Changes to Fell/Arco Traffic Tangle Expected This Week

Several Fell Street neighbors objected to the first proposal at an April 30th hearing

The MTA hopes changes will greatly reduce blocking the traffic lane, bike lane, and sidewalk

This week the MTA will begin making traffic design changes on Fell Street to alleviate the hazardous conditions that currently exist near the Arco service station at Divisadero. According to an MTA engineer, the work orders for the job are complete and the on-street implementation will soon get underway.

The changes will bar parking from five spaces just east of Divisadero on the south side from 7 am to 7 pm to create a curbside line-up area for motorists seeking entry to Arco. In addition, the existing bike lane on Fell will be re-striped with plans to repaint the lane green after further study. The design changes result from a compromise developed by the MTA after Fell Street and Alamo Square neighbors objected to the original proposal that would have removed the parking spaces round the clock.

The new traffic design is intended to make Fell Street safer for all road users:

• motorists will queue up for Arco without blocking the traffic lane
• bicyclists will no longer encounter motorists crossing into or blocking the bike lane
• people walking will no longer find motorists blocking the sidewalk on the south side of Fell

The MTA proposed the new configurations on an experimental basis. Traffic engineers will conduct studies to determine whether the design adequately addresses the risks for road users.

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, working with the MTA on community outreach, started contacting Fell Street neighbors, as well as bicycle and pedestrian advocates, via door hangers and email early this week. In the messages, the SFBC describes the changes as "a good starting point." But the staff also note that the compromise solution might not be adequate to the problematic stretch of Fell Street. The SFBC requests feedback about street conditions "for better or for worse" from residents and road users once the changes are in place. (Send comments to marc@sfbike.org) .

60 Protest BP Oil Spill, Excessive Oil Use, and Bike Lane Hazard at Arco Station

Sixty to seventy San Franciscans took their dismay and anger over the Gulf oil spill to the BP–owned Arco gas station on Fell Street Friday night. Several of the protesters blocked the Fell entry to Arco for a few hours with potted plants and a sign explaining “closed for a total re-think.” Others held signs exhorting drivers to use less gas or stop driving, and to not block the Fell Street bike lane near the Arco entrance. The demonstrators did not interrupt the heavy evening traffic, and there were no confrontations with drivers. Many motorists honked and waved in support of the protest while a few cursed the event. Police presence was minimal at the peaceful grassroots demonstration.

Early notices for the protest emphasized motorists’ “oil addiction,” and that charge remained part of the message for some of the demonstrators. Joshua Hart, one of the organizers, railed against the Oak and Fell Street “traffic sewers," but he also told the group that “some motorists don’t have viable alternatives to single-car driving." Dawn D’Onofrio, a supporter but not an organizer of the protest, told BIKE NOPA she believes people who buy gas from BP/Arco “are supporting what’s happening in the Gulf.” She added, “People really need to show awareness. Right now they should not choose this gas station.”

Jacqui Swan said she was at the protest to raise awareness for alternative forms of transportation. “The Gulf spill should be a wake-up call. We’re all partially to blame for it. The system heavily favors fossil fuel consumption.” Earlier in the week Swan took her complaint to BP’s corporate headquarters in San Francisco where she joined a protest staged by SeizeBP.org . Ryan Kushner of the Alamo Square neighborhood said he came to the protest because “52 days of that oil spill is the latest example of how unconstructive oil is in the country.” He hopes to encourage a rational discussion of how oil might be used to benefit people and not inflict such negative impacts on the environment.

Many of the demonstrators arrived at the protest by bike, and the hazardous traffic snarl at the Arco entry – with motorists blocking the Fell bike lane and sidewalk while waiting for cheap gas – was an issue for them. “My most immediate concern is the bike lane problem,” Stuart Chang Matthews told BIKE NOPA. “There’s a direct tie-in here to BP and the oil spill, but I would have gone to any gas station to protest. It all comes down to the damage from dependence on oil.” Noemi Robinson declared she would vote for anyone for Mayor who defends the bike lane on Fell.” For NOPA resident and Wigg Party leader Morgan Fitzgibbons, Friday’s demonstration was his first protest against excessive oil consumption. “This is an opportunity to say something about the spill, big oil, and the hazards here for the bike lane.” Robin Levitt took a longer view of overall bike safety in San Francisco. “I’ve lived here since the early 1990s,” he said, “and today compared to then, bicycling in the city is much better and safer.”

Note: the MTA intends to install this month or next safety improvements for bicyclists and motorists with a dedicated lane for drivers waiting to enter the Arco station, as reported earlier.

Safe Passage for All: Arco at Fell & Divisadero Closed Thursday Afternoon

Arco Station, Divisadero entry...closed to business, "system is down for a 2-3 hours"

How much safer, smoother it could be for people biking and driving

No blocked bike lanes, traffic lanes or sidewalks today

People biking, walking, or driving as they approached Divisadero from Fell Street this afternoon encountered something seldom seen: no blocked bike lanes, no obstructed crosswalks, and no backed-up traffic lanes. The street and the sidewalk were all-clear.

