New Lake Merced Blvd bike lane and coalition work for safer streets

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

Street safety improvements are crucial for our city, and should not come at the expense of our fellow San Franciscans who are housing insecure.

Lake Merced Blvd is part of the city’s High-Injury Network and is a notoriously fast and dangerous street. The Lake Merced Blvd Quick-Build Project added a protected bike lane and improved bus access and pedestrian safety to 2.5 miles of road, thereby expanding the bicycle network, equitable access to sustainable forms of transportation and opens up the southwest corner of San Francisco to improved micromobility in a historically car-dependent part of the city.

We support the quick-build project and know it will bring much-needed safety improvements to the area, we also stand in solidarity with the End Poverty Tows Coalition, a coalition of nonprofits supporting and advocating for the RV residents. For several years, people have parked their RVs for temporary and long-term residence along Lake Merced Blvd and two adjacent streets, Winston Drive and Buckingham Way. These residents are largely students, families, seniors, non-English speakers and workers who can’t afford rent in the Bay Area.

End Poverty Tows have been vocal from the beginning about the city’s mishandling of vehicularly-housed people along the corridor, and were instrumental in getting a commitment to finding a safe site to help mitigate the displacement caused by the project.

As part of the quick-build, the SFMTA has already removed approximately 101 parking spots on Lake Merced Blvd in order to construct the protected bike lane. To complete the last section of the bike lane, they need to remove an additional 90 parking spots on Lake Merced Blvd. This parking removal is necessary for the project; over a year ago, Supervisor Myrna Melgar, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), and the SFMTA Board of Directors agreed to provide a safe relocation site for the RV residents before removing the remaining 90 spaces. However, last fall, RV residents and advocates were caught off guard by 4-hour parking restrictions introduced on Winston and Buckingham that are nonessential for the quick-build. Now, an even larger group of RV residents is at risk of displacement, towing, and deepened housing insecurity. 

The End Poverty Tows Coalition has worked tirelessly to push HSH to provide a safe relocation site and permanent housing solutions, because relocation alone isn’t a solution to housing insecurity. They have done extensive outreach and kept the RV community in the loop when city agency communication has fallen short. Despite this and after over a year of looking, there is still no safe relocation site.

These 4-hour parking restrictions were introduced in the name of street safety, but don’t seem to actually address the real safety concerns. If we want to talk about safety improvements to Winston and Buckingham, we need to address speeding vehicles, unsafe crosswalks and the whole area needing infrastructure improvements – which are the real concerns, not the residents living in RVs who are also impacted by unsafe street conditions. Our focus and priority is safe infrastructure and though we’ve recently learned that the bike lane on Winston will receive improvements, we’re concerned that the 4-hour restrictions don’t actually improve safety for people walking and biking. 

The 4-hour restrictions will go into effect on July 1 and currently the RV community has nowhere to go. The entire city is facing a housing crisis and changing the parking limits on one or two streets will not fix this issue. We joined the End Poverty Tows Coalition because our streets are our largest and most used shared civil space and we can’t achieve our organization’s mission without addressing all the ways our streets are used.

Send an email to HSH, SFMTA and Supervisor Melgar to support the RV community!

Send an email

Background and timeline:

  • 2021 – Lake Merced Blvd Quick-Build process begins
  • 2021-2022 – outreach to the RV community along Lake Merced Blvd reveals depth and difficulty of this quick-build. The End Poverty Tows Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness support outreach to the RV community.
  • January 2023 – Lake Merced Quick-Build approved by SFMTA Board of Directors with the condition to hold off on a section of the bike lane until a safe relocation parking site was secured by Supervisor Myrna Melgar and HSH.
  • January 2023-Now – Supervisor Melgar’s office and HSH looked at dozens of potential relocation sites. HSH has also looked into permanent housing solutions. They’ve only been able to pursue permanent housing for a small number of the RV residents. A relocation site remains unsecured to date.
  • September 19, 2023 – taking the residents and advocates by surprise, the SFMTA Board of Directors voted to impose 4-hour parking restrictions on Buckingham Way and Winston Drive. Hearing concern from the community, the Board decided the restrictions would not go into effect for 3 months, despite HSH saying they won’t have the safe relocation site done in that timeline.
  • August 2023-Now – Advocates and RV residents have shown up and spoken in opposition to the parking restrictions at MTAB, HSH Commission meetings and 1-on-1 meetings.
  • October 2023 – Construction begins on Lake Merced Blvd Quick-Build project.
  • October 24, 2023 – The End Poverty Tows Coalition hosted a press conference with families from the RVs to put pressure on city agencies and leaders to secure a safe parking site and permanent housing solutions before the parking restrictions go into effect. 
  • November-December 2023 – Construction of the bike lane began on the east side of Lake Merced Blvd and approximately 101 parking spots were removed. Several families in RVs were forced to disperse. 
  • December 2023 – SFMTA Board delayed enforcement of the 4-hour restrictions on Winston and Buckingham “indefinitely.”
  • March 2024 – Construction of bike lane on Lake Merced Blvd concludes. A few other small elements of the quick-build remain undone.
  • April 2024 – Advocates and residents see parking signs go up on Winston and Buckingham and learn that enforcement of the 4-hour restrictions will begin imminently.
  • April 16, 2024 – Advocates and residents show up at City Hall for a rally, meet with Supervisor Melgar and give public comment at the SFMTA Board meeting. The Board says that enforcement of the restrictions will begin July 1 when Winston is scheduled to be repaved and all parking has to be removed anyway.

