Project Background
7th and 8th are one-way streets in the South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood running north (7th Street) and south (8th Street) as a couplet. As 7th and 8th provide access to freeway on- and off-ramps, and are part of the 19-Polk bus route, the streets’ existing design presents the potential for crashes between people walking, bicycling, taking transit and driving.
With bicycle facilities already located on Market, Howard, Folsom, Brannan, and Townsend Streets, 7th and 8th are important bicycle network links, connecting people on bike to the City’s south and east neighborhoods, which include destinations like the Caltrain station and Mission Bay.
In 2016, former Mayor Ed Lee issued an executive directive on bicycle and pedestrian safety on bicycle and pedestrian safety, explicitly calling for a focus on delivering near-term safety improvements on 7th and 8th streets. In 2019, Mayor London Breed further underscored the importance of building a connected network of protected bikeways to make streets safer through quick-build improvements on 7th Street.
Comprehensive traffic safety improvements were installed throughout 8th Street and parts of 7th Street between May 2017 and July 2019. Further improvements on 7th Street from Folsom Street to Townsend Street were installed as the 7th Street Quick-Build Safety Project in 2020 and 2021, connecting previous traffic safety installations to create one continuous protected biking corridor.
Previous conditions on 7th Street
- Completed
Project Goals:
7th Street and 8th Street are on San Francisco's Vision Zero High Injury Network, which are the 13 percent of city streets that account for 75 percent of San Francisco’s traffic crashes.
This project’s main goal is to improve safety and comfort for all modes of transportation along these corridors. This project will implement targeted improvements to better facilitate the interactions of various modes and minimize the potential for conflicts.
The 7th Street and 8th Street Safety Project is in support of San Francisco’s Vision Zero commitment of eliminating all traffic deaths and serious injuries.
Project Scope:
This project implemented quick-build bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and curb management improvements along 7th Street between Market Street and 16th Street and 8th Street between Market Street and Townsend Street. Improvements include:
- Protected bikeways to increase separation for people biking and walking from moving traffic
- Boarding islands to reduce potential for conflicts and improve passenger loading activities
- Bus stop relocation to improve Muni transfers between the 19 Polk and 10 Townsend routes
- Curb management to better facilitate commercial and passenger loading needs
- Signal timing changes to provide dedicated phases for people traveling across the intersection
- Travel lane reduction to encourage traveling at safer speeds
- Painted safety zones, daylighting, and advance limit lines to improve visibility of all road users at intersections
7th Street & 8th Street Phase 1 Timeline:
(7th Street from Market to Cleveland Street & 8th Street from Market to Harrison Street)
- July – August 2016: Conceptual Design and Environmental Review
- September – October 2016: Community and Stakeholder Outreach
- October 14, 2016: Public Hearing
- November 15, 2016: SFMTA Board Meeting (final approvals)
- March – May 2017: Construction
8th Street Phase 2 Timeline:
(8th Street from Harrison Street to Townsend Street)
- August – November 2017: Conceptual Design
- September – December 2017: Community and Stakeholder Outreach
- January 12, 2018: Public Hearing
- March 6, 2018: SFMTA Board Meeting (final approvals)
- April – May 2018: Construction
7th Street Phase 2 Timeline:
(7th Street from Townsend Street to 16th Street)
- June – July 2019: Conceptual Design and Community and Stakeholder Outreach
- July 9, 2019: Open House & Public Hearing
- July – August 2019: Construction
7th Street Phase 3 Timeline:
(7th Street from Folsom Street to Townsend Street)
- September – December 2019: Conceptual Design and Community and Stakeholder Outreach
- December 11, 2019: Open House & Public Hearing
- May 2020 – January 2021: Construction
