San Francisco Announces New Pedestrian Safety Program: WalkFirst

With its own “Vision Zero” goals in place to eliminate pedestrian fatalities within a decade, San Francisco has developed the WalkFirst plan to target the most dangerous intersections in the city for safety improvements.

1 minute read

March 6, 2014, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Jessica Kwong reports on the unveiling of a five-year program, called WalkFirst, to improve safety at San Francisco’s least safe intersections.

Targetting intersections in downtown, the Tenderloin, and South of Market, “WalkFirst seeks to implement a Pedestrian Safety Capital Improvement Program to address corridors and intersections that represent 6 percent of city street miles but account for 60 percent of severe and fatal injuries.”

The city will require more funding to cover the costs of the program. “But the $17 million over five years secured so far for WalkFirst is not enough to cover the improvements needed. Measures in the works for the November ballot could boost that to $50 million, which would cover the capital improvement program costs, but $240 million is needed to implement all the needed projects under the initiative.”

The $17 million the city has to spend in the next five years? That’s about what the city spends treating pedestrian injuries every year, according to Walk San Francisco Executive Director Nicole Schneider.

Thursday, March 6, 2014 in The San Francisco Examiner

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

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 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight