Photo by Rob R.

A couple of readers have written in to ask about the new devices that have been attached to Geary stoplights from Arguello to Park Presidio.

They’re not stoplight cameras, or cameras of any kind. They’ve been put in place to make the Muni buses on Geary run more efficiently.

“It is a Proxim Radio, which is one component of Transit Signal Priority that is currently being installed along Geary to give signal priority to Muni to reduce travel time and to make it more reliable,” said Paul Rose, spokesman for the SFMTA.

The GPS devices are designed to keep lights green when a Muni bus is approaching. The system also has the ability to make red lights shorter based on the presence of a bus.

The system was installed on Mission Street earlier this year to speed up the 14-Mission, 14L-Mission Limited and 49-Mission-Van Ness lines.

Jeff Flynn, service planning manager for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, told the Examiner that the system is “cutting four to five minutes, or 10 percent, off the travel route times from beginning to end” along Mission.

The SFMTA wants to get the system installed on Geary Boulevard in advance of the $240 million Bus Rapid Transit project that is slated to debut in 2018.

The SFMTA didn’t tell us when this signal priority system will go into effect on Geary, whose 38 and 38L lines carry 55,000 people per day, but it could take some time due to aging lights and signal boxes.

“It’s an aging infrastructure that we’re replacing and upgrading and that can be constraining,” Flynn told the Examiner. “But from what we’re experiencing so far, that isn’t causing as many problems.”

Sarah B.

Geary Blvd. at 17th Ave.: Visualization of center-lane Bus Rapid
Transit with dual medians. View more

Photo by @MeganPrelinger

Around 4:30pm this afternoon, the high winds pushed over a tree on Park Presidio/Highway 1 near Balboa Street.

SFPD and CHP were on the scene quickly, diverting traffic as crews worked to saw apart the tree and remove it from the roadway.

There were no injuries reported from the incident.

This appears to be a cursed block. Another tree fell on the same stretch of roadway back on December 13.

Sarah B.

Bolt Motorbikes founders Nathan Jauvtis and Zachary Levenberg with the Bolt M-1

Like in many neighborhoods in San Francisco, Richmond District residents make the most of their available space. And often that means turning their garages into home offices, a residence, or in the case of Nathan Jauvtis, a workshop where Bolt Motorbikes was born.

The Bolt Motorbikes M-1 is a 100% electric moped, invented by Jauvtis and his co-founder Zach Levenberg. Both of the founders are moped enthusiasts, and met in 2006 as members of Creatures of the Loin, the San Francisco division of the Moped Army that meets up weekly for group rides around the city.

Both are mechanical engineers with a passion for clean transportation. Jauvtis worked a stint at Zero Motorcyles, one of the industry’s leading electric motorcyle companies, and Levenberg worked on one of the first protoypes for Lit Motors, who make an all electric, 2-wheel pod-like vehicle.

Jauvtis first began tinkering with the idea of an electric moped around 2010, spending his nights and weekends building the first prototype which he called “Blackie”, named after the donkey in True Grit.

It wasn’t until 2012 that Jauvtis and Levenberg began collaborating on the project. With funds from friends and investors, they officially started Bolt Motorbikes and got to work on refining the product.

The Bolt Motorbikes M-1 has some impressive stats when it comes to riding around San Francisco. Technically, it’s classified as an electric bike so it does not require a driver’s license to operate (and can even use the bike lane). The Bolt runs off its proprietary lithium ion battery, composed of 160 individual cells encased in two compartments that straddle the frame.

Jauvtis estimates the overall life of the Bolt’s battery is 2000 cycles (25-30 miles per cycle), or 8-10 years depending on usage.

Levenberg holds up the Bolt’s lithium ion battery compartment, which if needed, can be removed for recharging.

On a full charge, the Bolt can travel 25 to 30 miles per day, at speeds up to 35 miles per hour. Pretty impressive when you compare it to something like the electric Scoot scooters that you can rent around the city, which only have a range of 5-10 miles on a full charge. (Oh and whatever you do, don’t call the Bolt Motorbike a scooter, as we learned that scooters and mopeds are completely different classes of vehicle.)

The Bolt Motorbike M-1 has two drive modes – economy and sport. In economy mode, you are restricted to a top speed of 20 mph, but your range increases to as much as 50 miles. During testing at the Polo Fields, the Bolt circled the Polo Fields’ velo track for 50 miles at a speed of 20 mph.

When you put it into sport mode, which is technically only allowed when you are driving the Bolt off-road (e.g. not on city streets), the bike has a range of 30 miles and a top speed of 35mph.

Levenberg, a SF native, led us on a test ride through the neighborhood and Presidio just before Christmas. In short, we had a blast. The Bolt was easy to learn (no shifting required) and fun to drive. It’s not a large bike, weighing in at just 140 pounds, so you don’t feel overwhelmed by its heft.

Yet the Bolt feels substantial when you’re riding it. The frame is very solid and the tires are robust – fatter and sturdier than those on a scooter or electric bicycle.

“It’s a great motorbike for women,” Levenberg pointed out, because of its smaller frame and reduced weight.

And it’s no slouch on the city’s inclines. We zoomed up long, steep hills like Battery Caulfield Road just inside the 15th Avenue Presidio gate.

The Bolt is virtually silent, which ironically is what turns heads when you’re out riding around. There’s a little whirring when you accelerate, but otherwise it’s very quiet. When you pull up to a stop sign, pedestrians usually stare because they expect it to sound like a guttural motorcycle but instead, it sits silent.

When we headed out on our test drive, Levenberg said he never goes out on a Bolt without his business cards because inevitably, someone will stop him and ask what that is he’s riding. Sure enough, as we came to a stop sign, a man crossing the street implored us to pull over so he could get a closer look.

Jauvtis and Levenberg debuted the latest version of the Bolt Motorbike, code named Raven (or Darth Vader as we dubbed it), at their moped group’s annual rally last September.

“People loved it,” Jauvtis says. And since then, the two have been marketing the bikes and taking pre-orders for their first production run. “About 150 people have expressed interest.”

The Bolt Motorbikes M-1 sells for $4,995, which isn’t outrageous when you consider that a new (gas-powered) scooter sells for around $3,500.

To fuel the bike, Jauvtis and Levenberg also had to create a custom charger. The standard charger, which comes with the purchase of the Bolt, requires about 5 hours to charge the bike to 100% capacity. If you purchase the charger upgrade (price TBD), you can get to 90% capacity in about 90 minutes.

