Correction: Exit from Arco into Westbound Fell Traffic Legal

Motorists exiting the Arco service station onto Fell Street may legally cross the solid white stripe and enter the westbound traffic lane. I mistakenly stated in a post last week that the new traffic configuration for Fell Street motorists approaching Divisadero limited Arco customers to only turning left onto Divisadero Street. However, after a review of the California Vehicle Code (CVC), it's clear that there's nothing in the CVC that states road users cannot cross a solid line and, therefore, are not required to turn left at this intersection. The state code does require the driver of any vehicle about to enter or cross a street from any private property to yield the right-of-way to all traffic "close enough to constitute an immediate hazard." (CVC 21804a)

This conclusion was confirmed in recent email correspondence between John Rogers, a BIKE NOPA reader and daily bike commuter on Fell, and James Shahamiri, a traffic engineer for the Municipal Transportation Agency. Shahamiri wrote, "It continues to be legal for vehicles to exit the gas station and to turn left onto Fell, either to merge with through traffic on Fell, or to turn left on Divisadero." Rogers' inquiry to MTA was independent of my own coverage of the ongoing developments at this troubled intersection. He provided the emails to me directly.

Although Rogers wrote that he believed the new configuration made biking through the Fell Street segment even more risky than before, Shahamiri replied that the addition of the left turn lane "has not changed the interaction between cars and bicycles." He explained that the previous part-time tow-away area acted as a left-turn pocket. Under the new arrangement, that pocket now functions on a full-time basis.

A final note: while Arco customers have flexibility upon exiting the station, westbound Fell traffic can only turn left onto southbound Divisadero from the new Left Turn Only lane.

B2B at 100: "Alcohol Ban Is Not Enough To Prevent Bad Behavior"

Editor's Note: This article is part of a series about neighborhood efforts to reclaim Bay to Breakers as a foot race and party that San Franciscans can support and celebrate for all the edgy, quirky, and fabulous things it has represented for most of its 99 year history. For previous entries in the B2B at 100 series, check here.

On July 7th organizers of the Bay to Breakers announced a no-alcohol policy for the footrace that many stakeholders believe was years overdue. The restriction just might help the iconic San Francisco event cross the finish line during its centennial run in 2011. Yet Jarie Bolander, President of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA), thinks the ban on alcohol is only the first of several changes required to ensure a safe event. "We need to plan to manage the huge number of people who will show up. It's irresponsible to just wish it will go away or to put the burden on a single stakeholder," he wrote to BIKE NOPA. He added that all the major stakeholders must take responsibility to find a solution to the problems that have dogged the event the last few years. "Everyone has some responsibility in this including participants, neighbors, AEG and the city."

Bolander and five other leaders of District 5 neighborhood groups were quick to call for a meeting with the Mayor's office after this year's B2B party in the streets left neighbors angry over the out-of-control behavior and over-consumption of alchohol. As soon as Mike Farrah, director of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, learned of the request, he told BIKE NOPA he would convene such a meeting right away. That gathering of neighborhood groups, the Citizens for the Preservation of Bay to Breakers, and other stakeholders took place at City Hall late this afternoon for the first round of discussions about the operation of next year's event.

AEG, the owner of Bay to Breakers, already posted a set of other changes it intends to implement for next year's race:

• only registered participants will be allowed on the race course, which AEG reserves the right to fence off
• all streets may be opened by noon
• no floats will be allowed since too many have become "alcohol delivery vehicles and magnets for unacceptable behavior"
• a limit on the number of registrations for the centennial race

North Panhandle neighbors will discuss recent B2B developments at the upcoming NOPNA general meeting:

Thursday, July 15th

7pm social, 7:30 meeting begins

San Francisco Day School at 350 Masonic (use Golden Gate Avenue entrance)

7:00 pm social

7:30 pm meeting begins

Coming Soon to NOPA: Everything Good About Bay-to-Breakers Without the Mayhem

Doesn't get much friendlier

San Francisco diversity

Family of five for afternoon spin

Pedal-powered Rock the Bike band

The only problems to accompany Sunday Streets are the logistics and keeping volunteers powered-up for a long day's shift. The event seldom brings complaints from residents or merchants, and everyone shares the streets and sidewalks without quarrels, misbehavior, or excessive consumption (although the lines at all the ice cream shops along the route were daunting). Sunday Streets returned to the Mission today for a second round of celebrating the simple pleasures of being outdoors, walking and chatting with friends, appreciating the safe biking, and enjoying the relief of car-free streets. The only risks for the day came from getting too much sun.

