San Francisco: great city, excellent transportation choices. This vision is at the heart of the Valencia Bikeway Improvement effort.
Valencia Street has been a key Mission District corridor in the bikeway network for more than 25 years. We are committed to improving it for safety and comfort.
Valencia Street is also one of the country’s biggest collection of independent businesses. It is home to venue spaces, eateries and bars, churches, community centers, grocery stores, bakeries, breweries, vintage shops and chain retail. All kinds of residents, workers, visitors and commuters travel along the corridor.
With such a variety, traffic safety balances the needs of bicyclists, pedestrians, delivery drivers, merchants and customers. Recent history, like the pandemic, demographic changes and the increased cost of doing business have led to new challenges such as an increased demand for food delivery and ride-hail services and a reliance on parklets to increase the footprint of a business. These changes led to more double-parked cars blocking the bike lane on Valencia Street.
The first major design change, in summer 2023, piloted the award-winning Center Running Bike Lane. This design minimized conflict between people on bikes and people in cars and maximized loading and parking for businesses. While it was a major safety innovation, some people felt that the design was too unfamiliar. In February 2024, the SFMTA Board directed project staff to explore a Side-Running Bike Lane, like exists on Howard, Folsom and 17th streets.
- Environmental Review
- Preliminary Engineering
- Detailed Design
What is the Valencia Bikeway Project?
The SFMTA Board endorsed a Side-Running Bike Lane (SRBL) in June 2024, based on feedback from the community about the need for a design that was more familiar, have more flexibility for vehicle maneuverability and passing, allow people on bikes to visit mid-block locations and keep vehicle and bicycle traffic separate. The new design does have tradeoffs, such as less curb space for parking and loading, a narrower bikeway on parts of the corridor and the need for people riding bikes to navigate between parklets and the curb.
The Side-Running Bike Lane introduces a new concept to San Franciscans – “floating” parklets. These parklets, which are “floated” away from the curb, have been successful in Oakland and New York City. They allow for people on bikes to travel next to the curb, with floating parklets and parking spots providing protection from moving vehicles. All businesses with parklets on Valencia were given the option to move their parklet to a floating position, with reimbursement for necessary construction. The Shared Spaces program is creating new guidelines for “floating” parklets to ensure safety for people crossing between the parklet and the curb and people on bikes. In situations where a parklet was not able to move, the bike lane goes around the parklet, but infrastructure will be in place to protect people on bikes.
Staff has used this pivot to design down to every inch of the corridor, and maximize space for benefits such as placemaking, additional motorcycle parking and additional blue zones. Staff has also worked with every interested business on Valencia to design a bespoke curb management plan for the corridor that considers the unique parking and loading needs of different types of businesses.
What's Happening Now
Earlier this year, the SFMTA Board endorsed a new bike lane design that runs alongside the curb. However, the location of several parklets (small outdoor seating areas sponsored by businesses) next to the curb meant the bike lane would have to weave around parklets.
We spent a lot of time talking to business owners, asking if they would move their parklets away from the curb (“floating”) to make room for a straighter bike lane and increased customer parking. We also designed a new program for business owners to be reimbursed up to $30,000 for expenses related to moving their parklets.
At this point, three businesses have agreed to move their parklets. Other businesses chose not to, because of logistical or financial concerns or because remaining at the curb was easiest for them. Two businesses chose to remove their parklets entirely, prioritizing parking spaces instead.
So, the bike lane will have to weave around most parklets instead of staying straight along the curb. This weaving design means losing one or two parking spaces near each parklet.
We will show this design at our upcoming community meetings, where people can see the changes and share their thoughts. We are especially interested in ideas for using the extra space in less busy areas, as well as making sure that designated color curb assignments work best for merchants nearby.
Side-Running Bike Lane Designs
The graphic below shows a sample block of the Side-Running Bike Lane. As illustrated:
- Curbside Parklets: Some parklets will remain at the curb because it is a more convenient location for that business. In those cases, the bike lane will go around the parklet. People on bikes will still be protected from vehicle traffic.
- Floating Parklets: Some parklets will “float” away from the curb to allow for the bike lane to run between the curb and the parklet. This design has been successful in Oakland and New York City. Design and safety elements will be put into place to make sure that people can cross safely between the parklet and the sidewalk.
- Floating Parking Spots: Parking spots will “float” away from the curb. This design already exists on Valencia between Market and 15th streets. This helps preserve parking, while separating people on bikes from vehicle traffic.
- For a more detailed experience, view this sample block of Valencia Street as a PDF.
- You can explore the proposed detailed design, as of September 27, 2024. There will be more edits made to this design based on feedback from the open houses. You can view the boards used at the open houses.
What to Expect: Legislation
This fall, the SFMTA Board will review the side-running bike lane design and make a final decision on the bike lane’s placement. This follows their endorsement of the conceptual design in June 2024.
What to Expect: Construction
If the SFMTA Board approves the new bike lane design, construction could begin as soon as January 2025. We have asked business owners about the best times to do construction and have heard that it is best for us to avoid summertime, the warm fall months and the holiday season, which is why we have planned for construction to begin in early 2025. We know that this is rainy season in San Francisco and will incorporate extra time into our schedule for any weather delays.
We’ve also created SFMTA’s first Construction Working Group, composed of community members, project staff and staff from SFMTA’s Shops that will do the actual work. This group is helping to plan specifics of the construction schedule and make sure everyone’s needs are considered. We are committed to mitigating the effects of construction as much as possible and making sure that Valencia is accessible during construction, whether by biking, walking or driving.
Get Involved
Upcoming Events
The Valencia project team invites the public to two upcoming Open Houses to learn more about the design for the Side-Running Bike Lanes. There will be Spanish translation and interpretation provided. For other languages, please contact us at Valencia@SFMTA.com or 415.646.2025.
Open House 1: Monday, September 23, 4-6 p.m., 390 Valencia (Valencia Gardens Community Room)
Open House 2: Wednesday, September 25, 4-6 p.m., 1125 Valencia (Room 109 at City College Mission Center)
Sign up for email list
We invite you to sign up to get updates on what’s happening on Valencia Street. Once construction begins, this will be the easiest way to get construction forecasts and updates. You can choose to receive emails and/or text messages. The sign-up button is on the top right hand of this page.
Contact us
We welcome your feedback at Valencia@SFMTA.com or 415.646.2025.
PROJECT GOALS
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Improve safety for all who travel on Valencia Street
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Preserve the economic vitality of Valencia Street
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Ensuring movement and access of goods and people