The Bolt Motorbikes M-1 on a ride near the Cliff House

Once all the parts are in hand, it takes about one day to assemble the finished bike. The duo are always refining the bike and working on add-ons, like a rack to carry extra batteries for those long road trips. They’ve also made the batteries removable so if you can’t charge the bike where you park it, you can take a battery with you to charge inside.

The Bolt Motorbike also has an app that can be used with it. The app connects to the bike via Bluetooth and wirelessly unlocks the Bolt, communicates speed and distance measurements in real-time and then records the data onto a remote server. A phone clamp sits on the Bolt’s handlebars and also includes a USB charger so you can charge your phone off the Bolt’s batteries.

Bolt is still in fundraising mode for its first production run, and plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign in early 2015. In the meantime, they love to give test drives to anyone who’s interested. Just drop them a line through their website and tell them the Richmond Blog sent you.

Sarah B.

Bolt Motorbikes founders Zachary Levenberg and Nathan Jauvtis inside their outer Richmond garage workshop

Photo by Rich G.

Reader Rich G. was out on the Golden Gate Bridge early this morning to experience what must feel like a post-apocalyptic bridge walk. The bridge is closed until 4am on Monday morning so that a new, moveable median barrier can be installed.

“The barrier will be installed on the 1.7-mile-long Bridge and on the approach portion of Highway 101, north of the Golden Gate Bridge, starting at Alexander Avenue. Using transfer machines, the barrier will be moved several times a day to create more lanes in a particular direction to accommodate variable traffic demands such as the morning and evening commutes.” Read more

“The Moveable Median Barrier (MMB) system includes about 13,340 feet of barrier consisting of 12-inch wide and 32-inch high steel clad units filled with high density concrete tightly pinned together to form a semi-rigid median barrier. The system also includes two barrier transfer machines, aka “zipper” trucks. The installation of the one-foot wide MMB would virtually eliminate crossover collisions.”

Cars are not allowed on the bridge during the closure, but Golden Gate Transit buses are still running in both directions. Pedestrians and bicycles are permitted on the east sidewalk.

The project budget is estimated at $30.3 million with funding coming from three sources: $20 million (76%) from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission via the State of California; $1,379,200 (5%) in federal funds; and $5,120,800 (19%) from Golden Gate Bridge toll revenues.

Thanks to Rich for sharing his photos; you can see more here.

Sarah B.

Photo by Rich G.

Photo by Rich G.

Crews work on installing the new median barrier. Photo by Rich G.

Photo by Rich G.

Photo: SFMTA

According to a page on the SFMTA website, changes will be made to Arguello Boulevard for the purpose of improving pedestrian and bike safety.

Known as the Arguello Boulevard Safety Project, the plans include:

Buffered Bike Lane: Narrowing the existing 15-foot wide vehicle travel lanes allows for space to paint a buffer zone alongside the existing bike lanes on Arguello Boulevard.

Daylighting at Intersections: Removing one parking space on the approach to crosswalks.

Bike Boxes and Two-Stage Left Turn Boxes: Paint treatments that allow bicycles to make safer turns into and out of side streets and that create a space for bicycles waiting at red lights.

Left-Turn Prohibition – McAllister Street: This project will restrict southbound vehicles from turning left onto eastbound McAllister Street and will paint a median across the mouth of McAllister Street to physically block this turning movement. Drivers will also be unable to turn left from westbound McAllister Street to southbound Fulton Street.

Signal Upgrades to Fulton Street/Arguello Blvd Intersection: Upgrade the traffic signal at Fulton Street to allow for a protected left-turn for vehicles making a southbound left turn from Arguello to Fulton Street, plus a “lagging left-turn” from eastbound Fulton Street to northbound Arguello Boulevard. Changes will also restrict cars from turning left from westbound Fulton Street to southbound Arguello Blvd. into the park.

Reconfigure Turn Pockets: Remove the left-turn pocket on northbound Arguello Boulevard at Anza Street and replace it with a right-turn pocket. Other turn pockets on the corridor will be reconfigured to add bicycle wayfinding markings.

The approval for the initial phase of work will be on the agenda at the upcoming August 16 SFMTA Board of Directors meeting. This includes “paint-only” improvements like the buffered bike lanes, intersection daylighting, the painted median at Arguello/McAllister Street, some changes to turn pockets, and intersection wayfinding for bikes.

Proposed changes for the McAllister and Arguello intersection

In late 2017, the final phase of work will take place in coordination with a repaving project on Arguello Boulevard. These 2017 improvements include making the current painted pedestrian islands at McAllister, Cabrillo, and Golden Gate into raised concrete islands, building pedestrian bulbouts and a new Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (pedestrian crossing beacon) at Arguello/Cabrillo, and making the painted median across McAllister Street into a raised median.

In case this project is news to readers (it was to us), it was because there hasn’t been any media outreach yet on it. In January there was a public walkthrough of the project. The public was notified by the SFMTA via a mailer that was sent to all residential and commercial addresses on Arguello (and to all side street addresses within a one block radius of Arguello Boulevard).

Another public walkthrough was held on May 25th to address the proposed alteration to vehicle circulation at McAllister Street and Arguello Boulevard, which had been revised since the original concepts.

For more information on the project, including the ability to sign up for email updates, visit the project website.

Thanks to Charles Ream at the SFMTA for providing us with the latest information and drawings.

Sarah B.

A rendering of the center-lane configuration at Geary and 17th Avenue

The Geary Bus Rapid Transit Project, aka Geary BRT, reached a key milestone earlier this month: publication of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This final report responds to all comments received on the Draft EIR in 2015, and includes analysis of several modifications to the project’s design made in response to public input received.

The Geary BRT project proposes the creation of dedicated bus lanes along Geary Boulevard spanning from Market Street all the way out to 34th Avenue, as well as accompanying improvements to pedestrian safety, landscaping, street paving, and street lighting.

The end goal of the Geary BRT is to speed up transit service along the busy Geary corridor, which the SFMTA estimates serves over 52,000 riders on an average weekday via the 38 Geary bus lines.

The dedicated bus lane for the 38 Geary would be a “side-running” configuration from Market Street out to Arguello, in which a lane alongside the curb lane, or in some cases hugging the curb itself, would be painted red and reserved for buses and taxis only. Many of these are in use in the city currently.

Alternative 2 in the EIR. Side-Lane Bus Rapid Transit

However once the bus reaches Arguello, it becomes a “center lane” configuration, in which two lanes in the center of Geary would be cordoned off just for bus traffic. New passenger loading medians would adjoin the lanes on blocks where there are stops. This center lane configuration would run out to 25th Avenue.

