FINAL UPDATE: Delay at Powell Station has cleared. IB/OB #subwaysvc resuming normal operations. (More: 31 in last 48 hours)

Golden Gate Park Access and Safety Program

SFMTA.com/AccessGGP

The Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program was approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on April 26, 2022. For updates on program implementation, please visit the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department website.

Project Introduction

The Golden Gate Park Access and Safety Program is a collaboration between the SFMTA and the SF Recreation and Park Department (RPD) to bring a suite of safety and mobility enhancements to the park. The program elements were informed by months of community engagement and feedback from more than10,000 San Franciscans.   

The Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program has made permanent the 3-mile stretch of car-free streets in the park from Lincoln Way to Kezar Drive, including JFK Drive. These streets will continue to allow access for emergency vehicles, Paratransit vehicles, park maintenance vehicles, and vehicles permitted to use Golden Gate Park facilities by RPD. Other improvements under the program include: 

  • A vastly improved free Park Shuttle program 
  • Expanding and upgrading available ADA parking 
  • Ensuring vehicle access from the Richmond to Golden Gate Park and reducing traffic congestion on Chain of Lakes Drive 
  • Improving the service and reliability of Muni lines that serve Golden Gate Park 
  • Increasing awareness of pick-up/drop-off options for vehicle access to the park 
  • Partnering with community-based organizations on programming that connect residents of equity priority communities to the park 
  • Bringing bikeshare and micromobility services to the park  
  • And much more! 

Thank you to every person and organization who participated and engaged in the outreach process for this program—your feedback is creating a more sustainable, equitable, and joyful future for Golden Gate Park.  

Learn about the Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program 

​​

Project Timeline 
Summer-Fall 2021
Public Outreach & Technical Analysis
Completed
Winter 2021/22
Proposal at Board of Supervisors
Completed
Spring 2022
Implementation & Evaluation
Pending
Project Status
Legislated
Implementation / Construction
Project Success
On schedule
Improvements
SFMTA Accessibility icon
Taxi
Improvements will focus on accessibility to key park destinations
walking
bike
Improvements will improve safety and park experience for people running, rolling, and strolling

Background  

Established during COVID-19 as an amenity for residents sheltering-in-place, the car-free route through Golden Gate Park became immensely popular: many more park visitors have used the car-free route during COVID than when it was open to car traffic. In response, SFMTA and RPD staff developed the above program proposals to address access and mobility challenges associated with the route.  

A map showing the current car-free route through Golden Gate Park. The route begin on the east side of the park at Stanyan Street and JFK drive, and continues past the Music Concourse and the De Young Museum to Crossover Drive, which bisects the park from north to south. From there, the car-free route continues through the west side of the park on Overlook Drive, Middle Drive, and MLK Drive until it reaches the Great Highway.

In early 2021, San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) convened a working group of key stakeholders to identify shared values for the park, unmet needs for park visitors, and a framework of action items to meet those identified needs. The Golden Gate Park Access and Safety Program responded to the action items identified by the SFCTA Working Group to improve access, mobility, and equity for all park visitors with the suite of project proposals listed above and builds on the feedback that has been received. 

Getting to Golden Gate Park

Want more information about the car-free route through Golden Gate Park? Want to know where is accessible ADA parking? Want to know how to get to your favorite park destination? Find more information on the Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program at the SF Rec & Park website. 

San Francisco County Transportation Authority logo
San Francisco Recreation and Parks logo