Two More Injury Collisions on Masonic Since Pedestrian Fatality Last Friday

Collision from red light running this morning at Masonic & Hayes

Northbound motorist (silver Volvo) and westbound driver (silver Honda) collide

Smash-up in the busy crosswalk leading to John Adams campus of City College

This morning at about 6:35 two motorists collided in the Masonic and Hayes intersection, pushing both vehicles into the east-west crosswalk. One driver was badly shaken and possibly injured but he decided against a trip to the hospital. The man told BIKE NOPA that he was driving his silver Honda Prelude westbound on Hayes and that he crossed Masonic with a green light when he was struck by a northbound motorist, a woman, in a silver Volvo SUV. The driver of the Volvo talked with police officers and appeared uninjured. She was overheard stating that she crossed Masonic with a green light. The investigation is still underway, and the police provided no further details. The neighbor who alerted us to the collision, said she lived a half-block from Masonic and that she "hears these crashes out there all the time."

The red-light running collision this morning follows a much worse smash-up on Masonic with serious injuries resulting from a speeding motorist on Saturday, May 7, at approximately 7:30 pm. One eyewitness relayed the events:

"It happened ... as the sun was about to set. A white BMW flew down Masonic, trying to beat the light and get across Fell. A whole bunch of cyclists and joggers were just about to cross. He almost clipped the female jogger, who stopped mere feet away mid-stride, as she was about to cross the street. On a walking sign! This was how blatant he was, timing-wise trying to run this light.

"He missed the jogger, and I panned my head to follow him to the intersection. A motorcyclist collided with him. Both are going a good 60 MPH plus. The motorcyclist ran right into the side of the car, and flew over 15 feet into the air. His shoe actually flew off, and landed all the way across the intersection, right by me. The bike just exploded, totalled. I think I saw him raise his arms at
first, so hopefully he's alive. A huge crowd of people, rushed over to him, and police
and ambulances arrived soon after."

This witness recounted that he was in shock following the incident. He added that he hopes the driver is jailed "with at least two counts against him: one for almost killing the cyclist and one for almost killing the jogger."

Both incidents follow the tragic death of James Hudson, the 61-year-old man killed while crossing Masonic, in the crosswalk, by a drunk driver in the early hours of Friday, May 6th. (A vigil for Hudson followed by a street safety strategy session will be held Wednesday, May 11). Last month a 35-year-old woman was struck by a red-light running motorist on Masonic at Grove and suffered broken legs, head and internal injuries.

On Friday, May 13 the public is invited to attend and testify at a hearing that will review the city's plan for re-designing Masonic Avenue to make the corridor safer for all users. Those unable to attend can also send a message to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) before Friday to have the opinions considered as part of the hearing. (send opinions to sustainable.streets@sfmta.com with the subject heading "Public Hearing." For a review of the comprehensive safety plan developed by city planners and Masonic neighbors, check the SFMTA site here or the BIKE NOPA summary here.

For previous articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

SFMTA Sets Public Hearing for Masonic Redesign: Friday, May 13, 10am

Proposed mini-park to enliven a bleak section of Masonic at Geary

Masonic as a proposed Complete Street with safer use for all modes of transportation

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is ready to take plans for the redesign of the Masonic corridor to a public hearing before a hearings officer. Late this afternoon, SFMTA released the official announcement of the meeting that will be mailed to Masonic area residents and posted throughout the nearby neighborhoods. The flyer includes the traffic calming elements proposed for the blocks between Fell and Geary as well as the traffic configurations to be removed. The meeting is set for Friday, May 13, at 10 am in City Hall, Room 416 (Hearing Room 4).

The Masonic hearing will consider the proposed Boulevard design that includes measures to improve safety, livability, and improved transportation. The elements of the plan were developed with Masonic residents and community members in the summer and fall of 2010. Several surveys -- conducted by the SFMTA as well as neighborhood associations -- have reflected significant support for the full package of changes now proposed by city planners.

A new element to the proposal is the addition of 20 new parking spaces along the north side of Turk Street between Central and Baker streets. The new 45 degree, back-in, angled parking will help mitigate the removal of parking along Masonic. The wide transportation lanes of Turk can easily accommodate the angled parking, and there are no driveways along much of the proposed stretch.

As previously discussed, the Boulevard proposal includes several features to keep the vehicle traffic to the 25 MPH posted, add a safe separated bikeway for cyclists, improve pedestrian crossings, and enhance Muni bus stops. A full-length landscaped median with and a mini-park at Geary will encourage motorists to maintain legal speed and provide residents with a greener, more attractive environment.

