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West Portal Station Safety and Community Space Improvements - Proposed Design

Thursday, April 18, 2024

 

Map shows proposed changes for the West Portal Area. West Portal Avenue's center lanes, in both directions, would be for transit and commercial vehicles only between Ulloa and Vicente. On Ulloa, the center lane eastbound would be transit and commercial vehicles only betweeen Wawona and West Portal. Betwen West Portal and Claremont, all west bound traffic would be limited to transit and commercial vehicles. Turns to westbound Ulloa would be eliminated at Ulloa and Claremont. Lenox Way would become one-way in the southbound direction.

As part of the West Portal Station Safety and Community Improvements Project, these proposals use tools proven to improve traffic safety. These include: 

Physically protect the bus stop on the north side of Ulloa at Lenox, such as with bollards.  

Improve intersection safety by clearly defining pedestrian, vehicle, and transit movements at the West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street intersection. The proposals would reduce conflicts between private vehicles, people walking and transit vehicles, and limit cut-through traffic by: 

  • Allowing only right turns for drivers heading east on Ulloa Street at West Portal Avenue 

  • Allowing only right turns for drivers heading north on West Portal Avenue at Ulloa Street 

  • Restricting westbound traffic on Ulloa Street at West Portal Avenue to transit and commercial vehicles 

This would eliminate two left turns at this busy intersection. Left turns are a particular risk for people walking and biking. In 2019, 40% of traffic deaths in San Francisco were caused when drivers made left turns and didn’t see the person in the crosswalk until it was too late.  

Adding transit lanes to clarify lanes available to private vehicles given new turn restrictions. With the new turn restrictions at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street, fewer lanes would be needed for private vehicle travel. We would convert the center lanes on West Portal Avenue between Ulloa and Vicente streets to transit lanes in both directions. On Ulloa Street, the westbound lane would be converted to a transit lane between Claremont Boulevard and Lenox Way, and the center eastbound lane between Wawona Street and West Portal Boulevard would become a transit lane. Private and commercial vehicles could still use the right lanes on West Portal Avenue.  These changes could also deter double-parking. 

Converting Lenox Way to one-way southbound and narrowing the intersection to only right turns for drivers at Ulloa Street. This change would reduce the risks from two left turns through the busy crosswalk across Lenox Way directly outside the West Portal Branch Library. By converting Lenox Way to one-way southbound traffic, drivers on Ulloa Street could no longer turn onto Lenox Way. Additionally, while the left turn is already illegal for southbound drivers on Lenox Way at Ulloa Street, new soft-hit posts would narrow the intersection and make it significantly harder for drivers to turn left. Drop-offs at West Portal Elementary would be preserved by allowing for dropoffs on the east side of Lenox Way for families driving southbound.  

Providing more dedicated, and protected, pedestrian space directly outside West Portal Station. At the entrance to West Portal Station, street space currently used by SFMTA operations vehicles would be converted to pedestrian and community space. This space could potentially allow for community-supporting murals, seating, planters, bike share stations or other priorities to support the commercial corridor and neighborhood at large.  

Street with some space reserved for pedestrians defined by bollards on the outside and a painted mural and planters holding trees and other plants.

Examples of materials that could be used to mark pedestrian-only space such as street murals, planters and bollards. 

Modifying the 57 Parkmerced bus’s route and one stop location.

The 57 Parkmerced’s last inbound and first outbound stop is currently at the southwest corner of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue. This stop and layover space would move across the intersection on Ulloa Street just east of West Portal Avenue. The route would change for one block as well. New outbound trips would begin by serving its new stop on Ulloa between Claremont Boulevard and West Portal Avenue before turning right onto Claremont Boulevard, turning right onto Portola Drive, turning right onto Vicente Street, and turning left back onto its existing route on West Portal Avenue.

The 57 Parkmerced’s last inbound and first outbound stop is currently at the southwest corner of Ulloa Street and West Portal Avenue. This stop and layover space would move across the intersection on Ulloa Street just east of West Portal Avenue.  

The route would change for one block as well. New outbound trips would begin by serving its new stop on Ulloa between Claremont Boulevard and West Portal Avenue before turning right onto Claremont Boulevard, turning right onto Portola Drive, turning right onto Vicente Street, and turning left back onto its existing route on West Portal Avenue. 

Modifying the 91 Owl bus’s route and one stop location.

Currently, the 91 Owl serves its final stop directly outside West Portal Station before its layover period there. Since that stop location would be converted to community space, the layover location and the last inbound and first outbound stop would move to the stop used by the 48 Quintara-24th Street at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street. Additionally, the 91 Owl would no longer turn around directly in front of West Portal Station. New outbound trips would begin by serving its new stop at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street before turning right onto Claremont Boulevard, turning right onto Portola Drive, turning right onto Vicente Street, and turning left back onto its existing route on West Portal Avenue.  

Currently, the 91 Owl serves its final stop directly outside West Portal Station before its layover period there. Since that stop location would be converted to community space, the layover location and the last inbound and first outbound stop would move to the stop used by the 48 Quintara-24th Street at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street.  

Additionally, the 91 Owl would no longer turn around directly in front of West Portal Station. New outbound trips would begin by serving its new stop at West Portal Avenue and Ulloa Street before turning right onto Claremont Boulevard, turning right onto Portola Drive, turning right onto Vicente Street, and turning left back onto its existing route on West Portal Avenue. 

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