MEET PETER, OUR 2024 BIKE CHAMPION OF THE YEAR!

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Bike to Wherever Day is coming up on May 16, and every year we highlight a member of our community that embodies the joy of biking and helps make their community better for biking. Meet Peter Belden, SF Bike member and our 2024 Bike Champion of the Year. Read more about Peter’s bike journey and how he’s helping make SF more bike-friendly for everyone.

1. Tell us about yourself and how biking is part of your life here in the Bay.

I had never ridden a bike in SF before 2019 because I was too scared of getting hit by a car. Then during a family trip to Copenhagen I finally experienced how wonderful it is to bike around for everyday transportation. It’s fun. It’s healthy. It’s better for the planet and you get to experience the city and see things you’d normally miss. So when I returned home, I took a SF Bike class on urban riding and went out to explore. I found that although there were some routes, particularly in SOMA, that felt safe, there were too many gaps in the bike network. I knew I wanted to help make a difference there. Now I bike for everyday transportation, but advocating for better biking infrastructure is an even bigger part of my life. 

2. What does bike joy mean to you?

Bike joy to me is when I am riding on one of those precious few places in SF where the biking infrastructure is truly safe and carefree like Car Free JFK, the Great Highway Park and the concrete protected bike lanes on the Embarcadero. There is a sense of relief, fun, and ease. And of course, bike buses and all the fun I’ve had organizing them with Luke Bornheimer, Molly Hayden, Deep Jawa and Charlotte Mooney. It’s hard to beat the joy of riding through SF with music, bubbles and dozens of kids riding to school. 

3. How do you help make your community a better place to bike?

I ride on 17th St in Potrero Hill almost every day, including going to and from the gym with my kids. 17th St is the main east-west route on a bike and it’s a critical connection. The bike lanes on 17th are unprotected painted lanes. We started advocating for a physical separation that prevents cars from entering the bike lane and with lots of help from another volunteer, Kieran Farr, created safer17th.com. We did outreach to people using the bike lanes, through the local neighborhood associations. We quickly grew to about a dozen engaged volunteers plus several hundred supporters. We also coordinated with other organizations including the SF Bike Coalition, KidSafeSF, the Sierra Club and more. Ultimately we convinced SFMTA to formally approve a safer design for the bike lanes which will be installed by the end of spring, and we want to make the design even better – we’re still concerned about the lack of protected intersections and will continue to advocate for those. 

Following this success, our current focus is for Safer Illinois Street. Myself and another SF Bike member, Donovan Lacy have been helping member Kate Blumberg, who is leading Safer Illinois. We’ve been talking to merchants, creating materials, distributing posters and doing other outreach to decision makers. 

4. What advice do you have for people who want to get involved in making our streets better for biking?

Reach out to someone who is involved. That way they can loop you into an existing campaign and share lessons learned. It really is true that an organized group of just a few people can really change things. That’s how we made Safer 17th happen and you can do something similar in your neighborhood. I also encourage everyone to get involved with their local neighborhood association. Neighborhood associations in SF have outsized influence and we need that influence to be in support of biking. 

Want to reach out to Peter and get involved with neighborhood street advocacy? Email him at info@safer17th.com.

Get ready for Bike to Wherever Day with us – check out this year’s energizer stations, pledge to ride, and stay tuned for more info on group rides!

WE’RE HIRING: VALET BICYCLE PARKING ATTENDANTS

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is seeking energetic and organized individuals interested in providing first-class service to come be a part of our famous Valet Bicycle Parking team as Bicycle Valet Attendants. Candidates must have a flexible schedule, with availability on days, nights, and/or weekends. Must be available to work August and September. If you want to further the mission of the SF Bicycle Coalition by helping provide safe and secure bike parking at events all over San Francisco, we’d love to hear from you!

