San Francisco Bicycle Plan
Encyclopedia
The San Francisco Bicycle Plan is the current guiding document for near-term bicycle transportation improvements in San Francisco, and was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors
on August 11, 2009. The overall goal of the plan is to "increase safe bicycle use" over an expected implementation timeline of 5 years. The plan recommends 60 near-term improvements to the bicycle route network, 52 of which are the addition of bicycle lanes to 34 miles of city streets to the already existing 45 miles of city streets with bicycle lanes.
An effort to update the 1997 plan was initiated in 2002 in order to qualify for funding from the California Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) for bicycle facilities and programs. Public outreach to provide community input was led by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
, and funded by a Caltrans Community Based Planning Grant. This community input included thousands of individuals and community groups in the planning process. The resulting 2005 San Francisco Bicycle Plan was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on June 7, 2005, but was issued a preliminary injunction by San Francisco Superior Court judge James Warren at the request of plan opponents in late June 2006. These groups argued that removing travel lanes and parking spaces for motor vehicles, as the bicycle plan proposed, could cause significant damage to the environment and therefore required an environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act
. The injunction, which was upheld by San Francisco Superior Court judge Peter Busch on November 7, 2006, barred the city from implementing any of the projects described in the plan, including bicycle paths, lanes, or sharrow, until it completed a full Environmental Impact Report. This report was published in late 2008 and certified on June 25, 2009. The injunction against implementing the (now 2009) San Francisco Bicycle Plan was finally lifted by San Francisco Superior Court judge Peter Busch on August 6, 2010.
(SFDPW) are responsible for implementing improvements to the bicycle route network. The SFMTA pursues bicycle project funding, and serves as the lead planning and engineering agency for bicycle projects, while the SFDPW contracts the construction of bicycle projects. Since the injunction preventing implementation of the bicycle plan was lifted on Aug 6, 2010, these agencies have moved quickly. Six months later, at the end of January 2011, they had installed bicycle lanes on 11 miles of city streets.
, which runs daily between San Francisco and San Jose
, issued a Bicycle Access and Parking Plan on October 2, 2008. This plan aims to increase cycling to Caltrain stations, already at 8% of riders, by expanding bicycle access to trains and with additional bicycle parking at stations. Caltrain first allowed bicycles onboard in 1992 and has since made incremental improvements, most recently increasing bicycle capacity in 2009, from 32 to 40 bicycles on the older "gallery" train cars and from 16 to 24 bicycles on the newer Bombardier train cars.
None of the other agencies that serve San Francisco with public transit (BART
, Muni
, AC Transit
, SamTrans
) have improved bicycle access since the bicycle plan was adopted. Bicycle access is normally not a problem on AC Transit or SamTrans, as all of their buses are equipped with front-mounted bicycle racks. It is a major problem on BART, however, as full-sized (not folding) bicycles are not permitted during commute hours (7:05 am to 8:50 am and 4:25 pm to 6:45 pm) on BART trains in San Francisco. BART's 2002 Bicycle Access and Parking Plan contains no plans for changing this policy.
Bicycles have been allowed on the Golden Gate Bridge
since the mid-1970s, but have never had access to the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco with Oakland. Cyclists will have access to the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (between Yerba Buena Island
and Oakland) when it is completed in 2013, but there are no plans to allow bicycles to access the western span (between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island
).
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
on August 11, 2009. The overall goal of the plan is to "increase safe bicycle use" over an expected implementation timeline of 5 years. The plan recommends 60 near-term improvements to the bicycle route network, 52 of which are the addition of bicycle lanes to 34 miles of city streets to the already existing 45 miles of city streets with bicycle lanes.
History
San Francisco adopted a "Transit First" policy in 1973, identifying transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians as the city's top transportation priorities. It states that "Travel by public transit, by bicycle, and on foot must be an attractive alternative to travel by private automobile", "Decisions regarding the use of limited public street and sidewalk space shall encourage the use of public rights of way by pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit", and "Bicycling shall be promoted by encouraging safe streets for riding, convenient access to transit, bicycle lanes, and secure bicycle parking." In order to more specifically guide improvements to bicycle infrastructure, the first San Francisco Bicycle Plan was adopted in 1997, and led to the construction of many bicycle lanes and the installation of over 1,500 bicycle parking racks on sidewalks.An effort to update the 1997 plan was initiated in 2002 in order to qualify for funding from the California Bicycle Transportation Account (BTA) for bicycle facilities and programs. Public outreach to provide community input was led by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is a California 501 nonprofit public benefit corporation established to "transform San Francisco's streets and neighborhoods into more livable and safe places by promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation." Founded in 1971, dormant through much of the...
, and funded by a Caltrans Community Based Planning Grant. This community input included thousands of individuals and community groups in the planning process. The resulting 2005 San Francisco Bicycle Plan was adopted unanimously by the Board of Supervisors on June 7, 2005, but was issued a preliminary injunction by San Francisco Superior Court judge James Warren at the request of plan opponents in late June 2006. These groups argued that removing travel lanes and parking spaces for motor vehicles, as the bicycle plan proposed, could cause significant damage to the environment and therefore required an environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act
California Environmental Quality Act
The California Environmental Quality Act is a California statute passed in 1970, shortly after the United States federal government passed the National Environmental Policy Act , to institute a statewide policy of environmental protection...