The specific changes to be considered at the hearing, as noted in the official announcement:

RESCIND – TOW-AWAY NO STOPPING 7 TO 9 AM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
Masonic Avenue, east side, between Fell Street and Geary Boulevard

RESCIND – TOW-AWAY NO STOPPING 4 TO 6 PM MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
Masonic Avenue, west side, between Geary Boulevard and Hayes Street

ESTABLISH – TOW-AWAY NO STOPPING ANYTIME
Masonic Avenue, east side, between Fell Street and Geary Boulevard
Masonic Avenue, west side, between Geary Boulevard and Hayes Street

ESTABLISH – RAISED MEDIAN
Masonic Avenue, between Geary Boulevard and Fell Street (5 feet wide)

RESCIND – BUS ZONE
Masonic Avenue, west side, from Golden Gate Street to 80 feet southerly
Masonic Avenue, east side, from Golden Gate Street to 80 feet southerly
Masonic Avenue, west side, from Fulton Street to 80 feet northerly

ESTABLISH – BUS ZONE
Masonic Avenue, west side, from Fulton Street to 80 feet southerly

ESTABLISH – BUS BULB
Masonic Avenue, west side, from Geary Boulevard to 110 feet southerly (8 feet wide)
Masonic Avenue, east side, from Turk Street to 80 feet northerly (8 feet wide)
Masonic Avenue, west side, from Fulton Street to 80 feet southerly (8 feet wide)
Masonic Avenue, east side, from Hayes Street to 80 feet northerly (8 feet wide)

ESTABLISH – BICYCLE LANE
Masonic Avenue, both sides, from Fell Street to Geary Boulevard (raised cycle track)

ESTABLISH – NEW TRAFFIC SIGNAL
Masonic Avenue at Ewing Terrace

ESTABLISH – 45 DEGREE BACK-IN ANGLE PARKING
Turk Street, north side, between Baker Street and Central Avenue (adds approximately 20 more parking spaces)

Opinions on these proposed changes may be filed in writing prior to the hearing with the City Traffic Engineer at the Sustainable Streets Division, One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5417. Written opinions may also be transmitted to the Sustainable Streets Division via fax at 415.701.4737. Submitted opinions will become part of the official public record and will be brought to the attention of the person(s) conducting the hearing. Information on the proposed changes may be obtained from the Sustainable Streets Division at the above-referenced address or by telephone at 415.701.4500.

Masonic Proposal Refined to Include New Parking; Interim Measures Await Clear Skies

Masonic residents and neighborhood associations support Masonic re-design

Extra-wide Turk looking west from Lyon intersection

Ample space for angled parking on Turk and a measure to discourage speeding

City planners have refined the Masonic Traffic Calming Project to include new angled, on-street parking along the north side of Turk Street east of Masonic. The changes come as part of an internal review at the Municipal Transportation Agency prior to submitting the proposal to a MTA hearing officer at a public hearing expected in May. Interim traffic calming measures – primarily re-striping cross walks and faded lanes and adding new 25 MPH

advisories on the roadway surface – are ready for implementation but have been delayed during this month’s wet weather.

Last year community members encouraged adding new parking to the Masonic proposal and suggested the north side of Turk east of Masonic between Central and Baker. These two blocks are especially wide and, along the north side, do not have curb cuts or driveways. In addition to mitigating the impact of parking removal on Masonic, back-in angled parking on Turk could calm traffic on a street that neighbors often complain is too dangerous for crossing. Angled parking would present drivers with less of the open freeway appearance that Turk now provides without actually reducing traffic lane width. Motorists backing up their vehicles would be another visual cue to other drivers to proceed with more caution.

Javad Mirabdal, the MTA Project Director for the Masonic re-design, said last week the proposal has been reviewed by two internal “task groups.” Part of that process is to determine whether the plan raises red flags among police, fire, and ambulance services over adequate access and travel during emergencies. Then another, larger group of 40-50 planners will review the plan before a public hearing is scheduled.

We’re moving forward to a public hearing. We’re shooting for it to be in May. We’ve done some fine-tuning and we’re working on the environmental clearance.

Mirabdal said he hopes there won’t be problems with the environmental clearance, and so far there haven't been. Other observers of the process explained that bicycle and pedestrian improvements as well as parking have been removed from environmental reviews required by the state. Basically, no definition or threshold for what it or isn’t acceptable in these areas exist, and thus the changes cannot be determined detrimental on an environmental basis.

If the many supporters of the Masonic proposal – especially those who live on or within a block of the corridor – testify at the public hearing, the hearing officer will likely feel confident about approving the plan, according to Mirabdal. He said he remained optimistic and hopeful for the project.

If we get this through, Masonic will be a good case for the city. It will show that we can redesign a street and get so much more from it.

For other articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

Grove at Divisadero Gets Right Turn Only Signs Except for Bicyclists; New Signals Set for Spring 2012

Only one way for motorists to travel on Grove at Divisadero

Westbound on Grove at Divisadero, right turn only

New Right Turn Only signs installed on either side of Grove at Divisadero make travel on the corridor safer, at least once motorists become familiar with the directions. The SFMTA added the turn signs as interim measures “to simplify the intersection” until the proposed signal light project is made operational in the spring of 1912.

Previously, motorists wanting to cross Divisadero at Grove either edged into the crosswalks to see oncoming traffic or sat in the middle of the intersection waiting for an opening in the traffic. Now, neither option is available. Turns are required either to the south on the NOPA side of Divisadero or to the north from the Alamo Square side. Bicyclists, however, are allowed to cross Divisadero from either direction on the Grove Street bike route.

Mike Sallaberry, SFMTA traffic engineer, wrote in a late February email that a contract for the new intersection signal will be advertised this spring with construction to follow a few months later. “The new signal should be operating in April/May 2112,” he said. He also explained that a signal at Grove was anticipated as part of the completed Divisadero traffic calming project.

Much of the underground infrastructure for the future signal (conduits and pull boxes) was installed in 2009 ahead of the Divisadero paving and streetscape improvements. This advance work will reduce the impact of the construction of the new signal as we will not need to cut trenches into a newly paved street or damage newly constructed curb ramps.