Hours: Flexible, part-time to full time, seasonal work. Includes days, nights, and/or weekends.

Reports to: Valet Bicycle Parking Program Coordinator

Bicycle Valet Attendants oversee site-specific valet bike parking operations for events citywide. Bicycle Valet Attendants are responsible for representing the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, as well as our mission and policies, to event organizers, volunteers, and the general public. Bicycle Valet Attendants are also responsible for on-site volunteer training, care and management.

Job Components

A Bicycle Valet Attendant:

  • Arranges drop-off/pick-up of supplies at event site
  • Sets up and breaks down events
  • Ensures appropriate location signage and banners are displayed, all parked bikes are tagged, outreach materials and signage is displayed on table, when available
  • Troubleshoots issues and resolves problems facing the Valet Bicycle Parking Program and SF Bicycle Coalition Volunteers
  • Is sensitive to opportunities to improve the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of San Francisco Bicycle Coalition work
  • Maintains an effective manner and demeanor and sets an example for others
  • Is a proactive problem solver dedicated to ensuring a high-quality experience for all
  • Keeps track of the membership envelope, any membership forms and any donations and arranges their secure return to the SF Bicycle Coalition
  • Attends SF Bicycle Coalition’s Bicycle Ambassador Training at least one time per calendar year and is effective in explaining current SF Bicycle Coalition policies, goals, objectives, programs and activities.

Qualifications:

  • Commitment to providing a top-quality Valet Bicycle Parking experience for all guests
  • Ability to train and manage volunteers
  • Ability to work individually and as part of a team
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills
  • Comfortable working outdoors
  • Ability to lift 25-60 pounds required
  • Ability to lift bikes and gently place them about 4 feet off the ground
  • Ability to use bike to pull trailer of supplies weighing approx. 70+ pounds (trailer provided by SF Bicycle Coalition)
  • Must have your own bike and be comfortable biking in San Francisco.

Volunteer experience with our Valet Bicycle Parking program is a plus.

Pay is $21/hour for all events.

How to Apply:

To apply, please use the form to submit a resume and a PDF with your answers to the below three questions. A formal cover letter is not required. Please make your answers roughly one paragraph each:

  • What makes you excited to work at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?
  • What does transportation justice mean to you and how do you see it fitting into your career?
  • What skills and/or experiences do you have that would make you a good fit for this role?

Commitment to Equity and Justice

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an equal opportunity employer and acknowledges the harm biking culture and inequitable access to transportation have inflicted upon marginalized 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 relevant lived experience. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. 

Frida Kahlo Way Quick-Build sparks transportation talks for CCSF students

Posted on by Rachel Clyde

Frida Kahlo Way is a small street that runs alongside City College’s main campus and is surrounded by multiple high-injury streets – Ocean Ave, San Jose Ave, Geneva Ave, and Interstate 280. It’s a thin connection between southern neighborhoods like Oceanview, Ingleside Heights and Outer Mission, and our city center, and also a crucial bike route that many people in the area take to get to Hearst Slow Street and then onto Valencia Street, Market Street, and beyond. That’s why the SFMTA created the Frida Kahlo Way Quick-Build project, which is nearing final approval.

The Frida Kahlo Way Quick-Build is one of several projects in the southwest corner of San Francisco that will transform an isolated and transit-poor part of our city into a connected neighborhood with safe streets. We cannot overstate the need for connectivity in our city for active transportation.

In addition to the existing transportation needs of Archbishop Riordan High School, Frida Kahlo Way is also expecting a new housing development, Balboa Reservoir, which will bring over a thousand new residents to that corridor. Frida Kahlo Way is in desperate need of improvements to make transportation more efficient and sustainable. This is all part of our larger vision for full connectivity throughout the city for active transportation and creating an environment that encourages mode shifting. 

At the February 22nd Board meeting, the City College of San Francisco’s Board of Trustees voted on a resolution opposing the quick-build due to concerns from the student body about affordable transportation and lack of communication from the SFMTA. The Associated Student Council of Ocean had voted on their own resolution to oppose the quick-build on February 14 because of these reasons.

At that meeting, students and stakeholders of CCSF voiced their concern for the loss of free parking that students rely on on Frida Kahlo Way. After the SFMTA returned 13 parking spots, the project in total will eliminate 32 net parking spots. All other parking on campus is paid and parking fees can stack up quickly. Many CCSF students identify as low income, often working full-time jobs and caring for family simultaneously. Students expressed concern that removing free parking without offering a realistic alternative for students who can’t bike and roll puts a huge burden on those students. While the quick-build will create opportunities for some students to safely bike and take active transportation to campus, not all of them can. Providing free public transit and off-street parking options to CCSF students, in addition to the quick-build, would alleviate this burden.

