San Francisco ‘Slow Streets’ Face Uncertain Future

Of the nearly 30 ‘slow streets’ installed in San Francisco during the pandemic and “designed to limit through traffic on some residential streets to create a common, shared space for those also traveling on foot and by bicycle,” Max Darrow reports that “There are four slow street corridors that the SFMTA board authorized to stay in place beyond the state of emergency: Golden Gate Ave., Lake St., Sanchez St., and Shotwell St.”

Locals are divided on their utility. One resident, Vince Meyer, “Meyer thinks the slow street corridors will make the streets safer, will benefit the environment, and will be good for neighborhoods.” Another, Elisa Smith, says “A lot of these are just causing more problems than they are a source of enjoyment for people.” According to Smith, “There should be probably, an assessment done, of which ones are highly, highly used, and which ones are not.”

Darrow notes that “The SFMTA has removed several slow streets that were put up during the pandemic, such as Duncan, Excelsior, and Mariposa, due to low use and conflicts with other planning efforts, according to a spokesperson.”