From 25th Avenue until 34th Avenue, it would return to a side-running configuration.

“Alternative 3” in the EIR. Center-Lane Bus Rapid Transit with Dual Medians and Passing Lanes

In recent years, the SFMTA has made small improvements to the 38 Geary service including more frequent 38 Geary Rapid service (it now runs every 4 minutes during peak periods, down from every 5.5 minutes in 2015), the addition of 38 Rapid service on Sunday’s, as well as a Transit Signal Priority program in which sensors mounted at intersections help prolong green lights when buses are approaching.

The Potential Pot-Holes of Geary BRT

While everyone would agree that more efficient transit is needed in San Francisco, especially to connect the western “Outside Lands” with downtown, the Geary BRT project is not without its critics.

Merchants along the Geary corridor, especially in the Richmond District, fear that the multiple years of construction required to complete the project would all but kill their businesses, and that the dedicated bus lanes would result in lost parking spaces along Geary Boulevard.

Others believe that the $300 million price tag is much too high just to save a few minutes in bus commute time. In their latest FAQ, the SFMTA estimates that the BRT will “save people who rely on Geary bus routes an average of 20 minutes round trip” (or 10 minutes each way).

This last year, the Geary BRT team at the SFMTA, which includes a 13-member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), has been out in the community working to understand concerns and issues that community groups and residents have with the proposed project. In some cases, these meetings with the community resulted in changes that are reflected in the final EIR.

One organization they met with was the Holy Virgin Cathedral on Geary between 26th and 27th Avenues, who are concerned that the loss of parking from the Geary BRT will inconvenience their members. As a result, the SFMTA proposed to convert some parallel parking spots on adjoining streets to perpendicular parking to create more spaces.

The Geary Merchants Association has been one of the most vocal critics of the Geary BRT, and launched savegearyblvd.org. The SFMTA says they have met with the group’s leader, David Heller, and that they have developed a set of strategies to minimize merchant disruption during the Geary BRT implementation.

These strategies include minimizing the duration of construction on a given block, forming a business advisory committee, and surveying merchants along Geary in person to better understand their business needs such as key delivery times to their storefronts.

How Geary BRT May Affect Drivers

One of the greatest cries heard against Geary BRT is the resulting loss of parking along Geary, particularly in the commercial portions of the Richmond District. Based on the final EIR, the SFMTA told us that the total amount of car parking is “more or less a wash”, stating that “more than 95% of parking with 1-2 blocks of the corridor would be retained”.

In the center lane configuration, the current perpendicular parking along Geary will convert to parallel parking, but the former bus zones on Geary will also become parallel parking spaces, effectively canceling out the loss from the conversion. And as described above with the Holy Virgin Cathedral, some changes will be made on side streets along Geary to accommodate more parking.

Drivers have also been concerned about the potential slow-downs that the BRT will bring to Geary by removing car driving lanes, installing more pedestrian safety measures meant to reduce traffic speeds, and the additional of bike lanes to Geary.

However the SFMTA maintains that the Geary BRT implementation will have a positive impact on drive times and driver experiences along Geary.

“By giving buses a dedicated lane, buses can move efficiently from stop to stop without conflicts with other vehicles. And, by removing buses from mixed traffic, cars won’t queue behind loading buses,” the SFMTA states. All right turns, and most left turns will also be preserved along Geary (unlike its sister BRT project along Van Ness where nearly all left turns are being removed).

And in what some would argue is one of the biggest bets being made by the SFMTA, they claim, “When transit is quick and convenient, fewer people drive.”

Despite the SFMTA’s belief that a majority of people will just stop driving in San Francisco if given better transit options, we were told that the EIR does account for traffic growth by the time the project would debut in 2020 and as far out as 2035.

“Some intersections would have additional congestion, but at others there would be less congestion because people would switch to riding the bus or driving outside of prime times,” the SFMTA told us during our press briefing.

The Geary BRT project has been in the works since the early 2000’s, long before people were turning their cars into money-making taxis and hailing rides on their smartphones. Recently, the SFMTA submitted a filing to the California Public Utilities Commission, blaming the estimated 45,000 Uber and Lyft drivers for the city’s traffic congestion, ranked among the worst in US cities.

When we asked if the EIR’s traffic projections accounts for the anticipated impact of the growing industry for Uber’s and Lyft’s, we were told that it does.

Public Meeting for EIR on January 7

The final Geary BRT EIR will be under review at an upcoming public meeting of the San Francisco Country Transit Authority (SFCTA) on Thursday, January 5, 2017 (2pm, City Hall, Room 250). At that meeting, the SFCTA will be asked to certify the EIR, which includes approving the design and configuration described in the EIR. The meeting, which will not be the last public discourse on the Geary BRT, is an opportunity for members of the public to speak their views on the Geary BRT project.

If the EIR is approved at the January 7 meeting, the project will then go into final design planning, which culminates with the SFMTA Board taking action to legislate every one of the recommended changes for the project.

But given the historic pace of the Geary BRT project so far, that is a ways off. The earliest any construction would begin is in 2018 on the downtown portions of Geary. It would not be until late 2019 / early 2020 that any construction would occur west of Stanyan.

To find out more about the Geary BRT and the release of the final EIR, please visit gearybrt.org.

UPDATE January 12, 2017: On 1/5/17, The Geary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and its Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) were approved unanimously by the SF County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) Board, which is comprised of the SF Board of Supervisors. [via SFMTA]

Sarah B.

Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu (right) poses with the winning robotics students at St. Thomas the Apostle School

