March 2024 Franklin Street Quick-Build Project Update - Signal Retiming and Speed Safety Camera

This past summer, the Franklin Street Quick-Build team shared evaluation results from the implementation of intersection improvements on Franklin Street between Broadway and Lombard. The initial project elements focused on safety improvements at intersections, tracking what we heard through outreach with stakeholders.

Evaluation results showed some signs of progress: there was a reduction in the number of close calls between people driving and walking, the speed of turning vehicles remained low, and compliance with the new right-turn-on-red restrictions was very high. While the project improved intersection safety, mid-block speeds along Franklin Street remained constant just above the posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour.

The project team is now looking into other quick and effective tools we have to slow mid-block speeds to complement the intersection safety elements implemented last year.

What’s Next

The team will be implementing signal-timing adjustments on Franklin Street between Broadway and Lombard to lower speeds. It’s likely some people drive over the 25 miles per hour speed limit due to the lengthy green signal duration provided to Franklin Street, allowing drivers to catch up to the platoon of vehicles at the end of the cycle. Adjusting signal timing is an easy-to-implement tool that could effectively reduce mid-block speeds.

We will collect data after signal timing adjustments are implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes in terms of lowering mid-block speeds and inform possible further actions.

Franklin Street will receive an Automated Speed Enforcement camera that will enforce the speed limit on Franklin Street between Green and Union streets as part of the SFMTA's new Speed Safety Camera Program. Speed safety cameras are a proven tool to address excessive speeding and reduce severe and fatal injury traffic collisions. It is anticipated that the speed safety cameras will be installed and operational in 2025.

We are not pursuing a road diet at this time because we are concerned removing a traffic lane would create conditions leading to overall safety issues in the area, particularly by leading drivers to use adjacent, lower capacity residential streets.

We appreciate the community's ongoing feedback on what’s working and where there is room for improvement on Franklin Street as we move through an iterative process to determine how best to address issues on the corridor. Improving traffic safety is an evolving process, and we're committed to making Franklin Street safe and accessible for everyone.

For more information on the Franklin Street Quick-Build Project, please visit our project website or contact our project team at FranklinQB@SFMTA.com.