City College students need all the affordable transportation options they can get. We stand by student concerns for affordable transportation – CCSF students deserve free public transit AND protected infrastructure to get to school. We call on the SFMTA, CCSF’s Board of Trustees, and the Board of Supervisors to work collaboratively and address these concerns.  

In the long term we know that the quick-build will improve congestion and traffic flow in the area. However, to reach that point, CCSF leadership and the SFMTA need to work together to bridge that gap. Your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition wants to support this transition for the campus and empower students to choose biking as a sustainable, safe and affordable mode of transportation. 

On March 28, CCSF’s Board of Trustees had another meeting where they heard from SFMTA staff, including the project managers and Director Jeffery Tumlin. SFMTA’s presentation highlighted that with new residents coming in and upcoming construction on CCSF’s campus, they need to prioritize mass transit and active transportation over private car ownership and use, because otherwise existing traffic and parking issues will be exacerbated. 

At the meeting, CCSF Board of Trustees shared their concerns about the lack of equity consideration in the project. Several trustees shared that this project needs to center students who will be displaced by the removed parking – especially students who live in their vehicles and frequently park on Frida Kahlo Way. They want to be sure that their low-income and working class BIPOC students aren’t being blamed for the climate and environmental issues in San Francisco. The meeting ended with no action taken. 

The SFMTA is still planning to move forward with seeking final approval at the Board of Directors on May 7th with expected implementation this summer. Your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is working to facilitate strong communication and collaboration between all stakeholders during this process. We will need your help to support the quick-build and better transportation for CCSF and the southwest neighborhoods. Sign up for campaign updates to hear how you can help.

Sign up for campaign updates

Ride to Opening Day on the new 3rd Street bike lane

Posted on by Cecilia Vega-Mayer

Baseball season is almost upon us! We’re excited to offer you another year of free bike valet on the south side of Oracle Park while you catch a Giants home game. 

This season there’s an exciting new development that will help you get to and from the games safer and faster. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) recently finished construction on the 3rd Street Quick-Build that updated the biking facilities immediately around Oracle Park. 

Between the 3rd Street Bridge (also known as the Lefty O’Doul Bridge) and Townsend Street, 3rd St got upgraded from sharrows to a two-way protected bike lane. The bike lane was made possible through a road diet – removing a lane of car traffic. If you’ve been in the area during a game you know it can get really congested and dangerous for people walking, biking and rolling. The new road diet will help reduce vehicle speeding and eliminate some opportunities for collision, while the bike lanes offer more protection and visibility.  

The project also added improved connection to the existing bike lane on Berry Street, protected turns for people biking, signs and crosswalk updates. This quick-build has not only enhanced connections to the stadium and our bike valet, but also to Mission Bay, SOMA, the Embarcadero/King Street corridor and the San Francisco Bay Trail.

The next time you bike to a Giants game, make sure to give the new bike lane a quick pass, and of course park your bike with us before game time! Our valet is open 2 hours before first pitch, and closes 30 minutes after the game ends to make sure everyone has time to get their bike. At every game our valet attendants keep up to 200 bikes safe with secured, monitored parking. Don’t forget to tip the valet attendants! 

Need directions to our valet location? Here’s a helpful map. 

Did you know we’ve been providing bicycle valet San Francisco for nearly 30 years? Find Valet Bicycle Parking at all these great events:

  • SF Giants home games
  • Oracle Park Events
  • Portola Music Festival
  • Lower Haight Art Market
  • Scare Grove’s Halloween
  • Save the Redwoods’ Take Me to the Trees
  • Park Market at Crane Cove
  • SF Parks and Rec Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
  • Flower Piano
  • Opera in the Park
  • Dutch King’s Day
  • Union Square’s Winter Walk

If you know about any events in San Francisco that should have valet bicycle parking, you can email tracy@sfbike.org so we can reach out to event organizers and make bike parking safe for everyone who attends.

Email Tracy about bike valet

17th Street Quick-Build finally crosses the finish line

Posted on by Claire Amable

Last Tuesday, the SF Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) Board of Directors unanimously approved the 17th Street Quick-Build to build a parking-protected bike lane on 17th Street between Mississippi Street and Potrero Avenue!

What led to the delay?

The project received the greenlight for approval from the City’s traffic engineer last year in September. We were confident the project would get final approval from the SFMTA Board of Directors by the end of the year and were gravely disappointed when that did not happen. Even with overwhelming support from residents and neighborhood associations like Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association, the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, and the South Beach Rincon Mission Bay Neighborhood Association, the project remained in limbo for six months over parking concerns from a handful of local businesses. 