• Congratulations to four students of St. Thomas the Apostle School (3801 Balboa) for placing 5th in the 2016-2017 Wonder League Robotics Competition‘s age 6 to 8 bracket. Participants used the Dash robot – which responds to voice, navigating objects, dancing, and singing – to accomplish their mission: “Animals on faraway Bear Byte Island called our emergency line, and Dash is the perfect little robot to save the day. Your team will write code to help navigate Dash around the island and rescue animal habitats.” The four students were honored by Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu on Tuesday at the school’s morning assembly, each receiving their own Dash robot.
• Panini alert: The Spanish Table (130 Clement) is expanding their offering to hot panini sandwiches, filled with delicious products from their shelves. On the weekends, they are also filling mini-croissants with mouthwatering Jamon Iberico cheese.
• This Saturday from 1pm until 4pm, Presidio Middle School (450 30th Avenue) will host the SF Middle School Maker Faire, which is free and offers plenty of opportunities for hands-on DIY activities and projects. This year’s theme is “S.T.E.A.M” which celebrates innovation and creation across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Music. Register here
• EDM-themed bubble tea house Gosu is finally open at 1014 Clement. Open until 2am on the weekends, the menu offers teas and lemonades with names like Dew Lay, Gosu’s Ultimate Refresher, Keep it Mello, and Eye of the Storm. Small appetizers are also available to feed hungry players in the gaming section. In true PLUR style, you can bring your kandi in and they’ll trade with you. Gosu is open daily from 2pm until 12midnight, and until 2am on the weekends.
• The SFDPW is considering improvements at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard, and wants your opinion. “This project aims to provide a safer and more inviting environment for Muni passengers, pedestrians, runners, and vehicular traffic at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard. Our goal is to design and construct improvements and features that reflect the needs of the community and reinforce neighborhood identity.” Click here to take the survey. The survey is also available in other languages here.
• In the world of shrinking budgets and fleeting services, we’re happy to pass along the news that starting in June, Anza branch library will now be open on Sunday’s from 1-5pm. The change is part of the city’s move to make all city libraries be open 7 days a week. Other branches in the city will also extend their hours. [SF Examiner]

We’ve all been there. You’re driving down a street in the Richmond District when, BAM, your wheel hits a pothole, rattling your vehicle and making you grit your teeth in frustration. Inevitably you ask, “Why can’t this city keep our roads in good shape?”.

Our new District 1 Supervisor Sandra Fewer wants to do something about it. She has declared June to be “Fewer Potholes Month” in the Richmond District and has convinced the Department of Public Works to commit a repair crew EXCLUSIVELY to the neighborhood for the month to repair all potholes reported by residents.

That’s where you come in – we need your pothole reports!

Fill out the form below (alternate link) for each pothole you want repaired. There’s no limit to the number of reports you can make. As long as you submit it by May 21, SFDPW will review the pothole report and make the repair.

A little clarification: a pothole is a defect in the street pavement, formally defined as “a depression or hollow in a road surface caused by wear or subsidence”. This winter, from October 2016 to March 2017, Public Works filled 13,429 potholes.

The “Fewer Potholes Month” campaign is seeking reports of potholes, not street repaving or sidewalk repairs. Please only use the form to report potholes that you find on the roadway within the Richmond District.

Ready to report your pothole? Fill out the form below (alternate link) before May 21, and then watch the repair happen in June.

Sarah B.

The city is kicking off the Geary at Park Presidio Improvements Project and next Wednesday, they want input from the public to decide how to improve the busiest intersection in the Richmond District.

According to the announcement in Supervisor Sandra Fewer’s recent newsletter, the project “aims to provide a safer and more inviting environment for Muni passengers, pedestrians, runners, and vehicular traffic at the intersection of Geary Boulevard at Park Presidio Boulevard.”

The goal of the project is to design and construct improvements and features that reflect the needs of the community and reinforce neighborhood identity. The city is in the process of reaching out to Richmond District residents, businesses, transit passengers, neighborhood groups, and others for input.

Concepts being considered include seat walls, decorative sidewalks, plazas, and gateway planting.

Wednesday’s public meeting will take place at the SFPD Richmond Station, Community Meeting Room, located at 461 6th Avenue from 6:30pm until 7:30pm.

Can’t make the meeting? Take this online survey to provide your feedback on Park Presidio and Geary. To learn more about the project, visit http://www.sfpublicworks.org/project/geary-park-presidio-improvements-project.

Sarah B.

Supervisor Sandra Fewer and Mayor Ed Lee help fill in a pothole as #FewerPotholes kicked off in the Richmond District last Friday

Last month, we asked you all to submit reports of your peskiest potholes in the neighborhood as part of the #FewerPotholes campaign. The project was created by District 1 Supervisor Sandra Fewer who convinced DPW to commit a dedicated crew to the Richmond District to repair potholes reported by residents.

Despite some unhelpful submissions (“the whole block needs repaving!” “crossover drive is a mess!” “Repave ALL of Geary now, dammit!”), we did receive over 60 helpful and specific reports of potholes that DPW will work to fix during the month of June. Thanks to everyone who submitted their reports.

The #FewerPotholes repair effort kicked off last Friday with Mayor Ed Lee, Supervisor Fewer and Public Works Deputy Director Larry Stringer donning hard hats and picking up shovels to fill in the first pothole on 27th Avenue between Geary and Clement.

“I’ve heard for months that the state of our roads and the number of potholes were of concern to residents in my neighborhood,” said Supervisor Fewer.

“And as I am often on the back of my husband’s motorcycle, I have experienced every pothole firsthand. I am so appreciative for the partnership with Public Works and the support of Mayor Lee in addressing the state of our roads in District 1 and across the city. This is not only about smoother rides for drivers and those on public transit, but these repairs will also make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Pothole repairs will continue throughout June in the neighborhood. In addition to his support for #FewerPotholes, Mayor Lee recently announced the city’s commitment to road repaving, highlighting the repaving of Fulton Street and Crossover Drive, both in the Richmond District.

Have more potholes to report? Be sure to use 311 to let the city know. You can call 311 or use their handy mobile app which lets you mark the location accurately and even upload a photo.

Sarah B.

L to R: Public Works Deputy Director Larry Stringer, Mayor Ed Lee, and Supervisor Sandra Fewer on 27th Avenue last Friday fixing potholes

The DPW crew that will work on fixing potholes in the Richmond District during the month of June

Patched!

The block of 8th Avenue between Anza and Balboa where the SFMTA wants to limit car traffic as part of the 8th Avenue Neighborway Project.

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story mistakenly said that the block of 8th Ave between Anza and Balboa would be completely closed to traffic. That was incorrect and apologies for any confusion it may have caused (though clearly I had trouble making heads or tails of the confusing diagrams, which are now shown at the end of this article). – Sarah B.

Last month, the SFMTA held a public meeting about its latest brainchild for the Richmond District, known as the “8th Avenue Neighborway Project”. According to the SFMTA project website, “The goal of the 8th Avenue Neighborway Project is to make 8th Avenue a safer and more pleasant place to walk or bike to neighborhood destinations and nearby parks.”

8th Avenue is one of the few vehicle entrances to Golden Gate Park, and the most direct entrance to the major attractions in the park like the Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum. According to the SFMTA, approximately 4,700 vehicles per day travel on 8th avenue, compared to 2,450 on 7th Avenue and 1,525 per day on on 9th Avenue.

