to change lives. While on the board my highlights have been the reduced rate membership and chairing the staff-board committee that hired our new ED. I ask for a third term to complete projects near my heart. I want to continue to remove barriers to biking, further institutionalize a strong Board-Staff relationship, ensure a fiscally sound future, and foster the Theory of Change project creating clear principles to steer our future of service.

WILLIAM WALKER 

he/she/they

Hello, my name is William Walker.  I grew up in Diamond Heights-Glen Park, and am currently a Lakeview resident. In 2020, I experienced a serious bike accident on San Jose Avenue where a speeding motorist forced me to come to a sudden stop along M Oceanview rails. I flew over my handlebars and continue to suffer from the injuries.

As the Bike Coalition continues to advocate for safer streets in historically Black, brown, First Nation Indigenous, Asian, Pacific Islander and People of Color neighborhoods, I hope to help build authentic coalitions that are inclusive of the communities where new bike, transit and car-free infrastructure investments are to be built.

For more than 30 years, I have been an advocate, a board director, planner, community organizer, and practitioner of making California cities a better place in over a dozen governments, nonprofits and community groups.

Ending pretext stops will make streets safer — here’s how

Posted on by Claire Amable

On January 11, San Francisco could make history alongside cities like Los Angeles, Portland, Washington DC, and Cincinnati by putting an end to what are known as “pretext traffic stops”. This Wednesday, the SF Police Commission will be discussing Department General Order (DGO) 9.0.7 and hearing from members of the public before taking a vote. 

For nearly two years, we have worked closely with core members of the Coalition to End Biased Stops to put an end to pretext stops in San Francisco. Pretext stops are traffic stops law enforcement use as a means to further investigate pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers, or passengers in a vehicle for something usually unrelated to the initial stop. These stops instill fear and cause incalculable psychological and physical harm, especially to Black and brown people, discouraging them from walking and biking. The deadly legacy of pretextual stops should not be taken lightly: Sandra Bland, Daunte Wright, Rayshard Wright, Philando Castile, Walter Scott, and Sam Dubose were all needlessly killed in police encounters initiated through pretext stops. 

Data collected by SPUR in their 2019 Traffic Stops analysis shows that, in SF, this practice is racially biased. The report found that Black drivers comprised 19% of those stopped, while making up less than 5% of the city’s population. In the third quarter of 2021, the SF Police Department (SFPD) reported making 6,690 traffic stops and conducting 1,332 searches. According to this report, SFPD used force 13 times more on Black people than white people, and Black people were stopped five times more and searched eight times more than white people. 

2022 was the deadliest year for traffic fatalities in the last ten years, with 37 preventable deaths. We know streets in our Black and brown neighborhoods are significantly over-represented in the High-Injury Network. This updated 2022 map shows streets have gotten worse in Black and brown communities. We also know the top violations that cause traffic fatalities and severe injuries: speeding, failing to yield to pedestrians, running red lights, running stop signs, and failing to yield while turning.  But in these communities, enforcement of these behaviors was virtually nonexistent last year. Ending pretext stops would refocus police on those behaviors that cause the greatest death and injury. At the same time, pretext stops have a terrible track record of effectively identifying other dangerous behaviors. For example, San Francisco data from 2019 show that of the 4,086 stops for expired registration fewer than 1% of stops resulted in recovery of a gun and only 0.7% of stops resulted in an arrest. The other stops covered by this DGO have similarly low yield rates.

In 2014, SFPD, alongside 13 other city agencies, committed to Vision Zero, the goal of zero traffic fatalities by 2024. In order to reach our goal by next year we need to talk about more effective enforcement. With such limited resources we want to see the police department use them strategically, making decisions informed by data to prioritize preventing behaviors that are life-endangering on our streets. 

The list of bicycle and pedestrian stops* we are hoping to see banned are:

  • Jaywalking
  • Riding a bike or scooter on the sidewalk
  • Not riding a bicycle close to the curb or edge of the roadway
  • Riding without a helmet, lights, or functioning brakes

*Though some of the listed actions are not illegal, such as riding without a helmet if you are over 18 or jaywalking, pretext stops are still routinely made for these actions.

Under DGO 9.0.7, police would still be allowed to stop someone if there is immediate danger such as crashing with a bicycle or pedestrian. What this policy does is limit officers’ unchecked discretion in using these stops as a pretext for unrelated searches and investigation.

We believe putting an end to pretext stops will make streets safer for our Black and brown community members and will allow SFPD to prioritize Focus on the Five stops. You can read our joint letter with Walk SF to the SF Police Commission here. 