Bicyclists had a clear, unobstructed view ahead and could remain in the lane. Walkers had the full sidewalk to themselves -- no motorists idling their vehicles across it and no bicyclists on the sidewalk not wanting to risk the usual tangle of vehicles lining up for entry to Arco. And no drivers fuming while waiting behind the queue of other motorists wanting cheap gas.

The attendant at the quiet station told me simply that the "system was down for two to three hours" this afternoon. What a difference.

MTA's Fell/Arco Proposal Clears Hurdle; Funding Secured, Implementation Expected In June with Green Bike Lane in August

One more review and then a curbside queue and a safer green bike lane

Plan to address "hazardous conditions" created by Arco: Supervisor Mirkarimi

The traffic design changes proposed by the MTA for Fell Street near the Arco gas station cleared a significant hurdle Friday morning when an MTA hearing officer approved the safety plan and sent it to the agency's board of directors for final review. A curbside queue will be created just east of the entry to the Arco station for motorists waiting to purchase gas. Two parking spaces between the Arco entry and exit on Fell will become permanent tow-away zones and parking in four residential spaces just east of Arco will be a designated tow-away zone from 7am to 7pm daily. The MTA, along with bicycle and pedestrian advocates, hope the changes will significantly reduce the current hazardous conditions that result with motorists lining up for Arco and blocking a traffic lane and the busy bicycle lane on Fell Street. A warning sign to keep the sidewalk clear will also be posted. MTA traffic engineer James Shahamiri told BIKE NOPA that the full MTA board would likely consider the proposal in June. He hoped to see implementation "immediately" once the board approves the plan as expected.

Yesterday Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi sent a letter of support for the plan to Bond Yee, MTA Director of Transportation Engineering. Mirkarimi described the current conditions on Fell Street represented risks that are "unacceptable and must be rectified." He emphasized that the problems were created by the Arco gas station and the Quality Tune Up shop, not the nearby residents. Mirkarimi applauded the compromise proposal that limits the tow-away period for the residential parking spaces. "I believe this is a good compromise that should address the safety issues while minimizing impact on parking in the neighborhood."

At this morning's hearing, three individuals spoke in favor of the compromise. Jeremy Pollack, aide to Mirkarimi, presented the supervisor's position. Marc Caswell of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, said the plan was a reasonable compromise that should be monitored for effectiveness, and NOPA resident Dale Danley noted that the changes will begin to accomplish some of the goals to protect cyclists using the bike lane. No one spoke in opposition.

With no opposition, hearing officer John Newlin approved the plan and sent it to the MTA Board. James Shahamiri expects the board to hear the proposal in June. "I hope it will be implemented immediately afterwards," he added. The agency obtained approval for funding to initiate the plan last week, according to Mirkarimi. The Fell/Arco changes will be financed with grant funds as most MTA projects are.

Bicycle advocates have been following the MTA plan closely for its improved safety aspects and also because it includes the city's first green bike lane for enhanced safety. The painted lane will extend a full block from Scott to Divisadero Street. Shahamiri said the agency intends to conduct a before-and-after study related to the bike lane and thus will delay the green swath for two months for the initial study phase. If implementation and approval follow according to plan, cyclists could be going green by August of this year.

MTA Proposes One Mitigation to Fell/Arco Traffic Design

North side view of Fell Street traffic

Four sub-standard spaces like this one will become tow-away 7am to 7pm

The Municipal Transportation Agency will change its proposal for a safer traffic design on Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero to accommodate the concerns of nearby residents and other neighbors. Two parking spaces will become tow-away zones 24/7 while four others will prohibit parking from 7am to 7 pm daily. The revised plan results from an analysis of mitigations that a MTA hearing officer suggested following a public meeting on April 2nd. The new design is intended as an experiment to determine whether the approach to Arco and Divisadero can be made safer for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

MTA traffic engineer James Shahamiri explained that parking would no longer be allowed in the two spaces between the entry and exit driveways of the Arco gas station. However, the four parking spots directly east of Arco will be part of a tow-away zone from 7am to 7pm, the periods of heaviest vehicle and bicycle traffic. The removal of parking will accommodate a curb-side queue for motorists awaiting entry to Arco and for better visibility when exiting the station. Other elements of the plan include posting a sign advising motorists to not block the sidewalk and a green-painted bike lane -- the city's first -- to guide cyclists and alert motorists for safer passage on the traffic-heavy block.

