Anyone who bikes in San Francisco knows how great it is to find that smooth green path under your tires. Starting earlier this month, Upper Market Street just got some more of those upgrades as part of the SFMTA’s Upper Market Street Safety Project, which has been making gradual safety improvements to the corridor since 2015.
The most recent round of work has SFMTA and Public Works installing a new protected bikeway, painted safety zones and better intersection signage and markings.
Since last weekend, our paint shop has been adding the green paint along the area between Octavia Boulevard and Duboce Avenue and will create painted bike boxes at intersections. Construction of the concrete islands began last Sunday, one week ahead of schedule. These critical additions protect people biking from car traffic, but will still allow for emergency vehicle access. After the medians are completed this coming weekend, the SFMTA sign shop will finalize the bikeway by installing signage and additional safe hit posts where needed.
The new protected bike lane will be a significant safety improvement for the popular corridor and a big step in making Upper Market Street more attractive for all modes of travel.
Twitter feeds were also flooded with happy two-wheelers celebrating the safety improvements. The plan is to complete one block each Sunday over three consecutive weekends and be done in time for San Francisco’s Bike to Work Day on May 10.