The data is clear. Pretext stops are not making our streets safer for anyone and put Black and brown people at risk; they don’t reduce crime; and they’re a waste of community resources. That is why we urge the SF Police Commission to adopt a strong DGO that is comprehensive, backed by data and focused on public safety. This Wednesday, we need you to stand in solidarity with us and the 100+ endorsing groups that make up the Coalition to End Biased Stops by turning out to public comment in-person, over the phone, or through email supporting DGO 9.0.7. Sign up here for public comment updates day-of!

Submit a public comment today

 

WE’RE HIRING: MEMBER ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is transforming our streets and neighborhoods into safe, just, and livable places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation. We’re seeking a passionate, highly motivated Member Engagement Manager with a commitment to transportation justice to lead our membership program.

The Member Engagement Manager will oversee all aspects of the SF Bicycle Coalition’s robust membership program and lead our work toward membership growth and engagement, and making our membership accessible to more people. The Member Engagement Manager will advance our community-building and list-growth strategy to the large and growing number of people biking. They will oversee the member experience, including member events, communications, benefits, and affinity groups. In recognition of the crucial role that members play in shaping and reflecting the culture of the organization, the Member Engagement Manager will take a leadership role in the positive development of organizational culture, including working to ensure that our membership serves more people in San Francisco and actively embraces our community agreements. Working within the Membership department and closely with the Development Director, but also across teams with the Advocacy, Program, Marketing Communications, and Operations teams, the Member Engagement Manager will represent our members’ interests and demonstrate a command of issues, campaigns, and experiences relevant to a broad cross-section of our membership.

Commitment to Equity and Justice

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an equal opportunity employer and acknowledges the historic harm biking culture and unequal access to transportation have inflicted upon underserved communities — including people of color, people with disabilities, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and people with LGBTQ+ identities. We believe that these communities must be centered as leaders in the work we do; therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities.

Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Manage, support, and grow the Membership team, including but not limited to full-time Volunteer and Membership Coordinator and intern support.
  • Develop and execute membership strategy, which includes creating annual plans and budget goals focused on growth of membership base.
  • Create and execute a robust calendar of community-focused events to foster membership engagement and growth.
  • Develop goals and strategies to achieve membership acquisition and renewal targets for major events.
  • Work with Development Director to steward higher-income members to renew at higher rates, become monthly givers, and/or become major donors through thoughtful, targeted relationship-building and direct asks.
  • Work with organizational leadership to make progress toward our goal of building an organization that better serves all of San Francisco, with particular emphasis on representing low-income and historically marginalized people who bike.
  • Design, administer, and analyze tools, such as the biennial member survey, to evaluate opinion trends among members; present results and use findings to guide membership priorities.
  • Plan and support Program and Advocacy staff in conducting streetside and event outreach activities, achieving specific goals related to list-building and member acquisition.
  • Oversee Monthly Giving program, including setting goals and strategies to grow the program while supervising monthly giver accounts.
  • Work with the Operations team to innovate member engagement and retention strategies, and improve the member experience.
  • Innovate and oversee all other miscellaneous outreach initiatives, including bike shop outreach, aligning with strategic goals and objectives for membership growth and advocacy campaigns, delegating responsibility for execution as needed. 
  • Work with the Board of Directors’ Membership and Fundraising Committee to grow and engage membership.

Strong candidates will possess the following key qualifications:

We recognize that this position encompasses a number of different responsibility areas. We are committed to train and support our staff to strengthen their abilities in each area and we encourage applications from people who may not have all of the qualifications listed below.

  • A deep commitment to the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition’s mission;
  • Previous management and leadership experience, including five years of progressively increasing responsibility;
  • Interest in and passion for transportation equity, justice, and antiracism;
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
  • Experience with Salesforce or other CRM;
  • Event-planning experience;
  • Budgeting and forecasting experience;
  • Successful design and execution of multi-channel campaigns using direct marketing, digital engagement, online solicitations, and related marketing vehicles;
  • Exceptional writing skills for a diversity of media and audiences;
  • Successful project planning and strategy implementation;
  • Strong organizational, multi-tasking, and time-management skills;
  • Volunteer experience and/or community involvement; and
  • Fluency in languages other than English, specifically Spanish, Cantonese, or Tagalog.

Reports to: Director of Development

Direct Reports: Volunteer and Membership Coordinator

Salary and Benefits: The annual salary for this exempt position is between $70,000 and $80,000, depending upon depth of experience. Full-time benefits include excellent medical, vision, and dental insurance with no employee contribution, as well as 10 days paid sick leave, 12 paid holidays and 3 weeks PTO (starting) annually, every other Friday off, 401k plan with match, commuter benefits, and flexible work arrangement policies.