At the April 2nd hearing nearby residents and Alamo Square neighbors complained that removing the parking spaces would create a hardship for the immediate households and the neighborhood. John Newlin, MTA hearing officer, declared a continuance for the proposal and directed the agency to consider five possible mitigations as reported in this BIKE NOPA post. Only two of the options were reasonably feasible: a reduction in the period of time for tow-aways and removal of one or more of the parking meters on the north side of Fell near Divisadero. Shahamiri explained that removing any of the meters would simply shift the parking problem from the residents to the businesses along Divisadero. "It solves one problem by creating another."

Nearby households will be notified within the next day or two of the proposal and of the next hearing date: Friday, April 30, in Room 416 at City Hall.

Proposed Mitigations for MTA's Fell/Arco Plan: One, Maybe Two, Might Be Feasible

Spaces not large enough for most vehicles without blocking driveways

Five parking meters on north side of Fell: important for Divisadero merchants

Arco access designed for two distinct entries and exits

Arco situated at prime Fell and Divisadero intersection

Analysis

As reported earlier, the MTA has proposed a set of safety measures to address the dangerous traffic conditions on Fell Street near the Arco gas station and Divisadero Street. The city's plan includes posting a sign to warn motorists to not block the sidewalk at the Arco entry, striping the existing bike lane so it is more visible, and creating a curbside queue along the west-end of Fell for motorists waiting to get gas. The last measure involves removing four parking spaces in front of residences and two others between the Arco driveways. At an April 2nd MTA hearing about parking removal, the hearing officer issued a continuance and directed MTA staff to consider five primary mitigations for their plan. The feasibility of adopting these measures is considered below; only one, perhaps two, holds much promise.

• Limit the no-parking period to specific hours rather than the current 24/7 proposal. This mitigation appears to be the most feasible as a compromise, although it has drawbacks. A few neighbors have proposed an effective period of less than 24 hours, perhaps from 9am to 9pm, for the six parking spaces. But leaving out the morning commute hours for those who travel Fell to get to jobs exposes them to the same risks that exist now. Opponents to a shortened time period offer two arguments against it: changing motorists' behaviors with variable traffic designs during the day is difficult and late night hours are risky due to limited visibility in the darkness.

• Implementation of a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) area for the block of Fell between Scott and Divisadero. Adding this block to the current RPP system will be difficult and time-consuming. MTA regulations require that a new candidate block must be contiguous with an existing RPP area. The nearest RPP areas are 2 1/2 blocks away at Scott and Haight Streets and another at Divisadero and Page, 2 blocks distant (see map). More than 50% of the residents on the Fell block as well as on the linkage blocks would have to petition to join the existing RRP area. Once a petition is submitted, a fairly extensive review begins.

• More outreach to Arco operators and management to engage them in a solution. Several neighbors at the April 2nd MTA hearing complained about extraordinary efforts by the city to accommodate a safety problem caused by Arco. But MTA staff and city attorneys -- as well as Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi -- have reported several attempts to engage Arco without a satisfactory response.

• Elimination of the parking meters on the north side of Fell near Divisadero. Five metered spaces are currently in place: 2 for 30 minute periods, 3 for regular time periods. Removing meters runs counter to the city's attempts to preserve existing sources of revenue and secure new funds. While nearby neighbors might appreciate five more non-metered spaces, merchants on the busy and increasingly popular Divisadero corridor will likely take exception to the plan for reducing turnover in parking for customers.

• Close access to Arco from Fell altogether and permitting Divisadero access only. This proposal seems to hold promise except Arco would likely resist it as much as possible. The current configuration of the pumps at the station serves the two different entries with easy access, but that arrangement would have to change for all vehicles to enter from Divisadero. Currently it is very difficult to maneuver from the Divisadero access to the pumps at the Fell side. With the current popularity of its low gas prices and lined-up customers, Arco has little motivation to undertake such a change. Adding more traffic and congestion to Divisadero runs counter to MTA's efforts to improve Muni travel times on primary bus routes. And it's not clear the city wants to pursue this option for various legal, political and regulatory reasons.

A Closer Look at the Existing Residential Parking. At the MTA hearing, 12 San Franciscans who travel on Fell Street -- in cars or on bikes -- supported the safety measures including the parking removal. Five neighbors opposed it. Previous to the meeting 41 individuals notified MTA of their support; no one registered opposition. In addition the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association board of directors supported the plan on a trial basis.

Those against the plan at the MTA meeting reported their observation that the area already lacked adequate parking and could not afford to lose more spaces. But, in effect, hardly anyone in the greater neighborhood can even use the parking in front of the residences just east of Arco. These four spaces are sub-standard in length and are large enough only for a mini-size vehicle; anything larger would block one of the driveways. As a result, the only neighbors who can use the spaces are the specific residents who live in those few buildings since they are allowed to park in front of their own driveways.