In a previous article, Sallaberry explained that the standard time period for planning, preparation, and installation of a new signal is three years. He added that temporary tape striping is used on a street, like Divisadero, to avoid ripping into the new asphalt surface when the signal light is ready to place.

NOPNA Board Votes Strong Support for Masonic's Boulevard Design

The Board of Directors of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) has added its support to an extensive re-design of Masonic Avenue dubbed the Boulevard option. Jarie Bolander, NOPNA President, informed city planners this morning by email, that the board decided to support the Boulevard option "because that's what the majority of our neighbors want." The NOPNA board's decision is based on a recently completed survey the group presented to NOPA and Masonic area residents.

Bolander noted the data from that survey revealed a preference for the Boulevard treatment by more than 87% of respondents compared with nearly 54% for an alternative, less extensive option. Especially persuasive to board members was the striking 86% support for the Boulevard among paid NOPNA members. The board's official decision for NOPNA now places the association among other neighborhood groups who support the safety and re-design measures for Masonic as well as the majority of residents who supported the same proposal in a SFMTA survey last year.

Bolander guided the association board's discernment of the Masonic-related issues through a thorough and sometimes contentious process that reached resolution only with the additional evidence of strong support from the neighbors that the NOPNA survey provided. He noted in his letter to the city that the board's decision was not unanimous.

For other articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

SFMTA Hopes to Put Masonic Traffic Calming Steps in Place by End of March

Lanes to be re-striped, crosswalks upgraded at several locations along Masonic

Median with signal light and pole is prone to damage from motorists and will be removed, new signal will be placed at the sides of Masonic

The SFMTA expects to implement another round of traffic calming measures by the end of this month, according to traffic engineer Manito Velasco. During a telephone call last week, Velasco said he had placed work orders with the paint shop and sign unit in late January of this year and he hoped all the changes will be completed this month. Several of the improvements were requested by Fix Masonic late last year.

Velasco identified specific locations for the upgrades and changes:

• Crosswalks will be re-striped at Anza/O’Farrell, Grove, and Hayes
• Sections of center traffic lanes will be re-striped the length of the corridor
• 25 MPH will be painted on north bound traffic lane surfaces at Fell and at Fulton and on southbound lanes at O’Farrell and Fulton
• Warning signs for motorists to merge into the adjacent lane will be posted at Fell and at Hayes
• Signals at Anza/O’Farrell will be upgraded as well as pedestrian signals at Turk
• Median signal and pole at Anza/O’Farrell will be removed (Velasco said this was a maintenance issue as the pole is frequently hit and damaged by vehicles and the agency prefers “side-mounting” signals)

Fix Masonic had also requested that the SFMTA seek a “double fine zone” along Masonic and change the corridor to a school zone. Both measures require legislative approval, and Velasco said the agency is considering legislation. Another recommendation by the group has been to obtain greater enforcement of the 25 MPH speed limit. Velasco said the SFPD Traffic Company will increase its monitoring for speed violations.

The SFMTA recently helped complete a final report that recommends a re-design of Masonic Avenue between Fell and Geary to reduce speeding and increase safety for all road users. The proposal, dubbed the Boulevard, has received the support of neighborhood associations and a significant majority of residents in the Masonic area.

For previous articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

My regrets for mis-spelling Manito Velasco's name in the original version of this article.

Largest Survey Yet Confirms Strong Support for Complete Masonic Re-Design; NOPNA Finds Members Back the Boulevard Plan

One traffic calming measure already in place on Masonic

North Panhandle neighbors gave significant support once again for a complete re-design of Masonic Avenue in an online survey completed by 377 residents. Of the total, 87% favored the Boulevard option as the best way to make Masonic a safer street for all users. The plan offers a complete package of traffic calming measures, including a fully-landscaped median, bus bulb outs, a separated bicycle lane, improved traffic lane configurations, and sidewalk upgrades for pedestrians. To make the improvements, the Boulevard proposal removes parking from both sides of Masonic between Geary and Fell. The other option, dubbed the Gateway, would employ less extensive measures to improve safe travel on Masonic. Compared with the Boulevard’s 87% support, the Gateway garnered significantly less with 54% preferring it. The North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) released the results of the survey along with the raw data yesterday.

In an executive summary, NOPNA President Jarie Bolander noted that “the vast majority of respondents want to see Masonic safer and feel that something must be done.” He added that most survey respondents (66.4%) had not attended the community meetings organized by the SFMTA last year. Thus, the NOPNA data reflect the preference of a great many residents not previously tallied and indicates even greater support for the Boulevard plan.

Image: NOPNA Masonic Survey Analysis

At the conclusion of last year’s Masonic meetings, 76% of participants who completed a SFMTA survey chose the Boulevard over the Gateway option. Based on that input, city staff recommended adoption of the Boulevard measures in a final report completed in January. The proposal has already been endorsed by the Ewing Terrace Neighborhood Association, a majority of University Terrace Neighborhood Association members, and Fix Masonic. The NOPNA board previously stated that they wanted to undertake the survey to obtain greater input from members before deciding what action to take.