MTAB hearing recap

Those concerns were brought to light during public comment and were clearly addressed in the SFMTA staff presentation and by the Board of Directors. The project will remove 155 on-street parking spaces along 17th Street and Mississippi Street while the new Flower Mart parking garage will provide 205 parking spaces to members of the public during off hours. 

We commend SFMTA staff for working diligently on addressing these concerns and to the SFMTA Board of Directors who said during a February hearing, “We will not compromise people’s safety for parking.” We were very heartened by the Board upholding that commitment in one of the most robust discussions about biking and parking we’ve heard to date. 

Our thoughts

17th Street is a critical east-west corridor for people on active transportation. We know protected bike lanes improve safety for all people on active transportation and this project moves us towards our goals of a citywide, interconnected network of people-prioritized mobility corridors. While we celebrate this success, it is important to remember that delaying projects means putting people’s safety at risk , not to mention this project is only one segment of the entire 17th Street corridor which needs improvements. The SFMTA must prioritize a protected bike lane along the entirety of 17th Street to keep people on bikes and active transportation safe. 

Lastly, this project would not have been possible without the work of our amazing member and advocate, Peter Belden. For almost four years, Peter has tirelessly advocated for protected bike lanes on 17th Street and has shown up consistently to every milestone of this project. We’re grateful for all the work Peter has put into this project. Our members are the power behind our organization and we need your help to keep the momentum going and make sure the SFMTA commits to working on the entirety of 17th Street immediately.

I want campaign updates!

Protected bike lanes coming to Beach Street

Posted on by Claire Amable

Photo: SFMTA Beach Street Quick-Build project website

District Three is about to get its first major east-west protected bike lane on Beach Street and the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) needs your feedback on the design! 

What is the project?

Beach Street is an east-west corridor located in District Three’s Fisherman’s Wharf area. The project area stretches from Polk Street to the Embarcadero. This section of Beach Street is home to many hotels and tourist destinations like Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39. It’s a low traffic volume street but falls on the Vision Zero High Injury Network–12% of San Francisco streets that account for 68% of the city’s severe traffic injuries and fatalities. From 2018 to 2022, 29 traffic collisions happened on Beach Street between Polk Street and the Embarcadero.

There are two protected bike lane options on the table for Beach Street between Powell Street and Columbus Avenue. Both designs would be implemented through the SFMTA Quick Build process using materials like paint, posts, and traffic signs. Quick builds are low-cost, easy to install, can be adjusted and reversible. Here are the two protected bike lane options for Beach Street:

  1. One-way westbound protected bike lane on the north side of the street. 

  1. Two-way eastbound and westbound protected bike lanes on the north side of the street. 

If you’re wondering why the bike lane doesn’t connect to Polk Street or the Embarcadero, we had the same question! Due to complicated signal infrastructure at the Beach Street and Embarcadero intersection, extending a protected bike lane to Embarcadero would require significant capital investment and engineering which is outside of the scope of a quick-build project. On the western side of the corridor, most people on bikes want to connect to the area behind the Maritime Museum and around to Fort Mason. The SFMTA is looking into ways to extend bike facilities on Beach Street beyond Columbus Avenue to make this connection as well as to the existing bike lanes on southbound Polk Street, but these options are still being evaluated and need to be vetted with the merchants on these blocks.

The SFMTA plans to connect Beach Street to North Point – a parallel street south of Beach Street with higher traffic volumes and people on bikes – by protected bike lanes on Powell Street on the east side and are working closely with merchants to identify a west side connection. 

In addition to a protected bike lane, every intersection will receive pedestrian safety improvements along the corridor, as well as crucial safety treatments during temporary street closures for public events in coordination with the Fisherman’s Wharf Community Benefit District who has been a strong supporter of the project.

What does SF Bike think about it? 

A protected east-west bike lane in District Three is long overdue so we are excited to see improvements coming to Beach Street. We are confident that the two-way cycle track on the north side of the street is the safest design for people on bikes and active transportation. As we work on the Active Communities Plan and towards our vision of an interconnected network of people-prioritized mobility corridors, it is important to us that we connect all new bike improvement projects to the existing network. 

What do we need you to do? 

The SFMTA’s virtual open house is live until Friday, March 15th and they need your feedback on the project, especially on the bike lane design options. Take the survey today! To stay updated on this project and for future member meetings about Beach Street, sign up for our campaign list below.

Keep me updated!

 

Six months into the Mid-Valencia Pilot, what’s next?