The neighborway project proposes to add traffic calming measures to 8th Avenue including 10 speed humps and two “speed cushions” to slow down traffic or divert it to other streets in the nearby area. The calming measures would extend on 8th Avenue from Lake Street to Fulton Street, and on a few adjoining blocks of 7th and 9th Avenues.

The most radical part of the plan includes limiting vehicle access to a block of 8th Avenue. 8th Avenue between Anza and Balboa would be closed off to car traffic from certain directions (see Traffic Diverter Details diagram below; yes it’s confusing).

What Residents Are Saying

Reaction to the proposed plan has been mixed. As a recent SFMTA public meeting on October 18 about the plan, some neighbors along 8th Avenue expressed support for the plan.

Forbes McNaught, a five year resident on 8th Avenue, told the Richmond Review that living conditions on his block have been getting worse.

“You can’t have plants in the front of the house – they die. You can’t leave the windows open in the summer because of the black soot. It’s pointless to clean the windows because in a week they are filthy again. We’ve got to share the burden,” McNaught said.

Other residents feel the plan is restrictive and has not had enough input from the community. At the October 18 meeting, some residents felt that the SFMTA had already made up its mind and was simply informing the neighborhood of the plan.

“It seems to be the universal impression among the attendees tonight that the plan has already been decided upon and this is kind of a placebo effort on the part of the city and SFMTA. I think the plan is being imposed,” said Tom Pye, a resident who lives on Balboa, between 10th and 11th avenues.

Other residents have taken to commenting on Supervisor Sandra Fewer’s Facebook page, expressing their doubts and concerns about the project.

“This project just seems to be blindly diverting traffic elsewhere without considering the impact. The SFMTA will just have to continue their ridiculous game of traffic Whac-A-Mole,” wrote Topher Fischer in a comment.

“Geez, thanks! I live on 7th Ave so it looks like we’ll be screwed,” wrote Julia Frink.

While the project sounds plausible and warm and fuzzy, the diversion of traffic to 7th and 9th Avenues at Anza or Balboa could create quite a bit of gridlock, especially on busy weekends.

Most importantly, the plan doesn’t address the fact that more vehicle entrances are probably needed for Golden Gate Park on the west side.

When the de Young remodeled from 2000 until 2005, it included the addition of an underground garage with an entrance at 10th Avenue and Fulton. That meant the 10th Avenue car entrance to the park was removed, which resulted in an increase in traffic to the 8th Avenue entrance. Coupled with general increases in car traffic in San Francisco, and we’re left with a single artery into the park in the central Richmond District.

The SFMTA is planning another public meeting in December.

“Right now we’re targeting December for a hearing where the public will be heard and where SFMTA staff will answer questions and record comments on the record, and January for the SFMTA’s board meeting for final approval,” SFMTA Planner Charlie Ream told the Richmond Review at the October 18 meeting. If approved, construction along the corridor would begin in mid 2018.

To find out more about the proposed 8th Avenue Neighborway project, visit the project website. Comments or questions can be sent to the SFMTA Planner on the project, Charlie Ream, at charles.ream@sfmta.com.

Sarah B.

The city is considering removing parking spaces in several neighborhoods to make way for Uber and Lyft loading zones, with the hopes of alleviating double parking and other hazards that the ride company drivers present to every day traffic.

On of the zones includes Clement Street between 5th and 7th Avenues. Other neighborhoods where loading zones are being considered are Hayes Valley, Inner Sunset, the Marina, Noe Valley, Bay Street near Fisherman’s Wharf, and SOMA.

This latest accommodation for the ride companies seems to be part of a bargain to extract their oft-requested ride data. According to the Examiner, “In exchange for use of space, the ride-hail giants would hand over driver trip data to help The City ease traffic congestion that drivers have said is exacerbated by Uber and Lyft vehicles double-parking.”

The data the city is seeking from the ride companies includes the number of pickups and drop-offs at various intervals in the provided city curb spaces, data on the number and location of instances when ride-hail drivers slam their brakes while driving, raw GPS data of vehicle locations, vehicle collision data and wheelchair accessible trip data.

Part of the plan also proposes that some streets be “geofenced,” which would electronically limit where ride company drivers could pick up passengers.

The city plans to pilot the loading zone concept in one location before rolling it out to the other neighborhoods. Board of Supervisors President London Breed told the Examiner she would welcome the pilot in Hayes Valley within her district.

When asked about the plan, Richmond District Supervisor Sandra Fewer told the Examiner she believes “a “community process” is necessary before considering the pilot”.

The impact of Uber, Lyft and other ride companies on San Francisco traffic is a topic of constant debate. In June 2017, the SFMTA released a report that claimed Uber and Lyft account for 15 percent of all vehicle trips inside San Francisco. In 2016, the San Francisco Treasury Office provided data that showed there were 45,000 active Uber and Lyft drivers who drive in the city.

Sarah B.

Next Wednesday, January 31, the SFMTA will hold the next public meeting about the proposed 8th Avenue Neighborway Project.

As we detailed in a story back in November, the project proposes to add traffic calming measures to 8th Avenue including 10 speed humps and two “speed cushions” to slow down traffic or divert it to other streets in the nearby area. The calming measures would extend on 8th Avenue from Lake Street to Fulton Street, and on a few adjoining blocks of 7th and 9th Avenues.

The most radical part of the plan includes limiting vehicle access to a block of 8th Avenue. 8th Avenue between Anza and Balboa would be closed off to car traffic from certain directions.

Wednesday night’s meeting will include the SFMTA and Supervisor Sandra Fewer presenting updated proposals for the project.

“Based on community feedback, the SFMTA is proposing to install new speed humps, painted markings and stop signs to calm traffic in the neighborhood and near schools. The SFMTA is also proposing a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed traffic calming measures and determine if additional safety measures, including traffic diversion, would be warranted in the future,” Supervisor Fewer wrote in a recent newsletter.

The meeting will be help from 6pm until 8pm at Zion Lutheran Church and School, 495 9th Avenue. For more information on the project, visit the SFMTA website.

Sarah B.

Photo: SFMTA

According to a page on the SFMTA website, changes will be made to Arguello Boulevard for the purpose of improving pedestrian and bike safety.

Known as the Arguello Boulevard Safety Project, the plans include:

Buffered Bike Lane: Narrowing the existing 15-foot wide vehicle travel lanes allows for space to paint a buffer zone alongside the existing bike lanes on Arguello Boulevard.

Daylighting at Intersections: Removing one parking space on the approach to crosswalks.

Bike Boxes and Two-Stage Left Turn Boxes: Paint treatments that allow bicycles to make safer turns into and out of side streets and that create a space for bicycles waiting at red lights.

