June saw some of the most significant updates to the Mid-Valencia Bikeway project since its installation. Read on for more details and check out what else we’ve been working on:
MTA Board Endorses Side-Running Design
The SFMTA Board endorsed a side-running bike lane design at its meeting in June. Here’s what that means and what’s next for Valencia Street.
Since receiving direction from the SFMTA Board in February to investigate an alternative side-running bike lane, our project staff has collaborated closely with the community. Together, we have fine-tuned what the design should look like, investing hundreds of hours in outreach. The main challenge that remains is how to balance safety, accessibility, parking and loading availability and a merchant’s ability to operate a parklet.
At June’s meeting, we presented a preliminary design that addressed these concerns and carefully considered the community’s diverse needs and perspectives. The new, draft side-running design places the bike lane closest to the curb, the parking space in a “floating” lane to the left and a regular travel lane to the left of that.
At the end of the meeting, the MTA Board endorsed the direction of the design. With the endorsement in hand, SFMTA staff continues to work on the final side-running bikeway design. As we proceed with the side-running design, merchants must decide whether to keep their parklets at their existing location or move them to the “floating” lane, which preserves additional parking on the corridor. We will be reaching out to parklet owners with additional detailed information so they can make an informed decision on their parklet placement under a side-running design. Before the final design is ultimately approved by the MTA Board, merchants must also weigh in to help SFMTA determine the ideal timing for the construction of the side-running bike lane.
This fall, the MTA Board will decide whether to approve the final design of the side-running bike lane.
Exploring Placemaking on Valencia
Residents and merchants have submitted many questions about better activating underutilized roadway spaces in and around driveways, intersections, and other areas. The term, Placemaking, is a process for creating public spaces that people love and feel connected to. We will work with the community to see what opportunities exist for placemaking on the corridor.
Planning for Open House Underway
This fall, the SFMTA looks forward to broadening our outreach efforts to present the side-running bikeway design to the community at-large. Look out for more information about an open house event in the coming months.
In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you – please submit your feedback to Valencia@SFMTA.com.