By Jaime Michaels, HANC Board

In June 2020, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will construct a designated bicycle lane along the south side of Fell Street between Baker and Shrader Streets. The six-foot-wide bike lane will be located adjacent to a three-foot-wide painted lane with collapsible bollards running parallel to an eight-foot-wide lane for parked vehicles. (Figure 1).

                                                                                                                            Figure 1

Allowing Bikes and Vehicles to Share the Road

The left-hand turning zone on Fell Street where it intersects with Masonic Street will also be modified to allow bikes and vehicles to share the road at this location. (Figure 2)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Figure 2

Where the bike lane terminates at Shrader Street, it will reconnect with the existing paved lane at the north side of The (adjacent) Panhandle allowing cyclists to continue westward travel across Stanyan Street into Golden Gate Park.

Between Baker and Shrader Streets, the project will result in the removal of the existing southernmost vehicle travel lane and approximately 12 (of 136) parking spaces on Fell Street.

According to SFMTA, the project is intended to be temporary in response to the pandemic to provide increased social distancing area for bikes, pedestrians, wheelchairs, etc. within The Panhandle. If the City’s health order for shelter in place is lifted after May 31, it has not yet been determined whether bike lane construction would occur. If construction is carried out as now planned, SFMTA will collect data on bike lane use and traffic patterns. Further, if the bike lane were to become a permanent feature, SFMTA intends to initiate a community process to discuss and consider. For additional information, see: https://www.sfmta.com/projects/panhandle-social-distancing-and-safety-project

Also, as reported in last month’s issue of The Voice, the city has initiated a Slow Street Program to enhance social distancing space including at Page Street between Octavia Blvd. and Stanyan Street. Members of the public are encouraged to submit comments and questions on this project to: https://www.sfmta.com/projects/slow-streets-program