Hours: Full-time. Flexibility to work nights and weekends; this position may require approximately three to seven nights per month and one to three weekend days monthly.

About the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition 

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition works to transform San Francisco’s streets and neighborhoods into safe, just, and livable places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation. Our work is guided by our core values of Transportation Justice, Sustainability, People Power, and Joy. The organization’s culture reflects its grassroots origins and professional advocacy in equal measures. Our active membership represents San Franciscans of all ages and backgrounds from all neighborhoods who are working towards safe, sustainable, and more affordable ways to move around our city. The SF Bicycle Coalition is the largest city-based bicycle advocacy group in the nation and one of the largest member-driven groups in San Francisco.

To apply, please submit a resume and a PDF with your answers to the below three questions. Please make your answers roughly one paragraph each:

  1. What makes you excited to work at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?
  2. How would you go about leveraging a range of small, medium, and large-scale events to both cultivate community and grow our membership?  
  3. Identify one SF Bicycle Coalition program that you think has high potential for increasing membership acquisition and retention. How would you create plans and collaborate with staff to leverage that potential?

APPLY HERE

Got an E-Bike? Here’s how to avoid a battery fire

Posted on by Cecilia Vega-Mayer

If you live in San Francisco, you’ve seen the masses of electric bikes cruising comfortably down bike lanes and on Slow Streets, and powering with ease up the city’s many hills. E-bikes have gained popularity in the last few years not just in San Francisco and the U.S., but around the world, and are projected to stick around as a popular mode of transportation. San Francisco even has plans to increase e-bike use among gig workers. 

With this continued growth in popularity comes improved technology, but if you’re familiar with the rise of e-bikes, you’re probably also familiar with the safety challenges e-bike manufacturers have faced, particularly with their lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are the most common type of battery for e-bikes because they are rechargeable and hold a lot of power for their size. If a battery overheats, however, it has the potential to cause a destructive fire, as seen in 200 cases in New York City this year alone. 

Whether you already have an e-bike, are planning to get one soon, or plan to gift one to someone else for the holidays, be sure to follow these tips to keep you, your family, and your e-bike safe. 

  • Don’t go off-brand: Buy your e-bike and any extra batteries, cords, or power adaptors from a manufacturer certified by a qualified testing laboratory, and always follow the manufacturer’s charging and storage instructions. 
  • Give your e-bike the attention it deserves: don’t leave it unattended while charging or charge it overnight. 
  • Store and charge intentionally: Keep all batteries and devices stored out of direct sunlight and at room temperature. Don’t charge it near your couch or bed. 
  • When in doubt, unplug: If you notice anything unusual while charging (battery overheats, emits an odor, liquid, or sound, leaks, or changes in shape or color) immediately stop charging. If your battery was dropped or in a crash, get a new one. 
  • Always be prepared: Make sure your fire extinguisher has been recently serviced and is easily accessible in your home, and call 911 immediately if your battery reacts in an alarming way. Be sure to not block your path in and out of the building with an e-bike.

With these e-bike battery best practices, you’ll surely enjoy your e-bike for every mile of it’s battery range! Curious about other biking best practices? Check out our on-line and in-person classes!

Our streets are getting slower and greener. What’s next?

Posted on by Claire Amable

What a historical month for people-centered streets and green transportation! On Election day, San Franciscans voted yes on renewing the half-cent sales tax for transportation and to make JFK Promenade permanent. Continuing that momentum, last Tuesday the Board of Supervisors approved a three-year pilot to keep Great Highway car-free on the weekends while the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors unanimously made Slow Streets a permanent part of our city by adopting elements of the People’s Slow Streets plan. 

On December 6, the SFMTA Board of Directors made Slow Streets a permanent program, adopted 16 existing corridors into the program committed to a complete network by the end of quarter one in 2023, and gave staff the authority to use diverters without the approval of the board. Additionally, the board set ambitious targets of 15 mph average speed and vehicle volume less than 1000 per day. This adoption of first in class metrics represents a transformative program that prioritizes streets for people.

It was a great discussion and a great first step in the right direction towards a safer and more sustainable San Francisco. Beyond a network for bikes, Slow Streets are a catalyst for community building. Director Cajina said it best, “In the Excelsior and Outer Mission, they can create safe spaces for neighborhoods that have a lot of seniors and youth to be able to walk their streets safely and get us to our Vision Zero goals.”

 In neighborhoods that don’t have Slow Streets like the Tenderloin, our partners from St.Anthony’s shared how “the daily street closure of the 100 block of Golden Gate during free meal service has revealed to us how a thoughtful adjustment to traffic volume can create safer and more connected neighborhoods.” That is why we are excited to work with SFMTA to create a community centered citywide network because we believe equity-priority communities deserve the opportunity to benefit from Slow Streets.