Left-Turn Prohibition – McAllister Street: This project will restrict southbound vehicles from turning left onto eastbound McAllister Street and will paint a median across the mouth of McAllister Street to physically block this turning movement. Drivers will also be unable to turn left from westbound McAllister Street to southbound Fulton Street.

Signal Upgrades to Fulton Street/Arguello Blvd Intersection: Upgrade the traffic signal at Fulton Street to allow for a protected left-turn for vehicles making a southbound left turn from Arguello to Fulton Street, plus a “lagging left-turn” from eastbound Fulton Street to northbound Arguello Boulevard. Changes will also restrict cars from turning left from westbound Fulton Street to southbound Arguello Blvd. into the park.

Reconfigure Turn Pockets: Remove the left-turn pocket on northbound Arguello Boulevard at Anza Street and replace it with a right-turn pocket. Other turn pockets on the corridor will be reconfigured to add bicycle wayfinding markings.

The approval for the initial phase of work will be on the agenda at the upcoming August 16 SFMTA Board of Directors meeting. This includes “paint-only” improvements like the buffered bike lanes, intersection daylighting, the painted median at Arguello/McAllister Street, some changes to turn pockets, and intersection wayfinding for bikes.

Proposed changes for the McAllister and Arguello intersection

In late 2017, the final phase of work will take place in coordination with a repaving project on Arguello Boulevard. These 2017 improvements include making the current painted pedestrian islands at McAllister, Cabrillo, and Golden Gate into raised concrete islands, building pedestrian bulbouts and a new Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon (pedestrian crossing beacon) at Arguello/Cabrillo, and making the painted median across McAllister Street into a raised median.

In case this project is news to readers (it was to us), it was because there hasn’t been any media outreach yet on it. In January there was a public walkthrough of the project. The public was notified by the SFMTA via a mailer that was sent to all residential and commercial addresses on Arguello (and to all side street addresses within a one block radius of Arguello Boulevard).

Another public walkthrough was held on May 25th to address the proposed alteration to vehicle circulation at McAllister Street and Arguello Boulevard, which had been revised since the original concepts.

For more information on the project, including the ability to sign up for email updates, visit the project website.

Thanks to Charles Ream at the SFMTA for providing us with the latest information and drawings.

Sarah B.

A rendering of the center-lane configuration at Geary and 17th Avenue

The Geary Bus Rapid Transit Project, aka Geary BRT, reached a key milestone earlier this month: publication of the final Environmental Impact Report (EIR). This final report responds to all comments received on the Draft EIR in 2015, and includes analysis of several modifications to the project’s design made in response to public input received.

The Geary BRT project proposes the creation of dedicated bus lanes along Geary Boulevard spanning from Market Street all the way out to 34th Avenue, as well as accompanying improvements to pedestrian safety, landscaping, street paving, and street lighting.

The end goal of the Geary BRT is to speed up transit service along the busy Geary corridor, which the SFMTA estimates serves over 52,000 riders on an average weekday via the 38 Geary bus lines.

The dedicated bus lane for the 38 Geary would be a “side-running” configuration from Market Street out to Arguello, in which a lane alongside the curb lane, or in some cases hugging the curb itself, would be painted red and reserved for buses and taxis only. Many of these are in use in the city currently.

Alternative 2 in the EIR. Side-Lane Bus Rapid Transit

However once the bus reaches Arguello, it becomes a “center lane” configuration, in which two lanes in the center of Geary would be cordoned off just for bus traffic. New passenger loading medians would adjoin the lanes on blocks where there are stops. This center lane configuration would run out to 25th Avenue.

From 25th Avenue until 34th Avenue, it would return to a side-running configuration.

“Alternative 3” in the EIR. Center-Lane Bus Rapid Transit with Dual Medians and Passing Lanes

In recent years, the SFMTA has made small improvements to the 38 Geary service including more frequent 38 Geary Rapid service (it now runs every 4 minutes during peak periods, down from every 5.5 minutes in 2015), the addition of 38 Rapid service on Sunday’s, as well as a Transit Signal Priority program in which sensors mounted at intersections help prolong green lights when buses are approaching.

The Potential Pot-Holes of Geary BRT

While everyone would agree that more efficient transit is needed in San Francisco, especially to connect the western “Outside Lands” with downtown, the Geary BRT project is not without its critics.

Merchants along the Geary corridor, especially in the Richmond District, fear that the multiple years of construction required to complete the project would all but kill their businesses, and that the dedicated bus lanes would result in lost parking spaces along Geary Boulevard.

Others believe that the $300 million price tag is much too high just to save a few minutes in bus commute time. In their latest FAQ, the SFMTA estimates that the BRT will “save people who rely on Geary bus routes an average of 20 minutes round trip” (or 10 minutes each way).

This last year, the Geary BRT team at the SFMTA, which includes a 13-member Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), has been out in the community working to understand concerns and issues that community groups and residents have with the proposed project. In some cases, these meetings with the community resulted in changes that are reflected in the final EIR.

One organization they met with was the Holy Virgin Cathedral on Geary between 26th and 27th Avenues, who are concerned that the loss of parking from the Geary BRT will inconvenience their members. As a result, the SFMTA proposed to convert some parallel parking spots on adjoining streets to perpendicular parking to create more spaces.

The Geary Merchants Association has been one of the most vocal critics of the Geary BRT, and launched savegearyblvd.org. The SFMTA says they have met with the group’s leader, David Heller, and that they have developed a set of strategies to minimize merchant disruption during the Geary BRT implementation.

These strategies include minimizing the duration of construction on a given block, forming a business advisory committee, and surveying merchants along Geary in person to better understand their business needs such as key delivery times to their storefronts.

How Geary BRT May Affect Drivers

One of the greatest cries heard against Geary BRT is the resulting loss of parking along Geary, particularly in the commercial portions of the Richmond District. Based on the final EIR, the SFMTA told us that the total amount of car parking is “more or less a wash”, stating that “more than 95% of parking with 1-2 blocks of the corridor would be retained”.

In the center lane configuration, the current perpendicular parking along Geary will convert to parallel parking, but the former bus zones on Geary will also become parallel parking spaces, effectively canceling out the loss from the conversion. And as described above with the Holy Virgin Cathedral, some changes will be made on side streets along Geary to accommodate more parking.

Drivers have also been concerned about the potential slow-downs that the BRT will bring to Geary by removing car driving lanes, installing more pedestrian safety measures meant to reduce traffic speeds, and the additional of bike lanes to Geary.

