MTA Revises Fell/ARCO Traffic Design with Curbside Queue for Vehicles

UPDATE at 4:30 pm, March 16

MTA PLAN FOR FELL/ARCO TRAFFIC FLOW INCLUDES SAN FRANCISCO'S FIRST GREEN BIKE LANE

San Francisco will get its first green bike lane if a proposed design for dealing with the traffic tangle on Fell Street near the ARCO gas station is approved. As reported earlier today, the MTA hopes to increase safety for users of Fell Street leading to the Divisadero Street intersection.

James Shahamiri, Assistant Traffic Engineer for MTA, notified a working group of interested westside residents by email this afternoon of the agency's plan and provided a graphic of the proposal. In his message, Shahamiri wrote:

"The new proposal removes four parking spaces on the south side of Fell, just east of the gas station entrance. This space would be used for vehicles to queue to enter the gas station. Importantly these vehicles would be to the left of the bicycle lane. We are also proposing to color the bicycle lane green. This would be the City's first green bicycle lane. "

Shahamiri also noted that if community outreach and a subsequent public hearing for the removal of parking proceed without major setbacks, MTA staff "could take this to the MTA Board on May 4th for legislation and install shortly thereafter."
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Today's earlier post:

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) has revised its traffic plan for the troubled stretch of Fell Street near the ARCO service station. "We have a design hashed out to take out parking on the south side of Fell Street," James Shahamiri, MTA Assistant Traffic Engineer, told BIKE NOPA. The new design would designate the former parking spaces as a curbside queue for motorists awaiting entry to the gas station. Shahamiri said the agency had not yet determined how many parking spots to remove. MTA has recently undertaken observational studies to determine what times of day and night the line-up begins, how many vehicles are in line, and where the access to the queue would be most appropriate. Shahamiri noted that the agency hopes "eventually" to use colored bicycle lanes to guide both cyclists and motorists.

Other elements of the MTA plan include a bicycle lane to the right of the queue, narrower lanes for all traffic, and a well-defined visual cue at the point that motorists cross the bike lane to enter the queue. Shaharimi described the traffic lane configuration left-to-right (travelling west on Fell) as the queue of vehicles, the bike lane, three lanes of traffic, and curbside parking on the north side.

The MTA decided to abandon its previous proposal, according to Shahamiri, that included soft-hit posts along the bicycle path as reported here. Shahamiri said he expected to share the design proposal with an informal working group of interested NOPA and Alamo Square residents by Wednesday morning. He is also scheduled to present the plan at the upcoming meeting of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) Thursday night.* In addition, Shahamiri emphasized that the MTA will conduct "targeted outreach" to residents of Fell between Scott and Divisadero.

BIKE NOPA asked Shahamiri if MTA intended to wait until the bicycle injunction is finally lifted, possibly in June of this year, before implementing the new traffic design for Fell Street. "We expect to do it sooner," he replied. Bicycle and pedestrian advocates have urged additional traffic design improvements on Fell Street for several years with heightened interest since last summer.

*NOPNA General Membership Meeting

Thursday, March 18th

Jannah Restaurant, 1775 Fulton Street, between Central and Masonic Avenues

7:00 pm, visit with neighbors

7:30 pm, meeting begins

9:00 pm , meeting ends

SFPD Park Station Cites 8 Motorists in Pedestrian Stings at Fell and Masonic, 6 at Stanyan and Parnassus

Green light for cyclists and pedestrians; not for motorists pushing through

Fell & Masonic: an intersection needing "bad rep" for frequent pedestrian stings

How many citations does it take for an intersection to get a bad reputation among motorists prone to invade the right-of-way of pedestrians and bicyclists? SFPD Park Station Captain Teresa Barrett admitted she didn't know the answer, but she is willing to get the count started. Last week a special SFPD Task Force -- plainclothes and motorcycle officers -- set up pedestrian stings at two intersections in the Park Station district and issued fourteen citations for the offense.

The special operation issued citations to eight motorists at Fell and Masonic and another six at Stanyan and Parnassus for the all-too-common occurrence in the city: not yielding to pedestrians, cutting in front of pedestrians, threatening to "push" slow-walking users of the crosswalk on their way. The two intersections are among several that are being targeted for both the failure-to-yield offense and red light running. The previous week Park Station officers issued another 14 citations to motorists running the red on Fell and ignoring the red for the left turn lane onto Masonic. The Task Force is a joint initiative with SFPD Northern Station to respond to mounting complaints about risky intersections. The Fell and Masonic location continues to see frequent hazardous driving.

The Fell and Masonic intersection will likely require far more than periodic stings and a few dozen citations to establish a law-abiding norm -- or simply fear of fines -- among motorists who rush the lights and push into the crosswalks. No one should hesitate to report dangerous incidents to SFPD; thank them for current enforcement while encouraging a regular, sustained focus. NOPA area residents can address Captain Barrett, or her representative, directly at the next NOPNA neighborhood meeting on March 18th.