For Panhandle neighbors still weary from the excesses of the Bay-to-Breakers after-party in May, Sunday Streets promises a stress-free celebration when the city stops by for a visit on September 19th. And everyone who had a great time at NOPA's BIKE THE BLOCK party last year can expect even more with Sunday Streets. (And perhaps Circus Bella (see video) will appear too).

Panhandle Park Stewards: Clearing Paths, Building Community

Wading boots required to take this corner an hour earlier

Stewards cleared paths of mud and replanted sod

8 inches of muddy sod cleared from walkway

Great turnout of neighbors, volunteers from Asian American Recovery Services

and park gardener, Charlie (seated, far left)

The North Panhandle's neighborhood park is cleaner with less mud and wider paths after the two-hour stint Saturday morning by a dozen volunteers. The Asian American Recovery Services joined the Panhandle Park Stewards to shovel mud off the Panhandle paths in the western end of the park. Dale Danley, leader of the park stewards, said he felt encouraged after the accomplishments of the day. "After taking on these big mud puddles, I'm beginning to think we can actually do something about these muddy pathways. We still need to work with the city to get a long-term solution."

The Panhandle becomes a better public space after each outing of the park stewards, and, as importantly, the community grows with stronger bonds as neighbors and friends work together. This Saturday one new NOPA neighbor, Jared, helped with the work along with his friend, Aaron. Regulars included Doug, Dawn, and her dogs, Frankie and Smokey.

SFMTA Takes the Message to Fell Street Motorists at Arco Entry; Similar Effort Needed at Exit

This week the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) sent interns to advise motorists about the new traffic configuration on Fell Street near the Divisadero intersection and the Arco service station. As first reported by Streetsblog, two interns talked with drivers who were awaiting their turns at the gas pumps -- and blocking the bike lane or sidewalk in the process. The staffers pointed out that the curbside "parking lane" is now clear from 7am to 7pm daily to allow drivers to line up.

After developing the new traffic design and getting it approved through a public hearing process, the SFMTA initially hoped drivers would figure out for themselves that a new curbside queue had been created to keep them from blocking traffic or bicycles. But without any signage or pavement markings to alert them to the change, few if any drivers waited along the curb. Instead, most straddled the bike lane much as before. Tuesday and Thursday of this week the interns distributed a flyer (see photo) to direct drivers to the curb.

SFMTA stands to get a much better reading of the new design's effectiveness once drivers start using the queue. The agency will conduct a study of the experimental design before painting the bike lane solid green and will follow that with an evaluation of the impact of the colored stripe on driver and cyclist behavior.

The Fell Street exit from Arco appears to require a similar intervention as drivers frequently ignore the signs and pavement markings that direct them to use the new curbside Left Turn Only lane. Instead, motorists block the sidewalk, the turning lane, and often the bike lane while waiting to slip into the westbound traffic lane (see video from Friday, July 9th).

Correction, July 14th: Arco customers may legally exit the station and enter the westbound Fell traffic lane, even while crossing a solid white lane. The California Vehicle Code does not prohibit the action, and SFMTA has confirmed this conclusion. (See July 14th post).

Motorists may yet adopt the new configuration and reduce risks for all users of Fell Street. However, the weakest aspects of the design are those that accommodate the entry and exit to Arco. Closing these and permitting access to Arco only from Divisadero would result in far safer passage for pedestrians and cyclists along Fell, but the ripple effect would likely disrupt and slow northbound vehicles on Divisadero, including the #24 bus.

Panhandle: The Neighborhood Park Needs Some Help

Panhandle draws neighbors from north and south of the park

Panhandle Park Stewards earlier this year

Dale Danley (far left), Guillermo, park gardener, )second from left)

Over the long July 4th holiday weekend the Panhandle Park became a neighborhood magnet for picnickers, sun-seekers, and people walking, biking, and watching. Several large groups of fifty or more sprawled on the grass appreciating one of NOPA's greatest assets. Dale Danley, leader of the local Panhandle Park Stewards, has noticed a continuing increase in Panhandle users. "Our neighborhood park is thriving this summer, more popular than we have seen in years," he recently wrote to the other volunteers.

Danley also noted that basic maintenance and improvements become even more important with the surge in visitors. BIKE NOPA reader Nick observes, as many others have, that the Panhandle multi-use path on the north side gets very crowded and more difficult to negotiate for people walking or on bikes or pushing strollers. One thing he'd like to see is a fresh coat of yellow reflective paint -- or thermoplast -- for the divider. He also suggests new directional arrows on either side of the lane. "They might be helpful to prevent the problems of peds and bikes acting like salmon." Although the Recreation and Parks Department (RPD) faces huge cuts in its operating budget, Nick wrote that the pedestrian path on the south side of the Panhandle was recently painted.