Posted on by Claire Amable

On Tuesday, February 20th, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) staff presented their three-month evaluation data of the Mid-Valencia Pilot to the SFMTA Board of Directors, and we were on hand to provide public comment and represent the position of our membership. 

Many of us know and love Valencia Street. In the past six months, we’ve seen news outlets cover the controversial bike lane from many perspectives, but with little to no data. Tuesday was the first time SFMTA publicly presented any kind of analysis on the center-running bike lane. 

In the weeks before the hearing, we sought direction from our members on how the pilot is going and what should happen next. We distributed a member-only survey about the pilot and received over 1200 responses in a week; we also hosted an in-person member meeting on February 13 to share our preliminary survey results and help refine our stance.

Here are key takeaways from the survey and member meeting we hosted:

  • Our members generally feel safe riding in the center-running bike lane (CRBL) and agree it’s an improvement from the previous unprotected design. 
  • The biggest issues for people on bikes are needing sturdier materials, feeling unsafe using the bike boxes, and drivers making illegal turns.
  • One of the top three reasons our members use the CRBL is to visit businesses. They generally support small businesses along Valencia Street, want to see them succeed, and have many ideas of how to better support them. 
  • Lastly, the largest percentage of respondents prefer protected side-running bike lanes with curbside parklets as the near-term design.

These results helped us shape our position, which is the following:

  1. Iterate the design as was promised by staff and the board last April, and keep it in place for the full 12 months of the original pilot period 
  2. Simultaneously, complete draft plans for protected side-running bike lanes
  3. Once the pilot is over, immediately install side-running bike lanes with curbside parklets, unless comfort and safety significantly improve to warrant keeping the CRBL

The hearing was productive and proactive; thanks to the SFMTA Board and staff, as well as dozens of advocates and stakeholders who showed up to give public comment. Although this was an informational item, the MTA Board approved a motion with clear next steps for staff.

First, they directed staff to take immediate steps to correct new collision factors like illegal u-turns and left turns, reduce conflict and confusion by improving bike boxes, and solve mid-block accessibility to businesses.

They also directed staff to develop a design for protected side-running bike lanes by mid-2024. Noting the need for data transparency around this project, the Board also asked for staff to return with updated evaluation data and to bring back an alternative design for Board consideration and approval in 2024.

We’re glad to hear directors push SFMTA staff to make immediate and crucial safety improvements to the center-running lane as a top priority. Director Henderson said it the most clearly: “We will not compromise safety for parking and increasing vehicles on Valencia Street.”

Everyone who has shared their feedback, both with us and with the SFMTA, loves Valencia Street. We want people on active transportation to feel safe while riding, we want small businesses to thrive and we know these things can coexist. We look forward to working with our members and SFMTA to continue to advocate for immediate improvements and the long-term vision of Valencia Street.

STAY UPDATED ON THE VALENCIA PROJECT

WE’RE HIRING: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Posted on by SF Bicycle Coalition Board

About the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

For over 50 years, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has been transforming San Francisco streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation. We are one of the largest and most effective bicycle advocacy groups in the country. Through our day-to-day advocacy, education, programs, and working partnerships with City agencies and community organizations, the SF Bicycle Coalition creates safer streets and more livable communities for all San Franciscans.

About the role

We’re seeking a transformative, visionary Executive Director who can guide the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition to meet the challenges of today and prepare for those of tomorrow. You are a passionate advocate for bicycles and people-prioritized mobility with the ability to build a coalition with organizations and individuals that radically increases the number and diversity of people actively participating in this mobility movement for transportation justice. You are able to bring your vision to life in a way that is compelling and inspiring, resulting both in increased financial and member engagement. As Executive Director, you will be responsible for the overall strategic and operational leadership of the organization, including financial stewardship and fundraising, advocacy, programs, community engagement, and administration.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

  • Embrace and nurture our core values of transportation justice, people power, sustainability and joy.
  • Develop and implement a vision and strategic plan to advance the organization’s mission, goals, and objectives.
  • Work closely with the Board of Directors to refine and execute strategic priorities.

Advocacy and Policy

  • Lead advocacy efforts to influence local and regional policies that promote safe and accessible bicycling.
  • Build and maintain relationships with city officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders.

Fundraising and Financial Management

  • Lead fundraising efforts, including grant writing, major gifts, membership drives, and events.
  • Oversee financial management, budgeting, and financial reporting.

Program Management

  • Oversee the design, promotion, and delivery of programs and services that support the organization’s mission.
  • Ensure programs are effective, efficient, and responsive to the needs of the community.