. The injunction, which was upheld by San Francisco Superior Court judge Peter Busch on November 7, 2006, barred the city from implementing any of the projects described in the plan, including bicycle paths, lanes, or sharrow, until it completed a full Environmental Impact Report. This report was published in late 2008 and certified on June 25, 2009. The injunction against implementing the (now 2009) San Francisco Bicycle Plan was finally lifted by San Francisco Superior Court judge Peter Busch on August 6, 2010.
Goals
The 2009 San Francisco Bicycle Plan's overall goal is to "increase safe bicycle use". In addition, the plan has eight "chapter goals" intended to support the overall goal with specific action items.| Chapter | Chapter Title | Chapter Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bicycle Route Network | Refine and expand the existing bicycle route network |
| 2 | Bicycle Parking | Ensure plentiful, high-quality bicycle parking |
| 3 | Transit and Bridge Access | Expand bicycle access to transit and bridges |
| 4 | Education | Educate the public about bicycle safety |
| 5 | Enforcement and Safety | Improve bicycle safety through targeted enforcement |
| 6 | Promotion | Promote and encourage safe bicycling |
| 7 | Citywide Coordination | Adopt bicycle-friendly practices and policies |
| 8 | Bicycle Funding | Prioritize and increase bicycle funding |
Route network
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and the San Francisco Department of Public WorksSan Francisco Department of Public Works
The San Francisco Department of Public Works is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure...
(SFDPW) are responsible for implementing improvements to the bicycle route network. The SFMTA pursues bicycle project funding, and serves as the lead planning and engineering agency for bicycle projects, while the SFDPW contracts the construction of bicycle projects. Since the injunction preventing implementation of the bicycle plan was lifted on Aug 6, 2010, these agencies have moved quickly. Six months later, at the end of January 2011, they had installed bicycle lanes on 11 miles of city streets.
Parking
The SFMTA installs inverted-U bicycle parking racks at the request of businesses or residents on city sidewalks next to the street. This activity was not prevented under the 2006-2010 injunction, and the SFMTA continues to install and repair them when damaged, slowly increasing their number over time. Between August and December 2010, the SFMTA installed ten "bicycle corrals", which are groups of five to eight inverted-U racks located in the street next to the sidewalk, replacing one automobile parking space. These were installed at locations with a particularly high demand for bicycle parking, usually grocery stores or cafes.Transit and bridge access
While the 2005 San Francisco Bicycle Plan was under injunction, the commuter rail service CaltrainCaltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
, which runs daily between San Francisco and San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
, issued a Bicycle Access and Parking Plan on October 2, 2008. This plan aims to increase cycling to Caltrain stations, already at 8% of riders, by expanding bicycle access to trains and with additional bicycle parking at stations. Caltrain first allowed bicycles onboard in 1992 and has since made incremental improvements, most recently increasing bicycle capacity in 2009, from 32 to 40 bicycles on the older "gallery" train cars and from 16 to 24 bicycles on the newer Bombardier train cars.
None of the other agencies that serve San Francisco with public transit (BART
Bay Area Rapid Transit
Bay Area Rapid Transit is a rapid transit system serving the San Francisco Bay Area. The heavy-rail public transit and subway system connects San Francisco with cities in the East Bay and suburbs in northern San Mateo County. BART operates five lines on of track with 44 stations in four counties...
, Muni
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway is the public transit system for the city and county of San Francisco, California. In 2006, it served with an operating budget of about $700 million...
, AC Transit
AC Transit
AC Transit is an Oakland-based regional public transit agency serving the western half of Alameda County and parts of western Contra Costa County in the western, Bay-side area of the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area...
, SamTrans
SamTrans
SamTrans is a public transport agency in and around San Mateo, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. It provides bus service throughout San Mateo County and into portions of San Francisco and Palo Alto...
) have improved bicycle access since the bicycle plan was adopted. Bicycle access is normally not a problem on AC Transit or SamTrans, as all of their buses are equipped with front-mounted bicycle racks. It is a major problem on BART, however, as full-sized (not folding) bicycles are not permitted during commute hours (7:05 am to 8:50 am and 4:25 pm to 6:45 pm) on BART trains in San Francisco. BART's 2002 Bicycle Access and Parking Plan contains no plans for changing this policy.
Bicycles have been allowed on the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
since the mid-1970s, but have never had access to the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco with Oakland. Cyclists will have access to the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge (between Yerba Buena Island
Yerba Buena Island
Yerba Buena Island sits in the San Francisco Bay between San Francisco and Oakland, California. The Yerba Buena Tunnel runs through its center and connects the western and eastern spans of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. It has had several other names over the decades: Sea Bird Island, Wood...
and Oakland) when it is completed in 2013, but there are no plans to allow bicycles to access the western span (between San Francisco and Yerba Buena Island
Yerba Buena Island
Yerba Buena Island sits in the San Francisco Bay between San Francisco and Oakland, California. The Yerba Buena Tunnel runs through its center and connects the western and eastern spans of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. It has had several other names over the decades: Sea Bird Island, Wood...
).