The fact that the spaces proposed for removal primarily serve just a few residents does not mean that parking should be removed, but it does provide some perspective on a problem that has no easy solution. As several supporters of the MTA proposal noted at the hearing, "Parking is not a right, but safety is." At some point, public safety for all road users in San Francisco must be weighed against the real difficulties for a few Fell Street residents who would lose parking spaces and for a neighborhood that might experience tighter parking.

MTA staff have not yet revealed their own assessment of the proposed mitigations or whether they are considering other options. They are certainly aware of the basic consensus among all westside neighbors: the current situation is dangerous and something must be done. Staff will likely present their review of proposed mitigations at an upcoming, not-as-yet scheduled follow-up public hearing. Nearby residents will be notified of the hearing, and the information will be posted on BIKE NOPA and other sites.

Fell/Arco Plan Delayed for Further Study; MTA to Consider Mitigating Measures

Signing in at MTA Parking Hearing Friday morning

MTA plan would remove two parking spaces between driveways among others

Current traffic design allows blocked traffic lane, bike lane, and sidewalk

The dangerous traffic tangle on Fell Street near the Arco service station will receive further study by order of an SFMTA Hearing Officer this morning. City traffic engineers had proposed a set of traffic safety measures for the block between Scott and Divisadero including the removal of six parking spaces to establish a curbside queue for motorists awaiting entry to the gas station. SFMTA anticipated that the trial measures would keep the far left traffic lane open to motorists rather than blocking passage as now happens while drivers line-up for Arco. The MTA proposal is also meant to direct motorists safely into the queue and not endanger bicyclists using the busy Fell Street bike lane. This morning's decision does not derail the proposal; instead it requires further analysis and possible adjustments to the plan.

Prior to this morning's hearing, MTA officials received forty-one letters of support* for the trial plan and no indications of opposition. The only public meeting to consider the plan was held last month by the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA). None of the 60 members in attendance objected to the measures, and the audience applauded at the conclusion of the MTA presentation. The NOPNA board later voted to support the plan and notified the MTA of its decision.

At the hearing 12 individuals spoke in favor of the plan and five registered their opposition. Janel Wong, a mother of two, told BIKE NOPA she was concerned for everyone's safety. "Something needs to be done for bicyclists and for drivers," she said. "I want my kids to be able to bike safely in the city." Kate Bowman lives in the Richmond; she uses Fell Street everyday. "It's real scary to deal with very fast traffic, opening car doors, and the blocked bike lane all in one block." Lynne Howe argued that safety must take precedence over parking convenience. "It's hazardous now in the traffic lane and in the bike lane and on the sidewalk." She asserted what several other speakers repeated, "Parking is not a right and safety is." Peter Pagnucco, a Scott Street resident, described the block of Fell as "probably the most dangerous in the city for cyclists."

Fell Street neighbors opposed to the MTA plan objected to removing on-street parking from a neighborhood that already has very little, but three of the five emphasized the inconvenience or danger they feared from such a plan. Valerie Hartwell owns property just east of Arco. She told BIKE NOPA that she already had problems using her driveway. "I wait 20 minutes now to get into my driveway; it's too difficult to get into into my driveway." One of her neighbors, whose name we wear unable to hear, stated that removing the six spaces would make it "impossible for anyone coming home late at night to find parking." Another nearby resident said her handicapped sister who lived with her could not walk long distances to reach her car. She added that "no one can afford to pay the parking meters across the street," and there was no residential parking zone to preserve spaces for neighbors. Dennis Breen, a Fell Street property owner, thought the proposal accommodated "the greed of one corporation." He thought the situation could be handled by enforcement: with motorists getting ticketed for blocking the traffic lane.

Following the testimony, Hearing Officer John Newlin said he was well aware of the traffic problems caused by Arco, an operation that "lacks control of its customers." (Several years ago Newman served as Captain of SFPD Park Station). However, he said he was not convinced that mitigating measures could not be undertaken to address the concerns raised in testimony.

Newlin slated the proposal for a continuance to allow MTA staff to consider five mitigations and perhaps others. Those he cited were:

• a time limit for the no-parking period rather than 24/7 status
• implementation of a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) area for that block
• more outreach to Arco operators and management to engage them in a solution
• elimination of the parking meters on the north side of Fell near Divisadero
• closing access to Arco from Fell altogether and permitting the Divisadero access only

Once the meeting concluded, James Shahamiri, the MTA Traffic Engineer who is taking the lead on the proposal, said he preferred not to discuss the outcome at that time. He did allow, however, that with most proposed changes in traffic design "speed bumps happen along the way." Residents and other interested parties will be notified of the next hearing for the plan.

Let's Go Green: MTA Hearing on Making Fell Street Safer

Photo: BikePortland.org

We can't use a photo of San Francisco's green bike lane for this post because there aren't any. But this morning the Municipal Transportation Agency will conduct a hearing on one of the first steps toward making Fell Street safer -- and paving the way, so to speak, for San Francisco's first green bike lane. The proposal intends to direct motorists awaiting entry to the Arco service station on Fell at Divisadero to a queue along the curb. The current traffic design presents a risk to all road-users and pedestrians trying to get safe passage Between Scott and Divisadero.

