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The purpose of this website is to educate people about the dangers of closing streets and removing parking spaces. We must preserve access of motorists to local streets and highways, and to parking spaces near stores, restaurants, services, and homes. Otherwise, people will shop, live, and pay taxes elsewhere -- causing our economy to crumble.
We welcome your thoughts, comments, and ideas regarding protecting our ability to drive and park on SF streets. If you would like to be on our email list to be informed about upcoming events or proposed changes concerning our streets and parking, or if you would like to share something, please email us.
SAN FRANCISCO NEEDS ACCESSIBLE PARKING
The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA) has been working in conjunction with other City agencies to create car-free streets. They erroneously claim car-free streets are better for the environment, and if they make it more difficult for people to drive and park, people will give up their cars and take public transportation, walk, or bicycle everywhere they need to go.
Vision Zero, a plan to have zero traffic deaths and injuries, is a plan that includes closing streets to vehicles and removing parking, but so far has not worked.
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To the detriment of many small business owners, the ability to park near the doors of their businesses has been removed. It is problematic for people with mobility issues and anyone leading a busy lifestyle. One of the justifications for removing parking is to install bicycle rental stations.
There is no reason for bike stations to replace parking spaces or block sidewalks, as indicated by bike stations in the Outer Richmond District at 38th Avenue at Balboa, and at 48th Avenue at Cabrillo.
Rental bike station at 38th at Balboa against the Bank of America wall leaves a wide sidewalk and removes no parking spaces.
Rental bike station at 48th Avenue at Cabrillo against the wall at Safeway, leaves a wide sidewalk for pedestrians and all the parking spaces.
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Eliminating parking spaces to install bicycle rental stations negatively impacts the ability of residents to park near homes, restaurants, cafes, art galleries, services, and small local businesses of all kinds.
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Rental bicycles and scooters have become prevalent, and the rental companies have not enforced proper return of their equipment. We often see the rental bikes and scooters blocking access to handicap ramps.
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Many seniors, and people using wheelchairs and walkers, require parking close to their destinations. Family and friends visiting residents need places to park. Accessible parking adds to our quality of life.
THE MULTI-USE GREAT HIGHWAY IS SAFE
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An example of a road with very few car collisions is the four-lane, multi-use, Upper Great Highway.
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Deaths and injuries from collisions are almost non-existent on the Upper Great Highway due to its safe design of no intersections or connections to cross-traffic.
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A 10' wide paved path with 4' of hard packed sand for runners and joggers on one side and 2' of sand on the other side creates a 16' walkway where pedestrians, bicyclists, and runners safely share the space alongside vehicles.
In order for everyone to enjoy the Upper Great Highway, maintenance of the four highway lanes, the 10' landscaped median that divides the traffic lanes, and the 16' wide pedestrian path must be regularly maintained.
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Upon closure of the Upper Great Highway in April 2020, all maintenance stopped -- until shortly before it reopened part-time to vehicles in August 2021.
Public Works is in charge of maintaining the paved lanes of the Upper Great Highway. Their equipment clears the sand when sand blocks the lanes. The centrifugal force of the traffic traveling on the Highway's lanes blows some of the sand out of the way, but it needs consistent maintenance. The City allowed sand to accumulate and neglected maintenance when the Highway was closed to vehicles 24/7, impeding mobility of pedestrians and bicyclists.
Closed vs. Open Great Highway
Parking on the Lower Great Highway when the Upper Great Highway is closed.
Parking on the Lower Great Highway when the Upper Great Highway is open. The reduction of vehicles results in a reduction of air and noise pollution near families and homes.
Diverted traffic from the closed Great Highway onto the narrow residential streets consists of: big rigs, delivery trucks, motorcycles and dirt bikes in groups of 100+, pickup trucks, construction vehicles carrying heavy equipment, and cars. These all add to the congestion, gridlock, and pollution on our already dangerous high-injury networks.
When traffic collisions escalated, due to between 17,600 to 19,900 vehicles per day being diverted from the Highway onto residential streets, public outrage provoked a 4-1/2 day weekday opening of the Upper Great Highway to try to mitigate the damage.