However the SFMTA maintains that the Geary BRT implementation will have a positive impact on drive times and driver experiences along Geary.

“By giving buses a dedicated lane, buses can move efficiently from stop to stop without conflicts with other vehicles. And, by removing buses from mixed traffic, cars won’t queue behind loading buses,” the SFMTA states. All right turns, and most left turns will also be preserved along Geary (unlike its sister BRT project along Van Ness where nearly all left turns are being removed).

And in what some would argue is one of the biggest bets being made by the SFMTA, they claim, “When transit is quick and convenient, fewer people drive.”

Despite the SFMTA’s belief that a majority of people will just stop driving in San Francisco if given better transit options, we were told that the EIR does account for traffic growth by the time the project would debut in 2020 and as far out as 2035.

“Some intersections would have additional congestion, but at others there would be less congestion because people would switch to riding the bus or driving outside of prime times,” the SFMTA told us during our press briefing.

The Geary BRT project has been in the works since the early 2000’s, long before people were turning their cars into money-making taxis and hailing rides on their smartphones. Recently, the SFMTA submitted a filing to the California Public Utilities Commission, blaming the estimated 45,000 Uber and Lyft drivers for the city’s traffic congestion, ranked among the worst in US cities.

When we asked if the EIR’s traffic projections accounts for the anticipated impact of the growing industry for Uber’s and Lyft’s, we were told that it does.

Public Meeting for EIR on January 7

The final Geary BRT EIR will be under review at an upcoming public meeting of the San Francisco Country Transit Authority (SFCTA) on Thursday, January 5, 2017 (2pm, City Hall, Room 250). At that meeting, the SFCTA will be asked to certify the EIR, which includes approving the design and configuration described in the EIR. The meeting, which will not be the last public discourse on the Geary BRT, is an opportunity for members of the public to speak their views on the Geary BRT project.

If the EIR is approved at the January 7 meeting, the project will then go into final design planning, which culminates with the SFMTA Board taking action to legislate every one of the recommended changes for the project.

But given the historic pace of the Geary BRT project so far, that is a ways off. The earliest any construction would begin is in 2018 on the downtown portions of Geary. It would not be until late 2019 / early 2020 that any construction would occur west of Stanyan.

To find out more about the Geary BRT and the release of the final EIR, please visit gearybrt.org.

UPDATE January 12, 2017: On 1/5/17, The Geary Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project and its Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) were approved unanimously by the SF County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) Board, which is comprised of the SF Board of Supervisors. [via SFMTA]

Sarah B.

Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu (right) poses with the winning robotics students at St. Thomas the Apostle School

• Congratulations to four students of St. Thomas the Apostle School (3801 Balboa) for placing 5th in the 2016-2017 Wonder League Robotics Competition‘s age 6 to 8 bracket. Participants used the Dash robot – which responds to voice, navigating objects, dancing, and singing – to accomplish their mission: “Animals on faraway Bear Byte Island called our emergency line, and Dash is the perfect little robot to save the day. Your team will write code to help navigate Dash around the island and rescue animal habitats.” The four students were honored by Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu on Tuesday at the school’s morning assembly, each receiving their own Dash robot.
• Panini alert: The Spanish Table (130 Clement) is expanding their offering to hot panini sandwiches, filled with delicious products from their shelves. On the weekends, they are also filling mini-croissants with mouthwatering Jamon Iberico cheese.
• This Saturday from 1pm until 4pm, Presidio Middle School (450 30th Avenue) will host the SF Middle School Maker Faire, which is free and offers plenty of opportunities for hands-on DIY activities and projects. This year’s theme is “S.T.E.A.M” which celebrates innovation and creation across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Music. Register here
• EDM-themed bubble tea house Gosu is finally open at 1014 Clement. Open until 2am on the weekends, the menu offers teas and lemonades with names like Dew Lay, Gosu’s Ultimate Refresher, Keep it Mello, and Eye of the Storm. Small appetizers are also available to feed hungry players in the gaming section. In true PLUR style, you can bring your kandi in and they’ll trade with you. Gosu is open daily from 2pm until 12midnight, and until 2am on the weekends.
• The SFDPW is considering improvements at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard, and wants your opinion. “This project aims to provide a safer and more inviting environment for Muni passengers, pedestrians, runners, and vehicular traffic at the intersection of Geary Boulevard and Park Presidio Boulevard. Our goal is to design and construct improvements and features that reflect the needs of the community and reinforce neighborhood identity.” Click here to take the survey. The survey is also available in other languages here.
• In the world of shrinking budgets and fleeting services, we’re happy to pass along the news that starting in June, Anza branch library will now be open on Sunday’s from 1-5pm. The change is part of the city’s move to make all city libraries be open 7 days a week. Other branches in the city will also extend their hours. [SF Examiner]

We’ve all been there. You’re driving down a street in the Richmond District when, BAM, your wheel hits a pothole, rattling your vehicle and making you grit your teeth in frustration. Inevitably you ask, “Why can’t this city keep our roads in good shape?”.

Our new District 1 Supervisor Sandra Fewer wants to do something about it. She has declared June to be “Fewer Potholes Month” in the Richmond District and has convinced the Department of Public Works to commit a repair crew EXCLUSIVELY to the neighborhood for the month to repair all potholes reported by residents.

That’s where you come in – we need your pothole reports!

Fill out the form below (alternate link) for each pothole you want repaired. There’s no limit to the number of reports you can make. As long as you submit it by May 21, SFDPW will review the pothole report and make the repair.

A little clarification: a pothole is a defect in the street pavement, formally defined as “a depression or hollow in a road surface caused by wear or subsidence”. This winter, from October 2016 to March 2017, Public Works filled 13,429 potholes.

The “Fewer Potholes Month” campaign is seeking reports of potholes, not street repaving or sidewalk repairs. Please only use the form to report potholes that you find on the roadway within the Richmond District.

Ready to report your pothole? Fill out the form below (alternate link) before May 21, and then watch the repair happen in June.

Sarah B.

The city is kicking off the Geary at Park Presidio Improvements Project and next Wednesday, they want input from the public to decide how to improve the busiest intersection in the Richmond District.

According to the announcement in Supervisor Sandra Fewer’s recent newsletter, the project “aims to provide a safer and more inviting environment for Muni passengers, pedestrians, runners, and vehicular traffic at the intersection of Geary Boulevard at Park Presidio Boulevard.”

The goal of the project is to design and construct improvements and features that reflect the needs of the community and reinforce neighborhood identity. The city is in the process of reaching out to Richmond District residents, businesses, transit passengers, neighborhood groups, and others for input.