BIKE NOPA will be at the MTA hearing and will report the testimony and decision later in the day.

Fell/ARCO Traffic Plan Well-Received by NOPNA Members

Drivers would queue along curb and out of the bike lane and off the sidewalk with new MTA plan

The new, proposed design for traffic on Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero was well-received by members of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) Thursday night. James Shahamiri, Assistant Traffic Engineer for the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), presented the plan to an audience of sixty neighbors. A few members asked questions about the number of parking spaces to be removed, but no one voiced opposition to the proposal.

The outreach to NOPNA represented the start of MTA's outreach to residents most directly affected by the planned shifting of motorists waiting to enter the ARCO gas station to a curbside queue. Shahamiri said the agency would also distribute information to the households along the block of Fell Street. A public hearing will be scheduled to consider the removal of the four parking spaces directly east of the ARCO driveway. Shahamiri told BIKE NOPA before the meeting that the MTA would also post a sign at the ARCO entry on Fell that advises drivers to not block the sidewalk. (The current sign directs motorists to keep the driveway clear with no mention of the sidewalk). As reported here earlier, the MTA plan may include the city's first green bike lane to guide both bicyclists and motorists on the block. Implementation of the new design could occur in June of this year.

Portland already has several green bike lanes. Flickr photo by BikePortland

Fell/ARCO Traffic Tangle Closer to Trial Solutions

SFMTA proposal to improve safety for users of Fell St at ARCO station

One enhancement suggested by Marc Caswell of SFBC

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) will implement traffic flow changes for bicyclists and motorists approaching Divisadero on Fell Street. The MTA hopes the trial improvements will resolve a raft of safety problems for street and sidewalk users at the Fell Street entry to the ARCO gas station at the corner of Divisadero. The proposed designs are expected to be implemented “fairly quickly.”

James Shahamiri, MTA Assistant Engineer for the Bike Program, told BIKE NOPA that he thinks a gradual approach will work best for the changes. “We’re trying to take experimental steps now and see how they work. Maybe we’ll enhance them later.” He emphasized that design changes have yet to be finalized but he expects plans to be approved “fairly quickly,” perhaps within the next two days. “But we’re not going to be making changes on the street tomorrow,” he cautioned. When pressed further about whether MTA will proceed before the bike injunction is fully lifted (which is not expected before June of this year), Shahamiri said, “We can definitely do this before June.”

The improvements will likely include “several small steps”
• Installation of four “soft-hit” posts along both sides of the bike lane near ARCO
• Transitioning the bike lane inward as it approaches ARCO (see diagram)
• Applying painted “hatching” on the street surfaces to guide traffic flow
• Posting “Keep Clear” signs to advise motorists
The MTA proposal will not remove parking spaces, change lane widths, or prevent access to driveways.

“The idea is that the posts would force any queuing vehicles in the bicycle lane to go back out into the travel lane to turn into the gas station,” Shahamiri wrote Tuesday to a “study group” of NOPA and Alamo Square neighbors and livability advocates. “This should make queuing in the bicycle lane pointless.

Members of the review group responded more positively to the latest MTA proposal than to a previous plan presented last September and reported in a BIKE NOPA post. Michael Smithwick, Transportation Chair for the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA), wrote, “It is a sound plan” that keeps cars out of the bike lane up to the ARCO entry but does not keep them from blocking the bike lane at that point or keeping motorists off the sidewalk. He and Marc Caswell, Program Manager for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, proposed adding prominent signage and painting more hatching of the bike lane and sidewalk at the ARCO entry.

Caswell expressed concern that the MTA plan, while a good start, “dumps the bicyclist off” into the large space along the ARCO lot and should instead guide riders to Divisadero and through the intersection, preferably with a bike lane painted green. Janel Sterbentz of ASNA also encouraged a green-painted lane for safer passage at both the Scott and Divisadero intersections.

In a conversation this morning, Shahamiri said he was ready to incorporate some, but not all, of the proposed changes. “We can do the signage and the crosshatching on the streets, but I’m not sure if we can do the hatching on a sidewalk." Shahamiri advised that the MTA was not ready to paint the bike lane green. The agency is studying whether the Fell/ARCO traffic location fits the criteria for previous approval MTA received to experiment with green lanes at other “conflict areas” in the city.

Shahamiri and study group members all agreed that enforcement would be required for the proposed changes to work. “I’d like to see SFPD out there citing drivers,” he said. The MTA proposal will continue to be reviewed in the days ahead. Shahamiri emphasized, "Our intention is to work with the community in an ongoing process.”

4pm update: More on the MTA proposal with additional comments on Streetsblog this afternoon.