Only the most avid bicyclists are pedaling to the Great Highway from long distances. The majority of bicycles are being driven to this area in pick-up trucks, vans, SUVs, and cars. This adds to the carbon footprint instead of supporting the argument that a car-free Great Highway is better for the environment than as a multi-use shared space.
Beach-goers with their children, pets, coolers, strollers, and umbrellas cannot bicycle to the beach. They all need parking.
ROAD CLOSURES DELAY AND IMPEDE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS
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The Upper Great Highway closure has and will continue to impede emergency response times near the ocean and eliminates a primary evacuation route. Firefighters responding to beach rescues need to use the Upper Great Highway and are significantly slowed down during closure days when they have to negotiate driving on the Highway lanes occupied by pedestrians and bicyclists.
Emergency responders on a closed Great Highway have to negotiate the space with pedestrians and bicyclists surrounding them adding to their response time.
Another day another delay.
Not only is the Great Highway a commuter route for school buses, emergency responders, paratransit vehicles, big rigs, vans, delivery trucks, and construction vehicles, but tourists and San Franciscans alike enjoy it as a beautiful, peaceful scenic route.
DESTRUCTION OF OUR FRAGILE SAND DUNES AT OCEAN BEACH
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The closure of the Great Highway and attempts to commercialize it have negatively impacted our National Park, the wildlife sanctuary existing on the sand dunes within the Park, and the nearby environment of the beach community.
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The Snowy Plovers, a protected endangered species, use the sand dunes as their nesting grounds. Laws prohibit dogs from being unleashed on the dunes for all but 6 weeks a year, between May 16th and June 30th.
Snowy Plovers on Ocean Beach
Unleashed dog on the Wildlife Sanctuary in September when dogs are required to be leashed.
The dunes are being trampled and eroded. Heavily advertised, citywide, one-time special events are being held on top of the sand dunes on the protected wildlife sanctuary. Hundreds are invited to the area, where they congregate on the dunes, destroying the Snowy Plover nesting grounds and the native plants.
Sadly, it is now foot traffic that is killing the nesting grounds. When foot traffic replaces motor vehicle traffic on the Upper Great Highway, pedestrians with their children and pets have no boundaries, and escalate the erosion of this sacred area.
Children are encouraged to slide down the sand dunes on cardboard sleds. Kites that were once flown from the beach are now being launched from atop the sand dunes on the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Motorized bicycles have been seen racing and doing stunts on the dunes, adding to dune erosion and violating the laws that protect the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Since the closure of the Upper Great Highway, the sand dunes are sprinkled with homeless encampments.
Homeless encampments are not only on the dunes, but are being set up east of them along the pedestrian path that runs parallel to the Highway on days when there is no traffic on it.
RV encampments have been permanently parking on the Lower Great Highway ever since the closure of the Upper Great Highway, causing a danger from the unsanitary conditions they create and leave on our street.
Since the closure of the Great Highway, additional foot traffic, picnics, homeless encampments, and city-sponsored events have littered the dunes with mattresses, plastic, needles, and other garbage adding to the destruction of the Wildlife Sanctuary.
Garbage left in the dunes.
Needle in the dunes.
Fireworks are often set off over the dunes and the Wildlife Sanctuary when the Upper Great Highway is closed.
THE SEAWALL
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There is a seawall along the Upper Great Highway between Santiago and Noriega Streets. The maintenance on this area also stopped when the Upper Great Highway was closed to traffic.
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The picture on the right depicts the seawall before the 2020 closure of the Upper Great Highway.
The following photos show the deteriorated condition of the seawall since the Highway has been closed to traffic.
Back and forth from the Highway's closed lanes people jump the guardrail, over the benches, killing the seagrasses, and forging new paths from the beach to the Highway.
When vehicles use the Highway, people use the crosswalks and do not jump over the guardrail, ruining the landscaping.
A lack of maintenance leaves public property neglected and defaced.
When the Highway was closed, sand maintenance stopped and the seawall promenade became impassible.
The stairways to the beach remained filled with sand.
The steps from the beach to the seawall were dangerous to use.
Thank you for visiting our site and giving attention to these issues.
Again, we invite you to connect with us by email.
AccessibleStreets@gmail.com
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