Walking, Biking, and Micromobility for Commuters

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What do San Francisco commuters need to know? 

There has never been a better time to walk, bike, or use a scooter in San Francisco!

Over the past year, the SFMTA has invested heavily in improvements to San Francisco's walking and biking infrastructure, making it easier to safely and quickly travel wherever you need to go. Choosing to walk, bike, or use other micromobility is a great option to avoid being caught in traffic, and also avoid adding to traffic.

To help prevent crushing congestion that will increase travel times, hinder economic recovery and frustrate everyone, let your employees know:

  • If they live in San Francisco, they should try out walking, biking, or making use of a micromobility service
  • If they are returning to work from outside of San Francisco, they should use BART, ferries, and other regional transit when possible.
  • Staggered work hours and alternative work schedules can help shift travel to off-peak times

For those employees making changes to their commute, resources to plan a new commute are below.

Bicycling

San Francisco has over 456 miles of bicycle routes, making it easy for residents to begin commuting by bicycle – and you don’t even need to own a bike to take advantage of them, see “Need a Bike or Scooter?” below. Explore our full Recommended Bike Routes including Slow Streets, bike lanes, and physically-separated bikeways to plan a low-stress route to work. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition provides resources to help new bike commuters and also offers free webinars on urban cycling. 

Map of SFMTA Recommended Bike Routes

 

For residents looking for a location to securely park their bicycle, we strongly recommend taking advantage of San Francisco’s Municipal Parking Lots. Please use the linked map to find suitable locations for your commute and other travels. 

Walking

San Francisco's a walking city and during this pandemic, we encourage everyone who can to walk even more. Walking to work frees up seats on Muni and is a safe and healthy way to enjoy our city. Now, San Franciscans can plan their commute on foot by using Slow Streets for a more comfortable commute with limited vehicle traffic.

Slow Streets

The SFMTA’s new Slow Streets program reduces traffic on certain residential streets, increasing safety and comfort for people traveling by foot, bicycle or scooter. Throughout the city, nearly 30 corridors have been designated as a Slow Street. On these streets, signs and barricades have been placed to minimize vehicle traffic and prioritize walking and biking.

Micromobility: Need a Bike or Scooter?  

If employees don’t own a bicycle or scooter, San Francisco has multiple options for shared bicycles and scooters, including opportunities for corporate discounts. All have easy sign-up processes and follow recommended public health practices to ensure rider safety and well-being. Find links to their registration pages below to start riding today.

Emergency Ride Home

The Emergency Ride Home program supports everyone who walks, bikes, carpools, takes transit, or rides shared-mobility to work. If you experience an emergency that day, you’re eligible for a free, guaranteed ride home. Share this program with your employees to support their commutes!

Municipal Parking Lots  

For residents who are currently carpooling or otherwise need to use a private vehicle due to extenuating circumstances, we also strongly recommend using our Municipal Parking Lots. Using these lots not only reduces the stress of trying to find a parking spot, but can also help lessen the overall traffic congestion and emissions produced by drivers searching for parking. 

Commuter Benefits

Some commuter benefits managers are now offering Bike Sharing and Scooter Rental services to clients and their employees. This is a great option for San Francisco employers to support their employees with trying out a new commute - check with your commuter benefits manager today to see how you can include this service for your employees.