In addition to the decided preference for the more ambitious street design, the NOPNA survey revealed other information pertinent to the discussion. Of the 373 who completed the survey, the greatest number of Masonic area residents heard about the proposals from three sources: the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) (46.9%), the NOPNA newsletter (41.4%), and BIKE NOPA (36.2%). More than 58% of respondents indicated they live within the NOPNA boundaries (Fell, Turk, Divisadero and Masonic) while 80% reside within or just one block beyond these streets.

Of the 477 residents who started the survey, 45 live on Masonic, and 81.8% of them strongly like or somewhat like the Boulevard proposal compared to 44.1% for the Gateway plan. Of the 127 who self-identified as being NOPNA members, 86% strongly liked or somewhat liked the Boulevard versus 59.9% for the Gateway.

When it comes to discussions about driving and biking in NOPA – as in other neighborhoods -- residents sometime adopt an “us vs. them” approach, suggesting that motorists don’t care about road safety for others, that bicyclists only favor improvements for themselves, or that peoples' modes of travel define their identity and affiliations. But the NOPNA survey shows much the opposite. Although the vast majority of respondents indicated that they belonged to the SFBC and 43% identified themselves as NOPNA members, a very high number (42%) actually belong to both groups. Other group affiliations mentioned include Fix Masonic (14.2%), NOPA+ (12.6%), Wigg Party (7.1%), and WalkSF (7.1%).

The removal of street parking for a safer Masonic was included in both proposals, although the Boulevard takes away parking on both sides of the street, while the Gateway removes it from just one side. Not surprisingly, those who support the Boulevard largely like the plan’s removal of parking to allow space for improvements. But Gateway advocates are almost evenly split on liking or disliking removal of half the parking.

The strong feelings of residents about changing Masonic are apparent in the large number of written comments for each proposal and for the overall situation. Nearly 300 comments were added to the survey. As can be expected, observations cover the range from enthusiasm to dismay for the proposed changes, but the tone was generally more positive than not. The plea of one neighbor is especially poignant:

Please fix Masonic. I’ve lived at Fulton and Masonic for less than a year and I regret moving here every day. The noise and speeding vehicles and honking horns is overwhelming. The crosswalks are terrifying. I drive occasionally and something about this street encourages aggressive behavior.

MTA To Adopt Traffic Calming Urged by Fix Masonic, Traffic Engineer Manito Velasco to Guide Effort

Re-striping faded lanes is one of several traffic calming measures planned

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) will adopt several traffic calming measures on Masonic Avenue in the next few months to reduce speeding on the corridor from Fell to Geary Streets. Traffic lanes and crosswalks will be re-striped, 25 MPH and School Zone advisories will be applied to the street surfaces at a number of locations, and travel lanes will be more clearly marked for merging traffic. The changes are among several proposed last November by the grassroots group Fix Masonic to make the corridor safer during the many months leading up to a re-design of the street. They complement others that the MTA has already implemented.

Javad Mirabdal, project manager for the larger Masonic Avenue Street Design Study, said the re-striping and painting measures could be implemented within a month while other requests, such as installing a red light camera at Fell and Masonic, establishing a double-fine zone for speeding, and adding thumbnail medians with signs posting 25 MPH will take longer or require further review. He added that the interim traffic calming measures will be implemented under the guidance of veteran MTA traffic engineer Manito Velasco.

Fix Masonic representatives met with MTA staff on November 9, 2010 and submitted a dozen recommendations for discouraging speeding and increasing pedestrian safety. Although neither the community group nor the traffic engineers expect the traffic calming measures to eliminate all speeding on Masonic, they do hope the changes will reduce collisions and encourage drivers to stay within the 25 MPH speed limit.

In January city planning staff completed a final report for transforming the Masonic corridor into a safer, more attractive thoroughfare for all users. The document includes recommendations to adopt a set of changes dubbed the Boulevard, an option that resulted from a series of community meetings last year involving Masonic area residents.

In the months ahead the MTA will take the Masonic project to the next level – fine-tuning the design, conducting an environmental review, if needed, and seeking approval of the plan from an MTA public hearing officer and the MTA Board of Directors. Javad Mirabdal is a likely candidate to lead the process since he has steered the Masonic study through the community planning process and the drafting of the final report. Although Mirabdal did not confirm this possibility, he did suggest that "all steps of the approval process will move forward at the same time.” He also added that he hoped the hearing could be scheduled by the end of June.

For previous stories in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

City Completes Final Masonic Report, Proposes Bold Changes to Reduce Risks and Increase Neighborhood Livability

Final report contains images of each block with proposed new features

(note: the directional arrow should indicate right-to-left for North)

A possible re-design of Masonic Avenue for safer use by everyone took a significant step forward last week when city planners completed the final report for the corridor. The account follows a six-month community planning process that included three public meetings attended by more than 200 Masonic area residents. Participants evaluated various options for a better Masonic and narrowed their preference to one dubbed the Boulevard as the best value for a complete set of traffic calming improvements. Features of the proposal include a landscaped median, bus bulb-outs, 200 new street trees, a new plaza at Geary, and separated bike lanes. City planners previously described the Boulevard option as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Mark Christiansen, a former Masonic resident and founder of the grassroots group Fix Masonic, has worked on getting a better, safer street since 2003. He dreamed of a green median the length of the corridor with no speeding. Back then, he decided, “That’s never gonna happen.” When Christiansen sold his house a few years ago, he told potential buyers that the neighborhood was one of the safest in the city – “except if you try to navigate that street!” His daily experience of going out onto Masonic motivated him to seek changes. “Every time I thought, ‘It doesn’t have to be like this.’”

