One among San Francisco’s Most Harmful Streets To Endure Big Adjustments

On a bustling San Francisco intersection final Fourth of July, two automobiles collided and careened right into a bus cease filled with pedestrians. Bystanders celebrating the vacation at close by pubs bear in mind the harrowing scene: 4 individuals, together with a 16-year-old boy, sustained life-threatening accidents. 

“I noticed one other automobile collide with one other automobile, after which it bumped into the bus cease. It was form of a shocker, however then I noticed there have been individuals within the bus cease,” stated Nate Tyler, a 10-year resident of the Sundown District who rendered assist on the collision. “I ran over there and shortly noticed somebody pinned towards the bus cease.

“Even nonetheless to at the present time, if I’m at a bus cease, I don’t stand in it anymore.”

READ MORE: The San Francisco Streets The place You’re Most Probably To Be Hit by a Automobile

For residents and storeowners residing alongside Golden Gate Park’s southern edge, the crash was all too widespread for Lincoln Manner—one of many busiest and most harmful corridors in San Francisco. Lincoln Manner is considered one of a small handful of metropolis streets that account for over 68% of significant accidents and fatalities, referred to by metropolis officers because the Excessive Damage Community. 

Town’s transit company stated the street noticed roughly 24 pedestrian collisions and 148 extra injury-inducing incidents between 2017 and 2021. Transit advocates estimate 262 individuals have been severely injured on Lincoln Manner since 2014, together with two deaths. 

In response to rising considerations about pedestrian security, Lincoln Manner is getting a facelift. The undertaking contains “quick-build” visitors upgrades to almost each single block stretching from Second Avenue to Ocean Seaside. Not like main capital tasks that may take years to finish, quick-build tasks are normally completed inside months.

Sundown residents and safe-street advocates shall be carefully monitoring whether or not the $575,000 undertaking will truly remodel considered one of San Francisco’s most harmful roadways. 

Lincoln Manner is an important visitors artery that connects western San Francisco to the remainder of the town. It could even be the town’s most headache-inducing roadway throughout rush hour or live performance days, when 1000’s of San Franciscans flock to Golden Gate Park. 

Residents say automobiles and buses zoom by way of Lincoln Manner, usually racing effectively above the street’s 30-mph velocity restrict. As a pedestrian, the hall will be difficult and scary to navigate—a lot in order that lengthy stretches of the street are included within the metropolis’s Excessive Damage Community. 

“It’s a must to cross Lincoln to get anyplace that you are going in Golden Gate Park, and I believe we all know that the velocity limits within the space are too excessive to be secure,” stated Robin Pam, an organizer at Child Protected SF, a safe-streets advocacy group that fought to maintain John F. Kennedy Drive car-free. “The indicators are timed for automobiles that go fairly quick there, and there aren’t a whole lot of crosswalks.”

Transit officers introduced a quick-build plan for Lincoln Manner final winter, with a aim of easing gridlock visitors and making it safer for pedestrians to stroll alongside the busy street. Public conferences had been held by way of the spring as design plans had been finalized, and building began this month. 

The undertaking is slated to finish almost 70 deliberate roadside enchancment duties by fall, in keeping with San Francisco Municipal Transportation Company spokesperson Stephen Chun. Adjustments embrace up to date curb paint, new crosswalks, added signage and velocity radars, and sign timing changes to gradual drivers. Further visitors sign upgrades and Muni bus route changes will coincide with the quick-build undertaking. 

Little information has circulated concerning the main modifications coming to a core visitors artery in San Francisco, in keeping with neighborhood residents. Inside Sundown property house owners acquired paper discover from the transportation company days earlier than building began, which included parking restrictions and avenue section closures alongside Kezar Drive. 

Metropolis transportation officers defended their outreach efforts, saying native organizations had been contacted, a digital open home was held and newsletters had been despatched. They stated the quick-build enhancements will assist set up extra group belief and connection by involving residents all through the undertaking’s design and implementation course of. 

Supervisor Joel Engardio, who represents the Outer Sundown space, instructed The Customary the transit company has saved his workplace “apprised of its plans to deal with this high-injury hall.” 

“After the open-house remark interval, the crew added a number of further crosswalks, primarily throughout the avenues west of nineteenth Avenue,” Chun stated. “We’re at present proposing a complete of 20 new crosswalks alongside this 3-mile-long undertaking space.” This additionally contains refreshing light or broken crosswalks. 

Of the 42 intersections affected alongside Lincoln Manner, eight might get model new indicators or visitors guidelines, akin to designated right-turn-only lanes and speed-radar indicators. The undertaking may additionally make it simpler for pedestrians to cross into Golden Gate Park, with quite a few new crosswalks and upgraded signage deliberate. 

Many of the building will occur throughout the daytime and pause at night time and over weekends. Public Works stated the town restricted building within the roadway throughout the heaviest commute hours to attenuate visitors impacts. Although opponents of the undertaking might argue that building will impede drivers alongside Lincoln Manner, transit advocates say it’s value it.  

“I believe that [SFMTA] may gain advantage from a stronger mandate to prioritize security over comfort,” stated Lucas Lux, board president of the Pals of Nice Freeway Park group. “Principally, all of us wish to get round safer. If which means it takes just a few seconds longer, we’re OK with that.”