To report crosswalk incidents or red light running:

call SFPD at (415) 553-0123 (for non-emergencies)

contact SFPD Park Station directly at (415) 242-3000

North of Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA)

Next general meeting:

Thursday, March 18th, 7 pm: meet and greet; 7:30 meeting begins and continues until 9 pm

Jannah Restaurant (arrive early for drinks or dinner)

1775 Fulton Street (between Central and Masonic, across from Lucky's)

NOPA VELO to Roll Sunday Jan. 31

Image by Rick Helf

Seen while walking NOPA: Patty Hearst returns

The Patty Hearst / Presidio Ride spins through NOPA this upcoming Sunday, Jan. 31st. Meet up at Central Coffee, Tea and Spice for Ali's finest brews and a brief account of the travails of Tania/Patty Hearst by NOPA's own Lenore McDonald. Kick off from there for a stop at the

Golden Gate Avenue apartment building where the heiress-turned-radical was held captive in 1974 by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

With thoughts of life in a small closet, NOPA VELO cyclists and friends will then glide through Panhandle Park and onto JFK Drive for one of the first group rides on the repaved section of the park boulevard.

Ranger Dale will accompany the cyclists and present an update on recent changes in the Presidio including the national park's ambitious habitat restoration program. A stop at the Warming Hut for a quick break and then everyone returns to NOPA for a hearty welcome at Jannah, NOPA's new restaurant offering exotic Middle Eastern/Californian specialties at good prices, on Fulton Street for drinks and/or lunch.

Can't pedal the whole route? Check out the route map in this previous post and meet us at the start, along the way, or join us for celebration at the end. Patty/Tania and Park Ranger attire encouraged.

Ride stats:

Meet 9:30 am at Central Coffee, Tea & Spice, corner of Central & Hayes

Begin ride at 10:00 am

Return to NOPA and stop for drinks & lunch at Jannah, 1775 Fulton, between Central and Masonic at 2 pm

About 15 miles, two moderate climbs

All biking abilities welcome, walking the climbs is more than fine

Kids with own bikes and an adult guardian welcome to join us

Questions? contact Lenore at lmcjunker@gmail.com

Welcome to NOPA: Marc Caswell

Marc Caswell probably has boring and dispirited days, but you'd never know it. He has the kind of kinetic energy and infectious enthusiasm that makes you order thick, intense Turkish coffee to keep up with him. That's what I did when we stopped at NOPA's newest restaurant, Jannah, on Fulton Street.

Marc moved to NOPA earlier this month, and he's thrilled to be here (with a few reservations).* He was drawn by the chance to live with friends in "a gorgeous and pretty-cheap- for- San Francisco house" on Masonic. Now that he's settled in a new home base, he continues to play bike polo two nights a week, and carve the rest of his time into "20% for progressive politics and 8o% for bikes."

Marc spent his boyhood in Hollywood, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale. After he

earned a BA in Sociology of Religion from the University of Florida, he knocked on doors for the John Kerry presidential campaign and got involved with Working America, "a community affiliate of the AFL-CIO." He took a position with a Florida state legislator and focused on health care and education. But by June 2006, he was ready for a change.

Ask Marc why he moved to San Francisco, and you hear what so many of us have said, "Because it's San Francisco!" He visited here twice during college and was sold on the city as "a young, fun place." "We live here to be part of a city and a community," he added. He first worked with Urban Habitat, a social and environmental justice organization, to help with programming and media planning. He also became a member of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC), an organization he admired for its community work and committment to a more livable city.

In September 2008, the SFBC hired Marc for "the perfect hybrid job," as Program Manager. "I get to be involved in legislative issues and advocacy, transportation and sustainability, community organizing and event planning." He describes this piled-on job description with a big grin like he can hardly wait to get back on the job.

What's the best part of working for the SFBC? "The people I meet; their dedication. And the appreciation so many members express for what I do. The job gives me the chance to make things better, to help build a better city."

Anything surprise him about the job? "We're an advocacy organization, but our relationship with the city is much more collaborative than I imagined. We're not in an adversary position very often, and when we are it's in the context of working together overall."

What's new with SFBC? "We've focused on streetscape improvements through helping develop the bike plan and then pushing to get new bike lanes approved. Now we can shift and diversify our efforts to improve bicycling education, bike safety, and building the base of new cyclists."

Many of today's cyclists are "Kamikaze bikers," according to Marc. "They're going to bike no matter what the conditions are." He's pumped about reaching beyond this core constituency and encouraging more people to start cycling. He notes, "So many people say 'I would cycle if' and then mention their wish for more and safer bike lanes, smoother pavement, and improvements like bike parking. SFBC topped the 10,000 member total last year. Marc says the goal now is to add another 1,000 by making biking better and safer in the city and then keep attracting more.

What does a dedicated cyclist like Marc miss about driving? "When I was driving, I often felt solitary, alienated, and unconnected to the community, but I loved listening to NPR while on the road." That drawback aside, Marc bikes to be outdoors, to stay healthy, and to hear the sounds of the city and feel a part of it. "It's like going to a soccer game or watching it on TV. Bicycling allows you to be part of the living, breathing city instead of passively watching it."

An advocate for a more livable NOPA. Marc is eager to be an active neighbor, working with NOPNA, pushing to get street improvements for a safer Masonic Avenue and bike lanes for McAllister. (Both projects were held back for more study and not approved in the recent group of bike improvements adopted by the Municipal Transportation Authority and the Board of Supervisors). And progressive politics in District 5? He'll be on it.

*Marc's only reservations about living in NOPA? The afternoon head winds, especially if he bikes home on McAllister from the SFBC office on Market Street. And he regrets he won't be able to vote in 2010 for a new supervisor in District 8, his old digs. (No slight to our own Ross Mirkarimi; he's in for 3+ more years). Marc's already got a favorite in the D8 race.

Say hello to Marc and ask him about progressive politics or anything to do with bicycling, better streets, and living in San Francisco. Just have a strong cup of coffee close by.