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Cesar Chavez/Potrero Ave/Bayshore Blvd Intersection Improvements (The Hairball)

The Hairball Intersection Improvement Project is an effort to make key portions of the Hairball paths safer and easier to use for pedestrians and bicyclists. The project builds on previous planning efforts including the Cesar Chavez East Design Plan and aims to support citywide efforts such as WalkFirst, Vision Zero, and the SFMTA 2012 Bicycle Strategy to improve non-motorized safety and mobility in San Francisco.

In an area known as “The Hairball”, Cesar Chavez Street, Bayshore Boulevard and Potrero Avenue change from city streets to a complex arrangement of bridges and ramps linking with Highway 101. The intersection is built in three levels, with pedestrian and bicycle circulation generally restricted to the middle and ground levels and motor vehicles operating on all three levels. Because many paths intersect in this area, the interchange is challenging to navigate and there are points of conflict between vehicles, pedestrians and bicycles. However, the pedestrian and bicycle network has connections that are not possible by vehicle, providing a high level of connectivity for non-motorized users within the complex intersection.

Neighborhoods 
Bayview
Potrero Hill

The Hairball Intersection Improvement Project is an effort to make key portions of the Hairball paths safer and easier to use for pedestrians and bicyclists. 

Proposed improvements include both near-term paint upgrades and capital safety improvements to northbound Bayshore Boulevard from Jerrold Avenue to Marin Street (southeast entrance to The Hairball). Capital improvements are also proposed at the southwestern entrance to The Hairball. In this area a shared bike/pedestrian path spurs off of the Cesar Chavez westbound bike lane and travels below the Highway 101-S overpass. Improvements here include widening and re-grading the path and installing a new landscaped buffer. Changes to the southwestern segments are being led by Public Works and will be coordinated with the capital improvements at the southeastern entrance along northbound Bayshore Boulevard.  

PROPOSED DESIGN

As a first step to improve The Hairball, there will be near-term paint changes to the southeastern entry on Jerrold Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard, including:

  • Southbound Bayshore Blvd. bicyclists continue to share sidewalk, but northbound bike path widened from 6 feet to 12 feet (including a 6 foot bike lane with buffers).
  • New curbside bike lane installed on westbound Jerrold Avenue from Bayshore Blvd. connecting to the bike route on Barneveld Avenue.
  • New bike lane installed adjacent to the existing parking on westbound Jerrold Ave. from the bike route on Barneveld Ave. to Bayshore Blvd.
  • Continental crosswalk on Marin Street at Bayshore Blvd.
  • Continental crosswalks, greenback sharrows, and elephant tracks installed on Jerrold Ave.at the intersection of Bayshore Blvd.
  • Continental crosswalks installed at the intersection of Jerrold and Barneveld Avenues.
     

See The Hairball Intersection Improvements Fact Sheet for more information and and a diagram of these improvements. 

Longer-term capital changes to the southeastern entry on Jerrold Avenue and Bayshore Boulevard will build on these paint improvements and include the following elements:

  • Widen sidewalk to create shared two-way bike path/sidewalk on northbound Bayshore Boulevard between Jerrold Ave. and Marin St.
  • Redesign median into bulb-out at northeast corner of Jerrold Ave. and Bayshore Blvd.; converts right turn slip lane on Jerrold Ave. to bike lane/diverter and allows for a double right signalized turn from Jerrold Ave. onto northbound Bayshore Blvd.
  • Reconfigure curb ramps at Marin Street and Jerrold Avenue at Bayshore Blvd.
  • Supplement or replace near-term project striping as needed.
     

Changes to the southwestern segments are being led by Public Works and will be coordinated with the capital improvements at the southeastern entrance.  The changes include the following elements:

  • Entry ramp widened and resurfaced at westbound Cesar Chavez Street.
  • Eastbound shared bike/pedestrian path widened from 6-ft to10-ft for shared/flexible uses.
  • New green buffer installed to set back pathway from the road/highway onramp.
  • New retaining walls and abutment installed.
  • Pathway regraded to allow for sufficient clearance at the highway overpass.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

This project builds on previous outreach efforts of the Cesar Chavez East Community Design Plan.  The SFMTA conducted targeted outreach for the preliminary designs from key stakeholders for the project including District 10, District 9, the Bicycle and Pedestrian group of Caltrans District 4, and the San Francisco Bike Coalition. SFMTA coordinated two stakeholder walkthroughs of the site to gather feedback prior to developing the draft preliminary designs. Individual briefings were then conducted with the stakeholders as well as the SFMTA Bicycle Advisory Committee to gain feedback on the preliminary designs.  

FUNDING

Improvements for the southeastern areas are funded by Prop B General Obligation Bonds. Improvements for the southwestern areas are funded by Prop K District Supervisor funds.

TIMELINE

Summer 2017
Near-term paint improvements to the southeastern segments installed.

Summer 2018
Construction begins for both southwestern and southeastern segments.

Contact Information 
Thalia Leng
Thalia.Leng@sfmta.com