The Polk Streetscape Project is near completion! As we work with San Francisco Public Works to finalize everything, here’s what you need to know about the new bike lanes, streetscape amenities, parking and loading as crews put the finishing touches on this two-year construction project.
What’s Next?
Polk Street, north of Jackson Street has been paved and striped. Over the next month, crews will be paving Polk Street from Bush to McAllister streets, with final roadway striping happening in November and December. Parking and loading changes will occur with the new striping, including the removal of all parking on the east side of Polk Street between Pine and McAllister streets and some removal of general metered parking on the west side of Polk Street with improved commercial and passenger loading spaces to better accommodate the area’s demand.
Since August 2012, the SFMTA worked with the community on a two-year comprehensive outreach process to better understand needs and concerns from residents, merchants and community groups. This outreach included:
- More than 50 focused meetings with community groups and stakeholders
- Five widely-advertised and well-attended public meetings
- Six walking tours with SFMTA staff
The final project combines the ideas from the community with a clear understanding of where and why collisions are happening on Polk and the improvements needed to prevent them. This project was approved by the SFMTA Board of Directors in March 2015 and project construction began in fall 2016.
This project will also unveil a new bikeway design for the corridor. At the intersections of Geary, Ellis, Eddy and Turk, in the southbound direction, the bike lane will be signal separated from southbound vehicles right turns to improve safety for users. On the west side, parking and loading changes are being implemented to meet the specific needs of the neighboring businesses as determined in the SFMTA’s extensive outreach process. Parking on the east side will be removed between McAllister and Pine streets to accommodate a new bike lane adjacent to the curb and separated from traffic.
The project also includes a suite of pedestrian and transit improvements including bulb-outs and pedestrian lighting as well as new sidewalk trees. With the project, Fern and Austin alleys will also be receiving upgrades, with pedestrian enhancements including raised crosswalks, improved lighting and trees, and space for residents, shoppers and people passing by to enjoy.
The final illustrative plan for Polk Street is available here. The project is anticipated to be completed in December 2018. For updates, visit the San Francisco Public Works webpage.