Membership Growth and Community Engagement

  • Engage, inspire and mobilize the diverse bicycling community in San Francisco to become active members of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
  • Foster an inclusive environment that welcomes and supports people of all backgrounds in bicycling advocacy, especially historically marginalized and disenfranchised groups.

Team Leadership and Development

  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team.
  • Foster a collaborative, positive, and productive work environment.

Communication

  • Serve as the primary spokesperson for the organization, while uplifting the voices of other organization leaders, when appropriate, by fostering unified messaging and confident communication skills.
  • Ensure effective communication strategies are in place to engage members, stakeholders, and the public.

Qualifications

  • A passion for bicycling and people-prioritized mobility.
  • Exceptional leadership and senior management experience in a nonprofit or advocacy organization, with a proven ability to inspire and motivate staff members, volunteers and stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated success in fundraising, membership growth, and financial management.
  • Experience in identifying grant opportunities, developing proposals, and managing grant-funded projects.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Demonstrated success working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders, including historically marginalized and disenfranchised groups.
  • Knowledge of urban planning, transportation policy, and advocacy strategies, both in general and within the context of San Francisco and the larger Bay Area, is highly desirable.

Commitment to Equity and Justice

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is committed to achieving transportation justice for all, especially those who have historically been underserved by bicycling infrastructure and policies, including but not limited to people of color, people with disabilities, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and people with LGBTQ+ identities. All San Francisco Bicycle Coalition staff are therefore expected to center and amplify these diverse perspectives in our work.

We also strongly encourage applications for this position from people with these identities. There are many paths to being an excellent candidate for this position, including lived experience. Even if you feel that you do not meet all the precise criteria listed in this job description, we nevertheless encourage you to apply.

Location

Hybrid — San Francisco Bay Area.

Compensation

The starting annual salary range for this exempt position is $175-195k depending upon relevancy of experience. Full-time benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance; 10 days paid sick leave, 12 paid holidays and 3 weeks PTO annually, with PTO accruals increasing in subsequent years. Other benefits include a flexible work arrangement policy, and 100% match of an employee’s contribution to their 401K up to 3% of an employee’s annual salary.

How to apply
For more information about the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, please visit: sfbike.org. Candidates may submit application materials, including a resume and cover letter, via email, to EDSearch@sfbike.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until April 8th or until the position is filled

WE’RE HIRING: Director of Development

Posted on by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

Position Summary

San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is thrilled to announce an opening for our next Director of Development (DoD) to lead us in crafting and implementing a dynamic, diversified development strategy. This is a highly collaborative position supported by a skilled staff and board who will work in close partnership with the DoD to achieve our revenue and membership goals, enabling the organization to achieve its vision. 

About the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition was founded in 1971 by a group of activists representing a coalition of environmental and neighborhood groups and is one of the oldest bicycle advocacy groups in the nation. For over 50 years, the SF Bicycle Coalition has furthered its mission – to transform San Francisco’s streets and neighborhoods into safe, just, and livable places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation – through its grassroots political organizing and broadening civic engagement. With its dual 501(c)(3) and (c)(4) structure, thousands of dues-paying members, and $2.5 million annual budget, SF Bicycle Coalition has grown to add community-based programs to expand access to bicycles, education programs on safe biking practices, and partnerships with other transit-focused organizations.

The Role 

Reporting to and in partnership with the Executive Director, the DoD will spearhead development and membership efforts as the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition continues to deepen and grow its impact and reach. While SFBike has established diverse revenue streams and healthy finances, opportunities exist for even greater growth and diversification of our revenue and membership base. The DoD will play a leading role in designing, guiding, and supporting the execution of a comprehensive development strategy to facilitate achievement of annual revenue and membership goals. 

The DoD will bring to this work insightful strategic acumen; excellent donor and funder cultivation and project management skills; a creative, optimistic approach; and significant experience in supporting organizational sustainability and growth. 

Our ideal candidate will be mission-aligned, sharing our core values of transportation justice, sustainability, people power, and joy. They’ll be excited by our work to center the voices and needs of those most harmed by inequitable transportation and infrastructure decisions, and to identify and capitalize on funding opportunities to support that work.

Key Responsibilities

The DoD will craft, guide, and oversee the implementation of a multilayered annual revenue and membership development plan to maintain and increase annual operating funds towards greater impact, growth, and sustainability. 

The DoD will guide and oversee the work of two talented staff (a Membership Engagement Manager and a Membership and Development Associate), and will be supported by a professional events contractor as needed. The DoD will ensure that direct reports and their teams have opportunities to develop their skills and capacities while also promoting practices that support individual wellness and retention. 

The DoD is a key member of our Directors team. The Directors team facilitates shared knowledge, team cohesion, and the development of practices and policies that support organizational efficacy as well as staff wellness and retention. 