Christiansen concluded at the time that Masonic had all the design features that promote speeding and risky street use:

• Lanes that merge mid-block
• Wide intersections
• Tow-away zones along the curb that open the street even wider
• Blind turns against uphill traffic
• A posted bike route with no striped bicycle lanes

He foresees a “quieter, calmer Masonic” if the Boulevard proposal is implemented. “I think it may be an amazing change. We’ve seen other streets in this city take on a completely different feel after being revamped. We know from the plans we see that it will happen here.”

Safety has been a primary concern for many Masonic residents. One father of two young sons told BIKE NOPA last summer that he never allowed his boys to play or stay on the sidewalk outside their residence. When they walked out the front door, he immediately ushered them into the family car. Several months earlier his Cherokee Jeep was parked in front of the house on Masonic. A speeding driver struck it with enough force to push it more than 100 feet into the intersection. Another resident said a motorist struck her car while she was nearing her home at Golden Gate and Masonic. The car was totaled; she was fortunate to have sustained few physical injuries. That collision occurred just one week before Yannick Linke was allegedly struck and killed by a motorist at Masonic and Turk.

The 63-page Masonic report details the process used by city planners* to reduce the street’s traffic risks and transform the corridor into a more livable space. They considered various design options that would help the city meet numerous local, state, and federal standards for “complete streets” that serve all users and enhance community life. The goals and objectives of the process were ambitious and appear to reflect residents’ complaints about the current street design:

• Improve transit
• Enhance pedestrian access to transit
• Make crosswalks safer for pedestrians
• Increase compliance by motorists of rules and regulations
• Reduce the number of vehicular collisions, especially with pedestrians and bicyclists
• Increase quality-of-life features to make Masonic more inviting and accommodating

Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, believes the new Masonic proposal is one that community members and city staff “should feel really proud of.”

“It prioritizes neighborhood safety, livability, and mobility. Thanks to these efforts, families will be able to move around more safely and enjoy their neighborhood more fully. This is a good example of the community speaking up for better streets and the City listening and responding.”

The next steps for the Masonic proposal involve ensuring that it meets environmental requirements, conducting a public hearing, and presenting the recommended design to the SFMTA Board of Directors. Staff will also seek funding and complete the project design. Javad Mirabdal, SFMTA Project Manager for the Masonic study, said “all the next steps will move forward at the same time.” The most optimistic estimate for taking the proposal to a public hearing is by the end of June this year. (The SFMTA will provide a two-week notice prior to the public hearing).

Even those who have followed Masonic developments closely will find the report enlightening. One new feature is a detailed illustration of the traffic calming measures for each block of Masonic between Fell and Geary. Individual addresses are noted along with location of new street trees, new sidewalk landscaping, bulb-outs, and separated bicycle lanes. (See pages 41-48 of report).

* The Masonic Avenue Street Design Study is an undertaking of the San Francisco Planning Department, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and the San Francisco Department of Public Works.

For other articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Boulevard...and You Can Too

I'm already there with support for the Boulevard proposal to transform Masonic Avenue into a safer transportation corridor. After seven months of attending community meetings, studying options developed by city planners, discussing concerns with neighbors and traffic engineers, I'm confident that the make-over will be become something accepted by neighbors and valued by future generations of Masonic residents.

There's a lot to like about the Boulevard plan:

• a landscaped median running from Geary to Fell
• 200 additional street trees
• bus bulb-outs at select intersections for easier access and more reliable, on-time buses
• new paving for a street that hasn't been re-surfaced for so long no one can remember when
• new signal lights and lane re-design to keep traffic flowing steady but safely within the speed limit
• a separated bicycle track that will making biking safe for anyone aged 8 to 80
• and, often overlooked, a chance to link neighborhoods along Masonic

I'm not alone. A majority of the hundreds of Masonic residents who accepted repeated invitations to express their opinions believe the Boulevard option will suit them better, as reported here.

Others aren't so sure. Below are responses to questions most often posed by neighbors concerned about the Masonic proposal:

• What's the source of money for this project and why should we decide its merits before funds are secured? People involved with the Divisadero revitalization project remember that the city set a limit on the funds available and advised neighbors to plan accordingly. The Masonic project is different. The money for it will likely be a mix of regional, state and federal funds. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission bundles financing for projects like these from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to special grants received for categories like Safe Routes to Transit, Safe Routes to School, and others. A percentage of sales tax that is designated for bike improvements will be another source, but very little "car money" will go to the Masonic project. Why support now? The strongest proposal competes the best for limited transportation funds, and universal support from the community makes a proposal more competitive. Divisadero itself benefited from being "shovel-ready" when federal stimulus funds became available. Waiting to design or deferring support weakens the chance for obtaining funds.

• Why is the Boulevard proposal so expensive? Each of the preferred proposals is expensive, and they're both complicated, significantly more so than Divisadero. Much of the expense will go to underground improvements from sewer upgrades to roadway base reconstruction. On the surface, a new wide median, the landscaping, new trees, widened sidewalks, bulb outs, lighting and signal upgrades, and the cycle track all add up. Plus at $20 million, this project is actually cheap compared to many other road projects like the $1 billion Doyle Drive replacement or the Geary Bus Rapid Transit project at about $200 million.

