MTA Bicycle Plan to Add Bike Lanes in Castro and Upper Market

By Emma Hall

The SF MTA Board of Directors voted unanimously at their June 26 meeting to approve the city’s Bicycle Plan that had originally been drafted in 1997. The bike plan adds over 34 miles of bike lanes to the 45 miles already in existence in the City.

The part of the plan that most affects Castro residents is the addition of bike lanes on 17th street westbound between Castro and Eureka streets, 17th Street eastbound between Hartford and Valencia streets, and 16th Street westbound between Sanchez and Market streets. There will be “sharrows,” or lanes shared between cars and bicycles, on Market, Eureka, and 21st streets. Additionally, more bike racks will be installed throughout the district.

As set out in the draft of the bike plan presented at the meeting, the overall goal is to increase safe bicycle use in the city. The objectives are to “increase the daily number of bicycle trips in San Francisco, develop improved methods for tracking bicycle usage [and to] reduce the rate of bicycle collisions as bicycle usage increases.”

Over 200 members and representatives of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) were present at the SF MTA Board meeting to show their support for the plan. The plan has gained much support in the form of letters and donations from cyclists and politicians alike.

“The Castro is key to transportation in SF because of its central location, and its heavy use of all modes of transportation, from transit to biking to driving,” said Judson True, a representative for the SF MTA. “We’re excited for the proposals throughout the city and in the Castro as well.”

Despite the widespread support, many who oppose the plan are just as outspoken. Some merchants fear that the loss of parking spaces will negatively affect business. At a June 4 meeting of the Merchants of Upper Market and Castro (MUMC), concerns were raised about the parking spaces that might be taken away.

“We do not want to lose one parking space on Market,” said MUMC President Steve Adams. “People aren’t coming here because of the lack of parking. I’m going to fight any spaces being taken from us.”

Supervisor Bevan Dufty was also present at the meeting and expressed his concern that the project was being rushed. He felt that the community needed to be engaged in the idea of the project first.
True said that although the bike lanes have been approved, the SF MTA is still collaborating with the communities and will be working on the design to minimize the removal of parking spaces. He said that the MTA will try to keep existing parking spaces, and try to conciliate the need for parking with the new bike plan and the SF MTA’s policy of promoting cycling.

The most controversial parts of the bike plan were located far from the Castro. The Second Street bike lanes were heavily contested, and ended up being removed from the first round of projects until further study.

Mayor Gavin Newsom commented on the city’s bike plan at a press conference at City Hall on June 26 after the plan was approved by the SF MTA. He praised the plan as well as the SFBC for its support.

Mayor Newsom mentioned that he hopes to solicit federal stimulus money in order to fund the plan that would accelerate its completion. Construction on the new bike lanes is set to begin within five years, depending on funding. So far, the SF MTA has $6 million of the $15 million necessary to implement to plan.

Although the plan was approved, it still has to go through a 20-day appeals process before the Board of Supervisors can vote on it. Mayor Newsom and representatives of the SFBC expect the injunction to be lifted by mid-August to September.

Copyright 2009 Castro Courier