84.7% Increase in Cyclists at Fell and Scott in Three Years; 34,000+ Ride Fell Each Month

NOPA resident Mariana Parreiras tallied bicyclists in the SFMTA 2009 Bike Count Project

Fell Street bike lane approaching ARCO at Divisadero

The route bicyclists use most to reach NOPA and points further west at the end of the workday registered an impressive 84.7% increase in number of riders over the last three years, according to a new San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) report. In the last year alone the count increased by 23.5.% During its annual one-day bike count, MTA interns tallied 375 cyclists passing through the Fell and Scott Streets intersection using the Wiggle bike route, a huge jump from the 202 bikers counted at that location in 2006 and a more than respectable bounce from last year's count of 302.

The bike count occurred between 5 pm and 6:30 pm during August of last year. The analysis compares numbers of cyclists counted at the same location and during the same time period since SFMTA began the counts in 2006. The Fell and Scott intersection is among the top ten busiest sites for bike traffic included in the study that also looked at 33 other locations in San Francisco. Based on the counts at all these sites, bicycling in San Francisco increased by 53% since 2006. The SFMTA explained that the annual bike count helps establish trends in bicycling over time and does not purport to count the total numbers of cyclists on city streets overall.

However, a pilot project on Fell between Scott and Divisadero does register all cyclists at all times. This smaller study found that the total number of cyclists using the Fell Street bike lane ranges from 34,000 to 41,000 a month. Not surprisingly, the better weather months, August through October, see the highest use. The total 24/7 count is obtained from an automatic counter, an “inductive loop counter,” embedded under the roadway a few inches. Each time a bicycle passes over the loop the system adds it to the total count. The loop is capable of distinguishing between bicyclists and other users of the road. And, good news for the cash-strapped city, the counters require little maintenance and operate on batteries that last for ten years. The SFMTA expects to enhance its annual bike counts by installing additional automatic counters throughout the city.

The significant numbers from the manual and the automatic counts emphasize even more the need for safer passage on Fell Street. Recent bike improvements, including the new bike box at Scott & Oak Streets and the center bike lane on Scott between Oak and Fell, have improved the safety for the high number of cyclists using the Wiggle bike route. Yet high speeds by motorists on Fell and the traffic tangle on Fell at the ARCO service station remain hazards to cyclists and pedestrians. As reported in BIKE NOPA here, the SFMTA intends to re-time traffic signals on Fell Street to 25 mph by March, but the agency has been slow to experiment with traffic design changes on Fell near the ARCO station. However, this week SFMTA began forming a working group to develop improvements at this location and provide feedback on any trial changes implemented.

MTA Updates NOPA on Traffic Improvements; Fell/Oak Traffic Signals Timed to 25 mph in March 2010

Anyone with a garage big enough to store the Oak Street SFgo Sign?

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) expects to re-time the signal lights on Fell and Oak Streets to 25 mph as part of traffic calming measures in the North Panhandle and Alamo Square neighborhoods. Cathal Hennessey of MTA's Division of Sustainable Streets, SFgo Section, confirmed in an email today that MTA expects to implement the plan in March 2010. Traffic calming advocates generally support the change, but several want MTA to go further. Michael Smithwick of the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA) wants the posted speed limits to also be lowered to 25 mph. "That may help dissuade drivers who start at the back of the pack and accelerate to 40 mph as is currently the case," Smithwick noted in an email to BIKE NOPA last month. Hennessey will discuss the traffic signal measure along with other street safety issues at the January 21st meeting of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA).*

Hennessey also wrote that the MTA will support the decisions about the SFgo "variable message signs" reached by stakeholders at a January 29th City Hall meeting organized by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office. That gathering will include representatives of District 5 neighborhood associations, the MTA, and the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, the Academy of Sciences, and the de Young Museum. The neighborhood associations met last November to discuss the controversial signs on Fell and Oak Streets near Divisadero. Once MTA disclosed that the primary purpose of the Fell Street sign was to advise motorists when the Concourse garage was full, the neighborhood representatives strongly suggested that the concourse and museum authorities be engaged directly in further discussions. While many NOPA and Alamo Square neighbors have resisted the "freeway-style" SFgo signs, Inner Sunset neighbors want the city to use such signs to direct the overflow traffic away from their streets when the museum garage is closed and motorists seek street parking. Hennessey also restated that the MTA intends to remove the Oak Street SFgo sign. He wrote that the agency is "currently seeking a site capable of storing the sign."

The red light camera promised for installation at the Fell/Masonic intersection is still in the works, although the cameras at that dangerous intersection are "at least one year away," according to Hennessey. "The design is almost complete," he explained, "but the MTA needs to find a contract to tie this project to." He noted that the agency might also include the Fell/Masonic cameras in the new red light photo enforcement contract due for signing later this year.