Additionally, December 6 was a historic win for the Great Highway. The Board of Supervisors approved a three-year pilot of the Great Highway closures, and most importantly, preserved the existing start time of 12pm on Fridays. This pilot project will allow the agencies to determine the long-term future of the Great Highway and work out solutions for traffic diversion. We hope to see it turn into a world class ocean-front park.

From Prop L to JFK, Slow Streets and Great Highway, each of these represent tremendous strides towards a greener, people-first, San Francisco. We’ve got more work to do, and we can’t do it without you. Donate to our year end campaign to help us create a connected, equitable network of car-free and car-lite spaces.

Donate today!

New shared space on Middle Drive

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

There is a new shared space in Golden Gate Park. The SFMTA and Recreation and Parks Department just updated Middle Drive at the entrance to the Polo Field to create a protected promenade space for people biking, walking, and rolling alongside the lane of one-way vehicle traffic. There are soft-hit posts separating the car lane and the pedestrian/bike lane as well as signs, new crosswalks, and concrete barriers.

Since the Mayor’s COVID-19 Emergency Order, Middle Drive has been fully closed to cars between the intersection with Overlook Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. This stretch of road includes the entrance to the Polo Fields. During the past few years, many people have used Middle Drive as a safe, car-free path through Golden Gate Park. Middle Drive is also a crucial part of the car-free Beach-to-Bay connection that the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution on in October 2021. In order to maintain this crucial space, SFMTA and Rec and Parks Department created this dedicated biking and walking space and protected it from the one-lane of vehicle traffic.

The new soft-hit posts, signs, road striping, crosswalks, and concrete barriers provide a distinct separation between the cars and the promenade. On the Northern side of the road – the one closest to the Polo Fields – there is no parking at any time. While biking on Middle Drive, remember to yield to pedestrians.

The SFMTA and Rec and Parks Department will assess the impact of these changes over the next few months and can make adjustments as needed to make sure the car-free portion of Middle Drive is protected.

The support of our members helped us preserve the permanent car-free JFK Promenade. Help us do more in 2023 by donating at sfbike.org/give2022.

Get ready to make Slow Streets permanent

Posted on by Claire Amable

After months of rescheduling, the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) is finally deciding the future of Slow Streets next Tuesday, December 6th at 1pm.

At this hearing the SFMTA Board of Directors will be voting on two things; making Slow Streets a permanent program and incorporating existing corridors into the permanent program based on 20 mile per hour speeds, 1,500 vehicle count, and connectivity to the bicycle network. 

Here are the list of streets,

We are proud members of the People’s Slow Streets, a coalition of city-wide organizations, community based organizations, and key stakeholders that have met weekly since August to create the People’s Slow Streets proposal. Outlined in the proposal are key recommendations to a successful Slow Streets program. Those recommendations are, 

  • Build on Success: Approve existing Slow Streets and install metrics and materials that improve safety. 
  • Expand with Equity: Improve onboarding, invest in Equity Priority Communities, and initiate pilot projects.
  • Connect the Network: Connect Slow Streets across the city to create a seamless citywide network.

We are so excited to see Slow Streets become a permanent part of our city. They have been instrumental during the pandemic and we’ve seen them have such great success in certain neighborhoods. The SFMTA proposal on the table is a great first step towards permanency but it still falls short on equity. The list of corridors recommended for inclusion leaves out equity priority communities, there is no process for new Slow Streets, the proposed metrics are still quite high and disqualifies certain neighborhoods whose streets are not deemed residential. We believe Slow Streets can only be successful if equity is at the center of the program, not an afterthought. 

It’s no coincidence that our low-income, predominantly Black, Indigenous, communities of color overlay with neighborhoods that have most streets on the high-injury network. Slow Streets is one tool in our tool box we can use to really slow down streets in these neighborhoods and allow communities to reclaim that space for something more people centered where anyone 8 to 80 can feel safe on them. From the Tenderloin to the Bayview to Excelsior, every neighborhood deserves the opportunity to benefit from an amazing program like Slow Streets if they want them. 

Your SF Bicycle Coalition needs you to turn out to public comment next Tuesday or write a letter in support of the permanent Slow Streets program, and for the SFMTA to adopt the People’s Slow Streets proposal to ensure the program centers equity and will serve all of San Francisco. 

Public comment: In person (first priority), or call-in at 415.655.0001, Access Code: 2498 110 6321
Meeting begins at 1pm, and the Slow Streets item will be heard around 3pm.

Write a letter today!