• Why do bicycle lanes need to be on busy streets? Why can't cyclists use a different route? When it comes to Masonic, bicyclists want to ride on it for the same reason motorists do: it's the only direct north-south route between Stanyan and Divisadero. It's the flattest, most direct way to get from our neighborhood to the Presidio or Golden Gate Bridge. San Francisco officially encourages alternate transportation including biking. Opponents can mount a campaign to change the city's Transit First policy, but it's our guide now.

• Why not rely on enforcement to stop speeding instead? There's no way SFPD could afford to monitor traffic and issue tickets along Masonic to the degree required to change motorists' speeding. Former Capt. Teresa Barrett of SFPD Park Station agreed when asked about enforcement for this previous report.

• Why doesn't the MTA install more traffic calming to stop speeding instead of redesigning traffic and removing parking? There are a few more measures the MTA can and should adopt (reported here), but most of the traffic calming tools have already been used or aren't possible on a road like Masonic. The reason the city has worked with the community on this proposal is mostly because the current traffic calming simply has not reduced collisions, red light running, and injuries.

• Won't the proposed Target store at Geary and Masonic bring motorists who will occupy street parking in the Anza Vista neighborhood? No one wants to park on the street when there are six large parking lots positioned much closer to the stores at the San Francisco Center. The whole point of driving to Target will be for convenience and proximity of parking in the several hundred spaces in the lots.

• Won't the Masonic project make it harder to enter and exit Ewing Terrace? No, it will become easier because the MTA agreed to add a new signal at this intersection at the request of Ewing Terrace residents who attended the community meetings.

• Why haven't the neighbors and residents most affected by the removal of parking on Masonic been heard? They have. As previously reported here with a residency map, over 100 neighbors attended the community meetings, and a majority of them live on Masonic or within one block of the corridor. Nearby residents were invited to the meetings repeatedly by the MTA, NOPNA, Fix Masonic, and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition with fliers and emails. They were also encouraged to contact the MTA directly. We don't force people to vote in this country.
  

• Why can't the proposals make Masonic safer without removing parking? The first goal of a street should be to move people in a safe, efficient manner. Parking should come second to safety and traffic flow. Masonic is a very tight space and to make it safer for all users, something has to give. But the MTA has also indicated a willingness to consider new parking on nearby streets to alleviate the changes on Masonic, possibly with angled parking along the north side of Turk. At some point, advocacy for a safer Masonic coupled with a refusal to make inconvenient changes become nothing more than empty, feel-good lip service. Do those who resist the changes want to tell the families of people killed or injured from collisions on Masonic that safety on the corridor is not important enough to walk an extra 100 steps for parking?

For previous articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

A nod to Stanley Kubrick for Dr. Strangelove.

Taxi Driver Complains about New Signal Timing on Masonic: Best Indicator of Change

Southbound drivers on Masonic may notice change in signal light timing

No good reason to speed traveling north on Masonic

When a taxi driver complains that it's no longer possible to exceed the speed limit, you know traffic signal changes are working. That's what seems to be happening on Masonic Avenue after the southbound signals were adjusted late last year to keep traffic moving at the 25 mph speed limit. Javad Mirabdal, city traffic engineer and project manager for the Masonic Avenue Street Design Study, said the complaint was one indication that the changes were having an impact. "Taxi drivers basically know every street," Mirabdal observed. "They know when changes are made." The driver called the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and reported he was hitting red lights while travelling southbound on Masonic.

With the change in timing, motorists travelling south from Geary to Fell will find generally that when they exceed the 25 speed limit, they'll get more red lights. Mirabdal said the agency adjusted the signals in the southbound and downhill direction because that's where drivers tend to go faster. He added, "Timing will control the platoon of traffic, but it doesn't control speed for the ending (those drivers at the end of the pack)." Mirabdal explained that those in the back may have an opportunity to catch up with the traffic flow and momentarily exceed the speed limit. "It depends where you are in the platoon."

Only the southbound signals have been adjusted since two-way traffic, as on Masonic, poses too many traffic engineering problems to make bi-directional adjustments. "Once you push one direction, you limit what you can do with the other," Mirabdal said. One-way traffic roadways are the ideal candidates for the best outcomes from signal timing changes.

The signal adjustments were one of several traffic calming measures that Masonic area neighbors have asked the SFMTA to study and implement during the period before the full treatment for a better Masonic begins. The SFMTA has yet to respond to the other interim measures. Mirabdal said the final report with recommendations for comprehensive traffic calming on Masonic would likely be completed by the end of next week. The report will be posted on the SFMTA website.

For previous stories in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

Majority Who Voted for Masonic Re-Design Live On or Within One Block, Data Indicate Immediate Residents Are Informed and Engaged in Planning

Image: SF Planning Department

The 109 respondents reside on both sides of Masonic with a majority within a block

Image: SF Planning Department

Only a handful of survey respondents live outside the Masonic area or beyond the Western Addition

A majority of respondents in a recent survey of preferences for a Masonic Avenue make-over will be directly affected by the traffic calming features in the proposal. During the September 30 Masonic community meeting, 109 individuals completed the survey that rated primary features of the Boulevard proposal and the less-ambitious Gateway option. The survey asked where respondents reside. Of the total, 62 -- or 57% -- of the neighbors indicated they either lived on Masonic or within one block of the busy corridor. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) released the findings yesterday.

