Crews repave Valencia Street where the old center-running bike lane was in preparation for the new side-running bikeway.
Partnering with community members has been our top priority as we work together on the next chapter of Valencia Street. We’ve spent hundreds of hours speaking with people who live, work and visit this popular street. And we are grateful for your time and feedback to help ensure Valencia remains a vibrant, accessible corridor everyone can enjoy.
Now, we’re closer than ever to completing the new side-running bikeway project after a vote this week from our Board of Directors.
There are just a few components to finish before we can call the Valencia Bikeway project complete. These include: installing the new side-running bike lanes, removing overhead Muni lines, improving curb access and introducing limited left turns.
Learn what’s coming for each stage – and how the work addresses concerns we heard from the local community.
Crews paint the roadway to mark the new side-running bikeway. They’re also painting color curbs to address the needs of local businesses.
Installing side-running bike lanes
Last week, crews finished repaving the middle of Valencia Street where the center-running bike lane was located. Now we’re making quick progress on installing the new side-running bike lanes.
These lanes will be physically separated from traffic by striped buffers, safe-hit posts and parked cars. This means people biking can enjoy a safer ride without worrying about vehicles entering the lane. This was a key concern we heard from people who cycle on Valencia. We expect the side-running bikeways to be ready in early May.
Removing overhead lines
During the evenings of Monday, April 21 and Tuesday, April 22, we will remove Muni lines on Valencia Street between 16th and 17th streets that are no longer needed. To complete this work, we will need to close this block of Valencia from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. each night for two nights.
To minimize disruption, we consulted with local merchants, residents and others along Valencia as we planned the work. Our goal: help business go on as usual with minimal impacts. We heard that an evening closure earlier in the week would be best, so we made sure removal work didn’t start until 7 p.m.
We’re doing this work to meet an important need: creating safer conditions in the event of a fire. It will ensure the Fire Department can use aerial ladders along the corridor.
And removing these wires is like removing a giant spider web in one piece. It requires specialized equipment and staff.
Another benefit when the overhead lines are gone: locals and visitors will get a full view of the street and the sky as they stroll one of the city’s sunniest neighborhoods.
As we complete this work, you can still visit your favorite shops and restaurants on this block of Valencia with some minor adjustments to your travel plans. For more information, visit our Travel & Transit page.
Improving curb access for businesses
We will also update curb space at several locations on Valencia to improve access for local businesses. Our Board voted this week to approve these changes. This stage of work will involve painting curbs and posting signs.
Valencia's curb is a very high-demand space, and the needs are always changing. Every business has unique priorities when it comes to how they use curb space. Some might value a five-minute general loading zone so customers can pop in and out quickly. Others need commercial loading space that large vehicles can access.
We’re sensitive to these needs and have been working closely with our business community in the neighborhood to address them. As these uses evolve, our color curb team will continue to do outreach along the corridor to make sure parking and loading zones match the needs of merchants.
Reintroducing limited left turns
We will also reintroduce protected left turns at three intersections on Valencia -- at 17th, 21st and 23rd streets – following a vote from our Board this week. We plan to install these left turns around late June, 45 days after the new side-running bike lane is done.
These locations were based on traffic patterns, public parking garage locations and feedback from merchants. We originally removed left turns on Valencia Street in May 2023, as part of the center-running bike lane pilot.
Because safety is our top priority, we are implementing a special kind of left turn. There will be a “split-phase” signal at all three intersections. This means that people driving north and people driving south will not get a green light at the same time.
Signals will work so that these groups take left turns in isolation – instead of having to consider opposing traffic. Each direction will have its own dedicated green light, or arrow, for turning left, right or continuing straight. Next, there will be a green light for people driving east and west to cross Valencia on a numbered street.
This will reduce the risk of collisions between people walking, biking and driving on Valencia Street. As always, our focus is on helping people get around safely – however they choose to travel.
Celebrating a new chapter on Valencia
The Valencia community is kicking off the end of construction with the first Valencia LIVE! event on Thursday, May 8. It will be the first of a monthly street fair to be held the second Thursday of every month from May through October of 2025. Each event will run from 5 – 10 p.m. on Valencia between 16th and 19th streets.
It will be a great chance to experience the new side-running bike lanes, grab a bite to eat, dance to live music or shop at a pop-up market hosted by the American Indian Cultural District and American Indian Cultural Center. This event series is being hosted by the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association, in partnership with Into the Streets and with support from the Civic Joy Fund.
We look forward to celebrating this new chapter on Valencia, and we welcome you to stay in the loop as we close out construction. To get regular updates, you can subscribe on our Valencia Bikeway Improvements signup page.
Comments are for the English version of this page.