6th Street Pedestrian Safety Project - December 2019
District 6 Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Open House Re-cap
On December 12, the SFMTA and Supervisor Haney's Office held an open house to share information about the various street safety projects in SoMa and Tenderloin neighborhoods. This open house also included an engineering public hearing for the Howard Street and 7th Street Phase III Quick-Build projects.
80 members of the public came to the event to let us know about their travel experiences and to provide feedback on the projects planned and implemented throughout the District. Many were enthusiastic about the upcoming quick-build projects on Howard and 7th streets and mentioned that it felt safer to walk following the implementation of the Safer Taylor Street Quick-Build. Concerns included the need to avoid designs that would lead to conflicts between people walking and people biking, particularly at intersections. Crosswalks are vital connectors in pedestrian heavy District 6, and approaches that make pedestrians feel safer while crossing intersections are a priority. We expect that 6th Street’s new pedestrian safety zones, as well as changes to parking along curbs, particularly approaching intersections, are a positive first step in improving life along the corridor.
Quick-Build Update
As part of the 6th Street Quick-Build evaluation, engineers have been observing the lengths of red and green lights along the corridor’s traffic signals. Signal timing can define and provide dedicated time for all roadway users to cross an intersection. There may be some changes to the signal times along this corridor in the upcoming months to ensure a smoother flow of traffic and that cars are not blocking the intersection, which can lead to pedestrian-vehicle conflicts.
Construction News
Engineers from the Department of Public Works have completed their survey of the existing infrastructure along 6th Street from Market to Howard streets. The presence of sub-sidewalk basements still poses a challenge in the Detailed Design phase of the larger project. As such, construction will begin later than the initially anticipated construction start date of April 2020. We will continue to update you as the future schedule is developed, with a commitment to give you at least a six month heads up before the construction start date.
Stay Updated
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We provide regular project updates on our website, which includes past monthly e-mail updates, to ensure interested members of the public can easily get up-to-speed on the project status. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to SFMTA with any questions, concerns, or recommendations on how the project team can move forward in a way that best supports the interests of the local community and the city of San Francisco generally.