Happy Lunar New Year! As we usher in the Year of the Wood Snake, the SFMTA’s Slow Streets Program is excited to share updates on several Slow Streets. We have a public hearing scheduled for Sanchez Street, completed upgrades on Minnesota and Hearst Streets, and ongoing outreach for the Page and Cayuga corridors. We’ll also start a planning effort in Duboce Triangle later this spring.
Sanchez Next-Gen Slow Street Project headed to public hearing
Noe Valley’s Sanchez Street is one of the city’s most used Slow Streets, with more than 1,000 pedestrians walking on a typical weekend. We have worked with the community to develop a suite of upgrades for the Sanchez Slow Street to build on its success with more permanent, attractive, and easier-to-maintain elements at intersections, including concrete bulb islands at some block entries, painted safety zones, and daylighting.
The SFMTA also received a Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative grant to support street mural installations on Sanchez Street in collaboration with the San Francisco Parks Alliance. This project represents a fantastic opportunity to infuse the Sanchez Slow Street with local flair and community-driven art.
Public hearing details
The Sanchez Next-Gen Slow Street Project will have a public hearing on Friday, March 7th, at 10:00 AM. This meeting is an opportunity to provide comments on the project before it is presented to the City Traffic Engineer for consideration of approval.
If you would like to comment on the proposed project, you may participate in the virtual public hearing or file your comments in writing by the end of the day of the public hearing.
- Email: Send your comments to SlowStreets@sfmta.com with the subject line “Sanchez Public Hearing.”
- Join the hearing on March 7th at 10:00 AM: Visit SFMTA.com/ENGHearing or call 415-523-2709 using conference ID 836 632 456#.
For free interpretation services, please submit your request 48 hours in advance by calling 415-646-4270.
Page 2.0 virtual open house reminder
Based on outreach efforts that began last spring, the Page Slow Street team has prepared designs for Page Slow Street '2.0', which includes upgrading initial low-cost features with more permanent features – including concrete islands – as well as new traffic and streetscape upgrades to improve safety, comfort, and neighborhood placemaking.
Open house details
A virtual open house showcasing the latest designs is available for public input now through March 7th, 2025, and can be accessed at SFMTA.com/PageSlowStreet.
Based on feedback from the virtual open house, the SFMTA will finalize the project proposal and schedule a public hearing for approvals this spring. Implementation is expected to occur on a rolling basis over the next few years.
Minnesota changes installed
We are pleased to announce the completion of enhancements on the Minnesota Slow Street. These improvements include a new traffic-diverter island at Minnesota and 19th streets to minimize cut-through traffic, painted safety zones to slow vehicle turns, and a traffic-calming island between 20th and 22nd streets to reduce mid-block speeds. Purple Slow Streets signs and pavement markings complement these measures.
Staff are considering adding all-way stop signs at 19th Street & Tennessee Street to manage the additional traffic using this intersection after the traffic diverter was installed at Esprit Park. If recommended, a public hearing will be scheduled in the coming months.
Hearst traffic calming in place
As part of a District 7 participatory-budgeting project, we have installed traffic calming measures between Congo and Edna streets to slow vehicle speeds on Hearst Avenue. Current travel volumes are about half of our 1,000 vehicles per day target, and the speed tables are intended to reduce speeds, enhancing safety for all users.
Duboce Triangle work underway
This spring, we will implement spot improvements in the Duboce Triangle area, including:
- Traffic calming: Speed cushions between Henry and 14th Streets and between Beaver and 15th Streets to slow vehicle speeds
- Visibility enhancements: Painted safety zones and intersection daylighting to improve visibility at intersections, in compliance with AB 413
A District 8-funded study will also explore opportunities for a safer, more robust north-south bicycle connection through the neighborhood. The study will examine the feasibility of adding a Slow Street on Sanchez and Steiner Streets between Market and Waller Streets to supplement or replace the existing Noe Slow Street, which isn’t meeting the SFMTA Board-set vehicle volume target.
The study will examine potential changes to traffic circulation, such as vehicle turn restrictions at key intersections, to help manage traffic more effectively around the neighborhood. While not a project that will lead to changes on the street, the study will include outreach and traffic analysis of several alternatives. The final report could serve as a kick-off for a possible future project. More details of what to expect will be shared soon.
Cayuga greening
The Cayuga Slow Street team recently began community outreach for a new project in partnership with the SF Public Utilities Commission’s Transform the Storm Program to consider additional greening and traffic-safety improvements along the Cayuga Slow Street and select cross streets. This project may involve Slow Street ‘2.0’ measures, including upgrading low-cost features to more permanent ones like concrete islands and green infrastructure upgrades like bioretention bulbs.
Visit SFMTA.com/CayugaSlowStreet to learn more about the project and events as they are announced in the coming months.
Keep in touch
Stay up-to-date with our progress and learn more about our efforts at SFMTA.com/SlowStreets.
We look forward to continued collaboration with our communities to create safer, more enjoyable streets for all.
