San Francisco to redesign Valencia Street's controversial bike lane
The controversial center bike lane on Valencia Street that divided business owners and cyclists is moving back to the curb.
SFMTA approved a new design for the lane Tuesday. Christopher John De La Cruz, a long-time cyclist, said the decision couldn't have come fast enough.
"When they moved the bike lane like in the middle, like, at first I was, I was excited because, you know, OK, that seems pretty cool," De La Cruz said. "It's, like, a lot more streamlined. But then as time went on, like, it got pretty tedious, because I have to wait for the traffic light so I can just go in the middle."
De La Cruz said the center lane was a good idea in theory, but not so much in practice. He told KPIX that navigating the traffic lights, pedestrians and left turns specifically made for a much more dangerous commute. Additionally, he feels like traditional bike lanes near the curb are much easier for drivers to understand.
"I think it's safer to the side, because you only have to look out for, like, one side of the road, because there's cars to just to your left," said De La Cruz. "Yeah, it's always to your left, compared to being in the middle, you know, you have to look out for the ones to your left."
After nearly three hours of public comment, the SFMTA board approved a plan to restore two-lane traffic and push the bike lanes to the curb of Valencia Street at 15th and 23rd. Parklets and parking spaces will act as a barrier for cyclists using the new bike lane. In total, the new design will keep 26 parklets in place, the rest will be relocated in January when construction begins.
Some cyclists who attended the meeting are still worried that the side lanes won't be safe. But some business owners praised the decision.
Leah Martin, the owner of Nowhere, a clothing store on Valencia, said the center bike lane is a headache for some businesses along the strip who say the lane complicated parking for customers. While she says her business will be OK, she hopes the new lane will reduce some of the frustration.
Ultimately, she said there are pros and cons to each design.
"I don't think there's going to be any perfect solution for this problem. And I think that no matter what, someone's going to be upset with the result," Martin said.
Construction on the lane will begin in January and is expected to take about two to three months to complete.