Concepts being considered include seat walls, decorative sidewalks, plazas, and gateway planting.

Wednesday’s public meeting will take place at the SFPD Richmond Station, Community Meeting Room, located at 461 6th Avenue from 6:30pm until 7:30pm.

Can’t make the meeting? Take this online survey to provide your feedback on Park Presidio and Geary. To learn more about the project, visit http://www.sfpublicworks.org/project/geary-park-presidio-improvements-project.

Sarah B.

Supervisor Sandra Fewer and Mayor Ed Lee help fill in a pothole as #FewerPotholes kicked off in the Richmond District last Friday

Last month, we asked you all to submit reports of your peskiest potholes in the neighborhood as part of the #FewerPotholes campaign. The project was created by District 1 Supervisor Sandra Fewer who convinced DPW to commit a dedicated crew to the Richmond District to repair potholes reported by residents.

Despite some unhelpful submissions (“the whole block needs repaving!” “crossover drive is a mess!” “Repave ALL of Geary now, dammit!”), we did receive over 60 helpful and specific reports of potholes that DPW will work to fix during the month of June. Thanks to everyone who submitted their reports.

The #FewerPotholes repair effort kicked off last Friday with Mayor Ed Lee, Supervisor Fewer and Public Works Deputy Director Larry Stringer donning hard hats and picking up shovels to fill in the first pothole on 27th Avenue between Geary and Clement.

“I’ve heard for months that the state of our roads and the number of potholes were of concern to residents in my neighborhood,” said Supervisor Fewer.

“And as I am often on the back of my husband’s motorcycle, I have experienced every pothole firsthand. I am so appreciative for the partnership with Public Works and the support of Mayor Lee in addressing the state of our roads in District 1 and across the city. This is not only about smoother rides for drivers and those on public transit, but these repairs will also make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.”

Pothole repairs will continue throughout June in the neighborhood. In addition to his support for #FewerPotholes, Mayor Lee recently announced the city’s commitment to road repaving, highlighting the repaving of Fulton Street and Crossover Drive, both in the Richmond District.

Have more potholes to report? Be sure to use 311 to let the city know. You can call 311 or use their handy mobile app which lets you mark the location accurately and even upload a photo.

Sarah B.

L to R: Public Works Deputy Director Larry Stringer, Mayor Ed Lee, and Supervisor Sandra Fewer on 27th Avenue last Friday fixing potholes

The DPW crew that will work on fixing potholes in the Richmond District during the month of June

Patched!

The block of 8th Avenue between Anza and Balboa where the SFMTA wants to limit car traffic as part of the 8th Avenue Neighborway Project.

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story mistakenly said that the block of 8th Ave between Anza and Balboa would be completely closed to traffic. That was incorrect and apologies for any confusion it may have caused (though clearly I had trouble making heads or tails of the confusing diagrams, which are now shown at the end of this article). – Sarah B.

Last month, the SFMTA held a public meeting about its latest brainchild for the Richmond District, known as the “8th Avenue Neighborway Project”. According to the SFMTA project website, “The goal of the 8th Avenue Neighborway Project is to make 8th Avenue a safer and more pleasant place to walk or bike to neighborhood destinations and nearby parks.”

8th Avenue is one of the few vehicle entrances to Golden Gate Park, and the most direct entrance to the major attractions in the park like the Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum. According to the SFMTA, approximately 4,700 vehicles per day travel on 8th avenue, compared to 2,450 on 7th Avenue and 1,525 per day on on 9th Avenue.

The neighborway project proposes to add traffic calming measures to 8th Avenue including 10 speed humps and two “speed cushions” to slow down traffic or divert it to other streets in the nearby area. The calming measures would extend on 8th Avenue from Lake Street to Fulton Street, and on a few adjoining blocks of 7th and 9th Avenues.

The most radical part of the plan includes limiting vehicle access to a block of 8th Avenue. 8th Avenue between Anza and Balboa would be closed off to car traffic from certain directions (see Traffic Diverter Details diagram below; yes it’s confusing).

What Residents Are Saying

Reaction to the proposed plan has been mixed. As a recent SFMTA public meeting on October 18 about the plan, some neighbors along 8th Avenue expressed support for the plan.

Forbes McNaught, a five year resident on 8th Avenue, told the Richmond Review that living conditions on his block have been getting worse.

“You can’t have plants in the front of the house – they die. You can’t leave the windows open in the summer because of the black soot. It’s pointless to clean the windows because in a week they are filthy again. We’ve got to share the burden,” McNaught said.

Other residents feel the plan is restrictive and has not had enough input from the community. At the October 18 meeting, some residents felt that the SFMTA had already made up its mind and was simply informing the neighborhood of the plan.

“It seems to be the universal impression among the attendees tonight that the plan has already been decided upon and this is kind of a placebo effort on the part of the city and SFMTA. I think the plan is being imposed,” said Tom Pye, a resident who lives on Balboa, between 10th and 11th avenues.

Other residents have taken to commenting on Supervisor Sandra Fewer’s Facebook page, expressing their doubts and concerns about the project.

“This project just seems to be blindly diverting traffic elsewhere without considering the impact. The SFMTA will just have to continue their ridiculous game of traffic Whac-A-Mole,” wrote Topher Fischer in a comment.

“Geez, thanks! I live on 7th Ave so it looks like we’ll be screwed,” wrote Julia Frink.

While the project sounds plausible and warm and fuzzy, the diversion of traffic to 7th and 9th Avenues at Anza or Balboa could create quite a bit of gridlock, especially on busy weekends.

Most importantly, the plan doesn’t address the fact that more vehicle entrances are probably needed for Golden Gate Park on the west side.

When the de Young remodeled from 2000 until 2005, it included the addition of an underground garage with an entrance at 10th Avenue and Fulton. That meant the 10th Avenue car entrance to the park was removed, which resulted in an increase in traffic to the 8th Avenue entrance. Coupled with general increases in car traffic in San Francisco, and we’re left with a single artery into the park in the central Richmond District.

The SFMTA is planning another public meeting in December.

“Right now we’re targeting December for a hearing where the public will be heard and where SFMTA staff will answer questions and record comments on the record, and January for the SFMTA’s board meeting for final approval,” SFMTA Planner Charlie Ream told the Richmond Review at the October 18 meeting. If approved, construction along the corridor would begin in mid 2018.

To find out more about the proposed 8th Avenue Neighborway project, visit the project website. Comments or questions can be sent to the SFMTA Planner on the project, Charlie Ream, at charles.ream@sfmta.com.

Sarah B.