The Municipal Transportation Agency has been installing bike racks and larger bike corrals in neighborhoods around the city. Now RPD needs to take its turn and add more bike parking. Commenter Nick suggests bike racks at the relatively new restroom located in the western half of the Panhandle would be especially welcome.

Nowhere to park and lock a bike near Panhandle's restroom

This upcoming Saturday the Panhandle Park Stewards will host another workday to help the park's gardening staff keep the paths, flower beds, and open areas in good shape. Stewards leader Danley welcomes neighbors and all park enthusiasts to help provide TLC to the park beginning at 9am. Meet at the bulletin board near the playground. Tools and gloves are provided, but he suggests volunteers might want to bring their own gloves and wear sturdy shoes.

One more Panhandle news note: the Neighborhood Park Council (NPC) will recognize Danley and other local park leaders next week in a celebration at Patricia's Green in Hayes Valley.

The Curious Divisadero Islands: DPW Explains the Design and MTA Questions Their Usefulness

At Turk Street the median juts into the crosswalk

The curious case of the Divisadero pedestrian islands has been resolved. The odd placement of the several islands meant to give a mid-point refuge to people crossing the street is not so peculiar after all, according to the city's design team. Each of the Divisadero crosswalks was designed to meet the different conditions of the particular intersection. But a few of the islands, or "raised pedestrian refuges," do not work well and often fail to provide safe passage to people crossing the street.

Christine Falvey, spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, provided BIKE NOPA with the explanation from the interdepartmental design team (including DPW and the Municipal Transportation Agency) for the recent makeover of Divisadero from Waller to Geary Streets.

"Thumbnails and pass-throughs were designed consistently. Medians were to end at the property line, start a five foot wide pass through, then have the raised thumbnail. The apparent variations out there are actually due to the width of the crosswalks, which vary according to the width of the sidewalk leading up to them. In some cases, the crosswalk was not striped the exact width of the sidewalk which gives the impression of another variation of thumbnail design where there is not."

A little complicated? Consider this: if the Hayes Street sidewalk is several feet wider than the Grove Street sidewalk, then the crosswalk crossing Divisadero at Hayes will also be several feet wider than the crosswalk at Grove. Since the islands begin five feet from the end of the median for each intersection, the Hayes island will appear to be floating in the middle of the crosswalk while the Grove island will be closer to the outer line of the crossing. The fact that the city chose to not always follow the width of the sidewalk, of course, makes it more confusing or from the team's perspective, appears more variable that it is.

The intent of this inquiry into the Divisadero island design has never been a "gotcha" attempt to catch traffic engineers making mistakes. On May 4th BIKE NOPA guest contributor, Jeff Gibson, first described the variations at several intersections.* While he found them odd, his concern was for the safety of pedestrians, especially people with mobility limitations, who would likely find their passage either blocked by the islands or too limited by the five- foot width of the pass-throughs.

Motorists block Divisadero crosswalk -- and the pass-through -- way too often

In one ten-minute period, the crosswalk was blocked four times;

An advance stop line could be very helpful here

Gibson's observation especially holds for the situation at Fell Street, as seen in the photos. Drivers at this intersection often intrude into the crosswalk and block the pass-through when they stop at the signal. People crossing the street must walk around the vehicle and step onto the island, if they are able, to proceed. Anyone in a wheelchair or whose difficulty accessing the islands must get around the island and be exposed to the westbound traffic, including motorists making left turns onto Divisadero. The five-foot wide pass-throughs between the end of the median and the start of the island are the standard width. They were designed specifically for people in wheelchairs and those with strollers as well as for pedestrians. At several Divisadero intersections they fail to serve their purpose well. Jeff Gibson appreciates the explanation from the city, but he still thinks "most of the thumbnails on Divisadero are so poorly placed that they act like barriers."

Mike Sallaberry, traffic engineer for the MTA, told BIKE NOPA that one outcome of this discussion and the difficulty placing thumbnails along Divisadero was a reconsideration of whether thumbnails were worth it. "Maybe we don't need them at all," he concluded.

*****

* When BIKE NOPA published a follow-up article in late May, it seemed odd that no one from DPW had responded to Gibson's inquiries -- or our own -- for so many weeks. We were left to wonder about the seeming lack of response and transparancy. As it turns out, the explanatory memo that Falvey passed on to us was written on May 17th. All the parties involved thought someone else had forwarded the message to Gibson and to me. These things happen.