The data are important because they dispel concerns from a few individuals that the people who live on Masonic were either uninformed of the meetings and the proposed changes --especially the removal of parking -- or that they don't support traffic calming changes to the street. (The city notified by mail -- with more than 1400 postcards -- every household on Masonic and those within one block of the street about the September 30 meeting when the survey was conducted). In addition, the residency data suggest what many who actually attended the three community meetings noted: there were far more nearby neighbors present than the handfuls of members from transit, pedestrian, or bicycle advocacy groups.

Those who took the survey live on both sides of Masonic. On the westside, the Ewing Terrace and the University Terrace neighborhoods are well-represented among survey respondents. Those to the east of Masonic in the North Panhandle and Anza Vista neighborhoods indicated more scattered residences, but all are close enough to experience the proposed changes for the Masonic corridor. University Terrace neighbors participated as well in a separate survey, using the same instrument, following the SFMTA September 30 meeting. They supported the Boulevard proposal with a hefty majority, 60 to 40%.

In the Masonic survey, over three-quarters (76%) either "strongly liked" or "somewhat liked" the Boulevard package with its landscaped median the length of Masonic, 200 street trees, a mini-park at Geary, new street lighting, bus bulb-outs, a separated bike lane, and full repaving of the roadway. City staff expect to complete a final report with recommendations by December 31st.

For previous articles in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

SFMTA Releases Masonic Survey Results: Residents Favor Complete Streets Design for a Better Transportation Corridor

Improvements proposed for all Masonic corridor users and residents

Boulevard plan expects to keep vehicles and transit moving smoothly and safely

Bicycle improvements were considered in both design options

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), the Planning Department, and the Department of Public Works released survey results this afternoon that confirm the preference of Masonic area residents for a full package of traffic calming measures along the corridor from Fell to Geary streets. The much-anticipated results indicate that more than three-quarters (76%) of the respondents either strongly liked or somewhat liked the Boulevard street design. More than half (55%) strongly liked it. The survey included another design treatment, the Gateway option, with fewer traffic calming measures. The data show that it was "a less desirable compromise" among the survey respondents with 64% of whom either liked or strongly liked it. Only 19% registered a "strongly liked" position. The survey data will help shape the final report and recommendations that city staff will complete by December 31st.

The Boulevard proposal includes streamlined traffic flow, pedestrian enhancements, Muni improvements, a separated bicycle lane, and a landscaped median. The new design will also remove round-the-clock street parking on Masonic, although SFMTA staff will propose creation of up to 80 new parking spaces nearby as a mitigation. In the survey, respondents favored the individual elements of the Boulevard design:

• transit facilities (53% strongly liked the features and 31% liked them)
• travel lane configuration including a median (47% strongly liked, 35% liked)
• lighting fixtures for roadway and pedestrian areas (66% strongly liked, 24% liked)
• raised bicycle track (54% strongly liked, 20% liked)
• parking removal (42% strongly liked, 17% liked)
• street trees (64% strongly liked, 21% liked)

In all the above categories, survey respondents favored the Boulevard treatments over the Gateway features. Written comments indicated the preferences were largely due to the extra enhancements in the Boulevard option. For example, a landscaped median the length of the Masonic blocks seemed to tip preferences for the travel lane configuration over the Gateway plan with intermittent medians.

The cycle track for bicyclists in the Boulevard design was much more popular than the striped bike lane proposed under the Gateway option. In the latter, only 15% strongly liked the lesser lane treatment with another 40% indicating they liked it. Not surprisingly, the removal of parking proved to be the issue that divided respondents the most. But, according to the report, "a stronger and larger majority (are) in favor of removing all parking." Even so, many respondents expressed strong reservations. The Gateway proposal contained removal of parking on just one side of the street, but 17% strongly disliked the idea and another 29% disliked it. The greater number of street trees proposed in the two plans (200 for the Boulevard, 125 for the Gateway) easily swayed the strongly liked response for the Boulevard.

Javad Mirabdal, project manager for the Masonic study, explained the process that led to the results released today.

This is basically what the community told us. We worked with the community during three community meetings and narrowed the options to these last two, the Boulevard and the Gateway. The majority are in favor of the Boulevard option, and we will include the data in our final report and recommendations.

Mirabdal added that the next step will be to legislate the proposal with public support. "Then we have a project," he said. With the approval in hand, city staff will complete the design, seek environmental review if needed, and begin the challenging task of securing funding.

For related stories, see the A Better Masonic series.

Fix Masonic Group Seeks Interim Safety Measures on Busy Corridor

Small median island with traffic sign -- add 25 MPH sign too?

Northbound Masonic: traffic lanes and crosswalks faded

Hayes to Fell southbound faded as well

Fix Masonic wants the city to install interim traffic calming measures on Masonic Avenue during the long lead-up to the more comprehensive changes envisioned for the street. The grassroots group submitted a list of ten safety enhancements to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) in mid-November. The agency is researching the proposals, a few of which would require legislative approval. The proposed changes range from re-striping faded traffic lanes to establishing a double-fine zone for speeding. Fix Masonic is comprised of Masonic area residents who use the corridor for all modes of transportation and who want to stop the speeding that regularly occurs on the street.

