Chenery Street from Brompton to Elk will be closed to outside traffic starting as soon as this week, though the true timeline is still unknown. The partial closure is part of a second wave of Slow Streets, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s effort to give pedestrians and bicyclists more room at the expense of non-resident vehicles.
According to the agency website, temporary signs and cones will be used to divert through traffic and slow it down. Locals will be allowed to access their own streets.
“The California Vehicle Code states that motor vehicles still have right-of-way in the street, but these simple strategies are designed to improve safety for people who are walking or jogging,” according to the agency’s website about the initiative.
“We will continue to monitor the use of Slow Streets to minimize impacts on surrounding streets and welcome feedback from the community,” it says. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback to by way of a questionnaire. You can also email slowstreets@sfmta.com for more information.
The closure could begin as early as this week, said Jacob Bintliff, a legislative aide to District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. Bintliff helped gather feedback from the Glen Park Association and the Glen Park Merchants Association to give to the SFMTA to inform its decision.
On the other end of the neighborhood, Sanchez Street has also been made a Slow Street. The rest of the city’s slow streets can be seen here:
Oh please could they extend it from Diamond to Miguel (or furthert) or at least put in speed bumps and a stop sign at Mateo to slow the commuters just off or heading to the freeway who speed through which they will do again when shelter in place is lifted and people return to work.
May 19, 2020
Dear Jacob Bintliff, Rafael Mandelman, Glen Park Association and the Glen Park Merchants Association:
Regarding: Chenery Street Closure
This is extremely upsetting as a San Francisco Resident of more than 50 years. My home, while not in Glen Park, is very near to this area. I use and support many businesses in the area. From my perspective this only serves the interest of the wealthy home owners in the immediate area of Glen Park and the goals of the SFMTA. This provides only home owners to have access to street parking on Chenery and all the side streets. Will the City require the car owners of these streets to get a parking permit? How could this 6 block closure benefit the business of Glen Park? Parking in this area is extremely impacted already. People who live a modest distance away have nowhere to park when going to local businesses. This is especially short sighted of the SF Planning Commission and SFMTA. How could this possibly benefit these businesses during a Pandemic? The Planning Commission and SFMTA have become an overbearing City departments. When the restaurants and shops do open again, people will surely need to park. These business surely are suffering now! If they don’t survive the quarantine, how will new business ventures thrive or survive with less and less parking? Yes, I understand you want to get cars out of SF, however, this rapid move to constantly inconvenience the seniors and others who have small children, is offensive. These are taxpayers who are completely being ignored. For this city to thrive and survive it need more the Xennials and Generation X!
Nice rant, especially in the last paragraph. Also, not many of the businesses in the Village are actually open. It’s very easy to park there now.
Dear Jacob Bintliff, Rafael Mandelman, Glen Park Association and the Glen Park Merchants Association:
I am all in favor of slow streets. Regarding the effect on businesses, I think there are ways to address our little village. First, we have BART and Muni where it’s easy to access the village. A few 10 min. parking spots can accommodate those shopping at the cheese, pet, and laundry. Using Uber can bring one to restaurants or the library. The village is there for the neighborhood. The homes are the reason Glen Park exists. Not the businesses. Maybe an hourly shuttle that toodles around Glen Park streets in a constant loop would be good. I don’t think it needs to be slowed down for bikes and walking, but just for the sanity of keeping Glen Park a small neighborhood with some businesses that we enjoy. A fancy grocery store, a library, a park, laundry, coffee shops. Let’s not become a retail strip like Union, Haight, Fillmore…there is no personality or neighborhood feel there.
@Ohlone: That’s not a rant, it’s an opinion. We’re all trying to figure this thing out. I happen to agree with you that the impact to businesses is likely negligible.
@Jolene: This move isn’t supposed to benefit businesses. It’s supposed to benefit people in general, without creating a burden for a large number of others. I’m sorry that it creates a burden for you. Also, Brompton-to-Elk still leaves access to GP businesses.
I’m happy to see more people getting out of their homes, into the streets and without their cars. Slow zones and blocked streets make that possible. I’ve lived in GP for 20 years. My family of five plus two dogs make daily trips to the park on the street in question, so I’m all for more space on walking routes around the park.
A well-run society needs to make trade-offs and, to do that, needs people develop the empathy to see happiness collectively, not just individually. Overall, this proposal seems like a good compromise.
This is amazing news!!! Thanks so much to SFMTA, Rafael Mandelman & Jeff Tumlin. #peoplenotcars
Not ok I work two jobs I need to get to my house there are kids riding there bikes in the streets . It’s not safe I was yelled at ..buy a parent because I was driving to my house and that is the way I use to take home . Common sense .