San Francisco ‘Slow Streets’ Face Uncertain Future

The pandemic-era ‘slow streets’ experiment has met with mixed reviews from residents, prompting the city to consider the removal or adjustment of many segments.

1 minute read

May 9, 2022, 8:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


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.”

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 in CBS Bay Area

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

6 hours ago - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine