Happening Now: Improvements for a Safer 2nd Street

Second Street is getting some early improvements as we gear up for its makeover. We’re implementing near-term safety upgrades for walking and biking prior to the start of construction on the full 2nd Street Improvement Project later this fall, which will transform the corridor from Market Street to King Street.

This month, we added bike lanes on 2nd between Market and Howard streets, as well as left-turn restrictions from 2nd onto Mission, Folsom, and eastbound Harrison streets.

Second Street is a high-injury corridor, and these improvements are part of Vision Zero - San Francisco’s goal to eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. The top cause of fatal crashes (29 percent) last year was a driver’s failure to yield to a pedestrian. These are the kinds of collisions we hope to reduce with the measures being implemented now and in the future.

A view of the new bike lanes on 2nd Street, looking south between Market and Mission streets.

We started implementing near-term improvements last fall, including:

• A new northbound bike lane between King and Townsend streets
• New right-turn lanes at the Mission and Howard intersections
• High-visibility “continental” crosswalk markings
• Painted safety zones at street corners
• Green bike “sharrow” markings from Howard Street to King Street
• Relocation of some loading zones onto side streets

The left turn restrictions, which went into effect last Wednesday, are intended to make 2nd Street safer by reducing conflicts between turning drivers and people crossing the street. They’re also expected to help keep Muni buses moving once traffic lanes are reduced as part of the street’s larger reconstruction, and to help shift freeway traffic toward the designated routes on nearby one-way streets like 3rd, 4th, Harrison, and Howard streets. A map of the alternative routes to the Bay Bridge from locations on 2nd north of Harrison can be found in this PDF.

Unfortunately, during last Thursday evening's commute there were several collisions on the Bay Bridge that backed up traffic onto nearby streets. This, coupled with early departures for the Easter weekend, meant even heavier congestion in the area. 

This rendering shows what 2nd Street will look like after its full makeover with features like protected bike lanes and Muni boarding islands.

Once San Francisco Public Works starts the full construction makeover on 2nd Street, it’ll get improvements like protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, pedestrian bulb-outs and new greenery. Muni boarding islands will also be installed so that buses can stop in the traffic lanes and allow passengers to board without conflicting with bike traffic.

The plan was developed through community meetings in 2012 and 2013, with the goal of making 2nd Street a safer, more accessible and pleasant destination for people walking, bicycling and taking transit. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-2018.

An SFMTA crew installs a painted safety zone last fall at 2nd and South Park streets.