Fund Development Activities and Strategy  

  • Review and analyze the efficacy and efficiency of existing fundraising activities; bring a fresh lens to the work. 
  • Drive the cultivation, solicitation and stewardship of new and existing major donors and grants. Manage the delegation of prospects and partners among board members and key staff, to ensure that fundraising activity is well-considered, distributed, and coordinated.
  • Identify, cultivate, and steward new opportunities and relationships with individual donors, foundations, business partners, and others, using a systematic and well-organized process or pipeline. 
  • Review, strengthen and oversee sponsorship programs; manage sponsorship campaigns for events and programs to meet or exceed budgeted fundraising goals; build rapport with sponsorship partners, write appeals, and ensure stewardship for contributions in partnership with the communications team.
  • Determine best ways for the executive director, board members and key staff to plug into development and membership cultivation campaigns and activities; orient staff to practices that build their confidence and capacity as fund-raisers.
  • Develop materials for donor cultivation and fundraising campaigns, in collaboration with our marketing and communications team.
  • Ensure effective workflow, including consistent and effective use of CRM (Salesforce) tools and data.
  • Evaluate fundraising and membership development strategies to measure return on investment; utilize data to improve and/or build on key activities; and produce fundraising dashboards and reports. 
  • Oversee planning of two to three annual signature events with support from key staff and volunteers. 
  • Guide the team in identifying grant opportunities; coordinate key staff in writing and submitting compelling, well-organized, and complete grant and funding proposals.
  • Identify meetings and events geared toward networking with donors, members, small businesses, and foundations; attend events or delegate attendance to board or key staff members. 

Membership Development

  • Establish and oversee the implementation of strategic activities and campaigns that focus on membership retention and growth with a focus on building an organization whose membership better reflects San Francisco’s demographics.
  • Support the team in stewarding members to renew at higher rates, become monthly givers, and/or become major donors through thoughtful, targeted relationship building and direct cultivation of gifts.
  • Introduce and experiment with new ideas and approaches to membership growth, retention, and engagement. 

Staff Management and Agency-Wide Collaboration

  • Invest in and nurture the development of direct reports through thoughtful coaching and supervision; identify leadership and growth opportunities and support the coordination, development, and efficacy of the membership and development team.
  • Collaborate with staff across the organization on the alignment and implementation of revenue and membership growth activities. 
  • Serve as a member of the Directors team, providing high-level input on organizational needs, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Contribute to our culture of collaboration to ensure our collective success. 

Experience and Qualifications of Our Ideal Candidate. While no one person will embody every quality, our ideal candidate will bring many of the qualifications and attributes listed below:

  • A strong commitment to the SF Bicycle Coalition’s mission and core values of transportation justice, sustainability, people power, and joy. 
  • Significant experience in leading successful, highly collaborative development and membership teams and campaigns.
  • Prior experience engaging members, donors, and other funders who represent a wide range of giving capacities. 
  • Demonstrated team-building skills to thoughtfully engage, support, and develop people and teams of varied backgrounds and experience levels with grace and skill.
  • Well-developed organizational skills with the ability to think creatively and flexibly. 
  • Demonstrated experience managing a systematic donor pipeline or moves management system.
  • Ease with CRM and Salesforce or related programs; experience developing and presenting data and dashboards.
  • Commitment to contributing to a collaborative organizational culture that encourages healthy work-life balance. 
  • Grant writing and grants management experience is a plus. 
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Willingness to travel locally and work occasional evenings and weekends.

Commitment to Equity and Justice

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition acknowledges the harm biking culture and unequal access to transportation have inflicted upon underserved communities — especially 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.

Compensation: The starting annual salary range for this exempt position is $95,000 – $115,000 depending upon relevancy of experience. Full-time benefits include medical, vision, and dental insurance; 10 days paid sick leave, 12 paid holidays and 3 weeks PTO annually, with PTO accruals increasing in subsequent years. Other benefits include a flexible work arrangement policy, and 100% match of an employee’s contribution to their 401K up to 3% of an employee’s annual salary.

Location: Hybrid — San Francisco Bay Area. Staff and their supervisors will work together to determine the appropriate work arrangement based on the nature of the individual’s role, and in alignment with organizational policies and departmental needs and activities. We strive to be as flexible and fair as possible while ensuring in-person accessibility when needed to interface with our volunteers, membership, community, and each other.

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 inspires you to want to work at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?
  2. What does equity and justice mean to you, and how do you see it fitting into your career in fundraising and development?
  3. What skills and/or experiences do you have that would make you a good fit for this role?

APPLY HERE