Finally, the traffic tangle on Fell Street at the ARCO service station appears to have received the least attention of all measures since MTA proposed a solution prior to the September NOPNA meeting. On that occasion MTA backtracked on the one idea -- removing parking spaces to allow for a queue of vehicles awaiting access to the gas station -- and instead reviewed the several options that might improve the dangerous situation for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. Hennessey wrote that his understanding is that the MTA Bicycle Project staff "will contact stakeholders with alternatives to address the situation."

The MTA Bicycle Staff has admittedly been busy implementing new bike improvements in the city, but the intent "to contact stakeholders", expressed by Hennessey who works in a different unit, is similar to what the MTA Bike staff told NOPA and Alamo Square neighbors last September. Neighborhood traffic calming advocates and staff of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition have urged the MTA to experiment now with one or more of the already much-studied options, including installation of soft-hit posts as bike lane dividers similar to what the MTA recently placed on Market Street. Andy Thornley, SFBC Project, expressed the frustration felt by cyclists who take the route daily. "It's time -- it's long past due to defend the bike lane and the thousands of people who travel in the bike lane."

*NOPNA Meeting: Thursday, Jan. 21, 7:30 pm

Poleng Lounge, 1751 Fulton, btw Masonic & Central

Everyone welcome.

MTA Cites Bike Injunction for Delay on Fell/ARCO Hazard

Photo by Michael Helquist

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) has decided to wait until the bicycle injunction is lifted before implementing risk reduction interventions on Fell Street before the ARCO service station. Mike Sallaberry, Associate Traffic Engineer for the MTA, wrote in an email that several of the alternatives under consideration were "deemed undoable" under the court injunction. If the Superior Court lifts the injunction at a scheduled June 2010 hearing, or later, the MTA will then consider the full range of options -- including barriers or soft-hit posts along the bike lane.

The hazards of this stretch of Fell Street have been well-known to the MTA and certainly to bicyclists and pedestrians for a long time. The agency has undertaken thorough studies of the problem,* and one set of recommendations did result in the Fell Street bike lane in 2002. But studies of the traffic hazards at the ARCO station have not resulted in interventions.

Andy Thornley, Program Director for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition responded at some length to this new delay. "We don't know why the SFMTA would be timid about commencing a trial of safe-hit posts as a barrier to vehicles intruding in, and on, the Fell Street bike lane. It really doesn't need any more legal permission to emphasize and reinforce what's already been legislated for over ten years," he wrote in an email.

With a nod to possible concerns that the barriers might pose a liability risk to the city, Thornley countered with the SFBC's view of a far greater risk. "If anything the City's liability exposure is much greater for the ever-more likely prospect of someone being hurt or killed while riding a bike on Fell Street than any challenge to gluing some white plastic sticks on the white bike lane stripes." He concluded with the sentiments also expressed by the great number of cyclists who travel to, through, and from NOPA and use the Fell Street lane. "It's time -- it's long past time -- to defend the bike lane and the thousands of people who travel in the bike lane."

In October of this year, MTA developed a proposal to remove three parking spaces on the south side of Fell to guide motorists into a waiting zone out of the way of traffic and bicyclists. Once that option was introduced in a BIKE NOPA post, NOPA and Alamo Square residents and staff of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition suggested alternatives including removal of more parking spaces to create a buffer zone, enforced waiting for motorists in the traffic lane only, and a bike lane protected by a flexible barrier. At a November 19th meeting of the North Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA), MTA's initial proposal was grouped with the other alternatives for discussion and no specific actions were outlined. At that time, bicycle and livability activists were hoping the bike injunction would be be lifted in early December. Instead, only ten new bicycle lanes were permitted along with new bike parking and several trial proposals. Another hearing was scheduled in June of next year to consider the merits of the case further before, possibly, lifting altogether the injunction that has blocked a full roster of bicycle improvements for more than three years.

San Francisco's first protected bike lane on Market Street between 9th & 10th. Photo by Bryan Goebel

Although the MTA plans to hold off on a protected barrier for Fell Street, the agency is currently experimenting with these same devices on Market Street between 9th and 10th, as reported by Streetsblog here. And, of course, this trial has been implemented under the constraints of the court injunction.