SFMTA staff expect to complete a final report for the Masonic Avenue Street Design Study by December 31st. The planning document will recommend a transportation design that incorporates many of the features of the Boulevard proposal supported by a majority of Masonic area residents during a series of three community meetings earlier this year. Next spring the proposal will be considered at a public hearing before a SFMTA hearing officer, followed by presentations before the SFMTA Board of Directors and the Board of Supervisors. Once approved, city planners will conduct an environmental review, if needed, and seek funding for the $20 million proposal. The full process from completion of the final report to start of construction could require two to three years. Construction will likely continue for 12 to 18 months.

Fix Masonic, individual neighbors, and parents with children at the San Francisco Day School are urging the city to undertake safety measures during the long waiting period for project implementation. On November 17, Fix Masonic submitted the following requests for interim measures to Ricardo Olea, SFMTA Livable Streets Manager:

• Re-paint crosswalks at intersections and upgrade crossings with zebra stripes as needed
• Re-stripe travel lanes on several blocks where paint has faded. Masonic's narrow traffic lanes might discourage speeding if they were more visible.
• Paint 25 MPH on traffic lanes at several locations in both travel directions
• Paint School Zone at appropriate locations near the several schools along Masonic
• Re-define traffic lanes at specific locations where lanes currently widen or end abruptly
• Install a thumbnail median -- or use existing island medians -- and post a 25 MPH sign
• Install the long-discussed and promised red-light camera at Fell and Masonic
• Add an additional block -- Fell to Oak -- to the current project
• Seek a double-fine zone for the Masonic corridor to discourage speeding
• Post notices along Masonic on existing poles that indicate the number of speeding citations given during a specific time period (for example, "33 citations during December")

For more stories in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

Readers' note: I am a member of the group Fix Masonic.

Majority in SFMTA Masonic Avenue Survey Favors Boulevard Design

Boulevard design "is going to be a major improvement" for Masonic

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) announced that a majority of Masonic area residents favor the more complete Boulevard street design for the corridor. The package of traffic calming measures in the plan is expected to make Masonic Avenue safer for all road users and improve the visual appearance of a ten block stretch from Oak to Geary streets. Implementation of the Boulevard design awaits a final report due by the end of the year, followed by an approval process and a search for funding. Actual on-site construction is unlikely to begin for at least two years. BIKE NOPA presented details of the Boulevard option in a previous story. Masonic Avenue residents who attended a September 30 community meeting took the survey to give their preferences between two design options.

Javad Mirabdal, SFMTA Director for the Masonic Traffic Calming Project, told members of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) on November 18th that survey results indicated a solid preference* (see note below) for the more ambitious and more complete street design. "This is the better option," Mirabdal said. "It's going to be a major improvement and it will re-shape Masonic Avenue, creating a better feeling for driving and walking."

More than 50 NOPNA members attended the bi-monthly meeting; only two expressed concerns about the Masonic project. They cited the proposed removal of parking, the installation of a bike lane "on a busy street," and the extent of outreach leading to the community meeting where the survey was conducted. Mirabdal replied that to make Masonic safer, changes have to be undertaken and "something has to give" to allow space for the center median, the Muni bus bulb-outs, and a separated bike lane. He noted that in a SFMTA daytime parking study, 60% of the parking on Masonic was for less than two hours. He believes these short-term users are students from the nearby USF campus and not Masonic residents. "Less than 20% park more than four hours." He added that the Boulevard project will also create 50-80 new parking spaces to partially mitigate the loss of Masonic parking.

Mirabdal emphasized that the traffic calming package for Masonic "is not a bike project." During other public meetings he has added that Masonic is the only direct north-south route in the area for bicyclists, just as it is for motorists. Regarding the adequacy of community outreach, Mirabdal described the door-to-door distribution of meeting notices prior to the first two Masonic community meetings and a mass mailing of 1400 notices for the final meeting. The announcements included information for how to contact Mirabdal directly.

Masonic Avenue and NOPA residents have, in fact, received a continuous stream of information about the Masonic project in addition to what the SFMTA distributed. Jarie Bolander, NOPNA president, confirmed that notices of the Masonic meetings and project updates have been included in several previous association newsletters that are distributed to 5000 individuals. The meetings were also announced in email blasts to 800 members and other interested parties, and speakers have regularly discussed the Masonic project at NOPNA meetings. Neighborhood blogs and city-wide media have also covered the traffic calming proposals.

In addition to NOPNA, Mirabdal said he has talked with other neighborhood groups in the Masonic Area, including the Ewing Terrace Neighborhood Association, the University Terrace Neighborhood Association, the San Francisco Day School, and Fix Masonic.

The SFMTA expects to release a full report on the survey findings within the next two weeks.

For detailed project information: www.sfmta.com/masonic

Contact project manager, Javad Mirabdal: javad.mirabdal@sfmta.com

(415) 701-4421

For previous stories in the A Better Masonic series, check here.

* November 3o note: Javad Mirabdal requested a change in my report of his description of the degree of support for the Boulevard plan. He believes his statements indicated to the NOPNA audience that there was a "preference" rather than a "solid preference" for the proposal. Today's post reveals the actual data which indicate that 76% of survey respondents "strongly liked" or "liked" the Boulevard option while 64% favored the Gateway alternative.