Folsom Street Implementation

Engineering Public Hearing Meeting, August, 2, 2024
Construction has begun!
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Project Introduction

The Folsom Streetscape Project area includes Folsom Street between 2nd and 11th streets. Folsom Street is an eastbound, one-way street and between 11th and Falmouth streets, there are three vehicle travel lanes, a parking protected bike lane, and transit boarding islands at the following intersections:

11th Street (far-side)
9th Street (far-side)
8th Street (far-side)
7th Street (far-side)
6th Street (mid-block between 6th and Falmouth streets)

Folsom Street has three eastbound vehicle travel lanes with a buffered bike lane between Falmouth and 4th streets.

Folsom Street has four eastbound vehicle travel lanes with a Class II bikeway (bike lane) between the vehicle travel lane and parking lane from 4th and 2nd streets.

More than 300 people ride in the existing bikeway during the AM peak hour and approximately 50 in the PM peak hour.

The 12 Folsom Muni line travels on Folsom Street from 11th to 2nd streets and carries approximately 5,500 passengers a day with a frequency of 15 minutes in the AM peak hour.

The 27 Bryant Muni line travels along Folsom Street between 6th and 5th streets and carries approximately 6,700 passengers a day with a frequency of 15 minutes in the AM peak hour.

The average daily traffic count is approximately 14,000 vehicles who travel along the corridor based on a PM peak hour volume of 1,350.

Project Components

Once completed, Folsom Street will implement the following treatments:

Roadway Configuration Changes

Removal of one to two eastbound travel lanes on Folsom Street between 2nd and 11th streets

Repaving of the Folsom Street corridor

Pedestrian Safety Improvements

21 new corner bulb-outs that shorten crossing distances 
15 traffic signals with improved timing (this number includes one midblock crossing and two new alleyway crossings)
Raised bikeway crossings that will prioritize pedestrians

Leading Pedestrian Intervals or pedestrian head starts at 11 intersections
Raised crosswalks at ten alleyways

Transit Service Changes

New transit-only lane to Folsom from 10th to just after 4th streets and new service from the 8 Bayshore, 8AX Express, 8BX Express, 27 Bryant.
Eight new or upgraded transit boarding islands

Bicycle Safety Improvements

New two-way protected bike lane on Folsom from 2nd to 11th streets
Concrete buffers for parking-protected bikeways
New concrete protection for bicyclists in intersections
16 new separated bike signals with dedicated phases for cyclists and turning vehicles

Raised bikeways at select alley crossings to prioritize a cyclist’s right-of-way

Loading and Parking Improvements

New parking meters on Folsom from 6th to 11th streets will increase turnover and parking availability for customers.
While some parking spaces will be removed to enhance safety and visibility, the SFMTA continues to work with the business community to prioritize loading needs

Public Realm Improvements

Tree-lined medians
Civic Amenity Zones, or pedestrian spaces with customized pavers, historic plaques and district street signs
New pedestrian street lighting

Project Schedule

The construction phase is scheduled to begin in 2024 and last for 24 months.

Immediate Need to Address Safety

In 2018, the SFMTA completed near-term or “Quick-Build” improvements on Folsom Street between 11th and Falmouth streets using effective temporary and adjustable measures such as paint, traffic delineators, and signage.

Quick Build Traffic Safety Improvements	Safety Issue Addressed from Existing Conditions
Parking protected bikeway	High stress bike facility, bike lane blockage, and dooring.
Mixing Zones (e.g. dashed green striping and yield "teeth" markings	Vehicles turning right conflict with bicyclists proceeding straight.
Two-stage turn box	Bicyclists don’t know where to turn left to connect to other bike routes, which increases conflicts b/w turning bicyclists and vehicles.
Intersection daylighting & adjusting advanced limit lines	Pedestrian visibility at intersections.
Transit boarding islands	Decreased transit performance and increased conflicts at bus stops b/w buses, vehicles, and bikes.
Transit bus shelters	Limited protection from weather and people waiting for the bus on the sidewalk block pedestrians.
Improved curb management	Double parking and parking in the bike lane
Vehicle turn restrictions	Vehicle and bike/pedestrian intersection conflicts.
Traffic lane reduction	Roadway constraints because of improved bikeway.

Beginning in 2021, the SFMTA implemented another Quick-Build project with temporary safety features on Folsom Street between 5th and 2nd streets.

Quick Build Traffic Safety Improvements	Safety Issue Addressed from Existing Conditions
Parking protected bikeway	High stress bike facility, bike lane blockage, and dooring.
Intersection daylighting & adjusting advanced limit lines	Pedestrian visibility at intersections.
Transit boarding islands	Improved transit performance and reduces conflict at bus stops b/w buses, vehicles, and bikes.
Improved curb management	Double parking and parking in the bike lane.
Vehicle turn restrictions	Vehicle and bike/pedestrian intersection conflicts.
Traffic lane reduction	Roadway constraints because of improved bikeway.

Evaluating Folsom Street Near-Term Improvements

Improvements on Folsom Street between 11th and Falmouth streets include parking protected bike lanes, installing bus boarding islands and doubling the number of yellow commercial loading zones. Some “daylighting” was also implemented.

Key evaluation metrics include:

Vehicle approach speed
Conflict behavior at key locations (i.e. mixing zones, bus boarding islands, etc.)
Compliance at traffic signals
Perception of safety

After implementing near-term improvements and analyzing the outcomes the findings include:

Fewer loading violations (i.e. parking, loading, or blocking the bike lane) compared to before improvements were implemented.
On average, people loaded for shorter periods of time on average.
21% increase of people biking at all observed locations.
29% increase of people walking at all observed locations.
83% of people who biked felt more comfortable along Folsom Street after implementation.
88% of people driving felt more comfortable or no change at all.