Photo by Bryan Goebel

* For review of the SFMTA studies, see

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/uploadedfiles/dpt/bike/fell%20street%20report%2011_22_04.pdf

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/uploadedfiles/dpt/bike/rewrite%20of%20memo%20for%20website%2011_22_04.pdf

SF Examiner Picks up the SFgo, Fell/ARCO Issues

A not so busy moment on Fell; other times 4-5 motorists line up in the bike lane

The San Francisco Examiner reported recent developments for two of NOPA's several transportation, livability, and safety issues. Staff writer Will Reisman covered the problems with the traffic tangle on Fell Street at the ARCO service station and the freeway-style SFgo signs still standing on Oak and Fell Streets in a Friday, November 27 article. More extensive updates on the recent meetings related to SFgo and Fell/ARCO appeared here and here in BIKE NOPA. A few new items about the Fell/ARCO trouble spot in the Examiner article:

• SFBC Community Planner Neal Patel suggested "soft-hit posts" would be the most effective way to keep motorists from entering and blocking the Fell bike lane
• A NOPA neighbor -- that would be me -- suggested ARCO should help manage traffic trying to enter the station (currently an ARCO sign advises motorists to not block the driveway without mentioning the sidewalk and the bike lane)
• MTA spokesman Judson True assured Examiner readers that the agency "will continue to work with stakeholders to identify a possible solution" (note: NOPA and Alamo Square neighbors as well as the SFBC identified possible solutions and discussed them with MTA reps at the NOPNA meeting November 19th)
• Solutions that explicitly involve bike lane improvements may have to wait until the bicycle injunction is fully lifted by the SF Superior Court in June 2010 (note: but perhaps traffic management and pedestrian safety might get a nod from the court)
• Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's office is seeking an opinion from the City Attorney about possible code enforcements to encourage ARCO to address the problem the business helps create
• In case you wondered, gas prices at ARCO are the ninth cheapest in the city

The Examiner piece described the problem with the SFgo signs without providing new information to readers who have been following the issue.

The North Panhandle and Alamo Square neighborhood associations continue to meet with city officials about both these matters as well as the the speeding that occurs on Fell, Oak, and Masonic Avenues.

NOPA Notes Not to Miss

The not-so-lovely rear view of a SFgo sign in SOMA.

Traffic engineering that works for no one.

Five trees down on Fell Street at Broderick.

It's easy enough to speed along and lose track of previously reported, but unresolved, issues. Here's an update:

Pedestrian Fatality

• Two months have passed since Melissa Dennison was struck and killed by a motorist while crossing Fell Street at Broderick. The District Attorney has yet to determine disposition of the case, i.e. whether the motorist will be charged.

SFgo Signs on Fell and Oak

• They're still standing although MTA has agreed to remove the Oak Street sign and seems generally inclined to at least move, if not remove altogether, the one at Fell just west of Divisadero. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's staff has researched options for placement and design and are now ready to present their findings in a meeting scheduled for next Monday, Nov. 23rd. Two representatives from each of several neighborhood associations, including NOPNA and Alamo Square, have been invited. To date there is no public hearing scheduled.

Speeding on Fell and Oak Streets

• Chief Traffic Engineer Jack Fleck assured NOPNA neighbors on Sept. 17th that his office would conduct further studies for traffic slowing on the Fell and Oak couplet. MTA Director of Parking and Traffic Bond Yee made a similar committment to the neighborhood on October 20th that the agency "will evaluate travel speeds and potentially reduce traffic signal cycle length during evening hours" to address concerns about speeding. So far, no further word from the MTA.

Sunday Streets through NOPA

• See this previous post and map for the proposed route of Sunday Streets through the NOPA and Alamo Square neighborhoods. Find out the latest developments from Cheryl Brinkman, President of Livable City, at the next NOPNA meeting this Thursday, Nov. 19, 7:30-9:00 pm, at Poleng Lounge, 1751 Fulton at Masonic. (Visit with your neighbors prior to the meeting, 7-7:30 pm).

Traffic Tangle on Fell near ARCO Station

• Several possible solutions have come forward since this earlier post: partial parking lane removal, vehicles limited to waiting in the traffic lane only, and a longer-view consideration of dedicated bike lanes to serve both Fell and Oak. Join the discussion at the next NOPNA meeting (see above) when James Shahamiri of the MTA presents one of the proposals.

Street Trees

• The Dying Trees of Turk Street. Condition not much better; these trees give all the appearance of now being dead. No water management plan and now a much-reduced Urban Forestry staff to get the work done. Last Friday a third of the city's tree maintenance crew were laid off, as noted in SFGate here. (Good News from a very limited perspective: the Mayor's goal of planting more than 25,000 trees has been reached).

• Removal of Trees from Fell Street. They're gone, the five Ficus on the north side of Fell at Broderick, to make way for needed sewer work below. No replacements yet.

• The Battered Trees of Divisadero Corridor. The city intends to remove 34 battered and misshapen trees along Divisadero between Haight and Geary and replace them with Flowering Pear and American Plane trees. NOPA neighbor David Tornheim desired more public review of the process and obtained a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 23 rd, 5:30 pm, City Hall, Room 416. (for more info, contact Chris.Buck@sfdpw.org ). My own walk-by and examination of at least a dozen of the trees slotted for removal suggested the city was responding to those trees too damaged to retain. A better question for DPW is what tree maintenance plan will be in place once the corridor is completed and the trees need care and watering?