Walk San Francisco

SF Chronicle Editorial: Fund the Pedestrian Strategy!

elizabeth — Sat, 11 May 2013 01:40:16 +0000

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.

Please take a minute to support Walk SF to get the new Pedestrian Strategy funded and implemented. Help hold the City accountable to deliver on its new plan and prevent more pedestrian deaths.

S.F. streets can be dangerous

May 10, 2013

San Francisco likes to think of itself as the most walkable city in the country.

Just be careful crossing the street downtown. Or South of Market. Or in Chinatown. Or on 19th or Van Ness avenues.

Too many people are dying or suffering serious injury just trying to navigate the streets of San Francisco on foot. In this tiny walkers’ paradise, eight pedestrians have been run down fatally in just the first four months of the year. [Note: nine people have actually been killed so far. - Walk SF]

Argument over who is the most careless, the pedestrian or the motorist, is endless and pointless. But some practical steps can be taken to save lives, and the city finally is starting to take them.

None too soon, Mayor Ed Lee has ordered physical improvements and strategic moves designed to make the walking environment safer. Some of the work is happening already:

Forty-four miles of the most accident-prone streets will be upgraded, 5 miles a year through 2021.

Where appropriate, many of the busiest intersections will be “bulbed-out” – sidewalks at street corners will be widened to make it harder for drivers to make turns at unsafe speeds and shorten the distance walkers must cover to make it to the other side of the street. Other safety measures: highly visible crosswalks, wider sidewalks, lengthening the time of “walk” signals (just a couple of seconds would make a big difference), walk signals that tell pedestrians how much time they have and audible walk signals.

The duration of walk signals will be increased at 800 intersections – the city found that the average pedestrian walks more slowly than the length of time the signal says it’s OK to walk, and in a city where speed limits often are ignored, that’s dangerous.

Efforts will be made to improve safety around schools and senior centers – kids and seniors are among the most vulnerable pedestrians. Crosswalks will get heightened visibility at schools (bright yellow) and senior centers (bright white). Walk signals will be timed to the walking pace of those folks – children and the elderly just walk more slowly than everybody else.

To make the improvements easier, Supervisor Scott Wiener recently introduced legislation to require cooperation among the many city departments involved in any changes in streets. His measure is scheduled to come before a board committee soon.

San Francisco consistently ranks near the top among large cities in the number of pedestrian deaths. The safety of its citizens ought to be the city’s highest priority.

The success of this initiative depends a lot on the cooperation of all those city departments, and not much political discussion will be required. But the Board of Supervisors has an important role to play.

Reconstructing streets costs money. For two more years, a voter-approved bond will pay for some of the work, and some grant money is still available. But that’s just a beginning, and in the long run, these are unreliable sources of funding.

Supervisors, a plan of action has been launched, and lives are at stake. A solid capital investment to support this vital work is the next important step.

As the mayor likes to say: “Everybody is a pedestrian at some point.”

Investigative Report Exposes How Rarely Drivers Who Kill or Injure Pedestrians Are Charged

natalie — Wed, 01 May 2013 18:07:22 +0000

An in-depth analysis from the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) finds that Bay Area drivers who kill pedestrians rarely face any punishment. The analysis reviewed collision data from 2007 through 2011 for five largest Bay Area counties. The report reveals that one-third of pedestrians killed were walking in a crosswalk when they were struck – three times the national average.

Majority of drivers responsible for pedestrian deaths faced no criminal charges during a five-year period from 2007-2011 in the largest Bay Area counties.

During the same five year period studied, the analysis for San Francisco, San Mateo, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Santa Clara counties, also uncovered the disturbing fact that sixty percent of drivers that were at fault, or suspected of being at fault, faced no criminal charges.

Even when drivers were charged for speeding, running stops signs, or not yielding to a pedestrian’s right of way, punishments were extremely light. Over 40 percent of drivers charged did not lose their driver’s licenses, even temporarily.

Listen to an archived radio discussion of this report with Walk San Francisco’s Elizabeth Stampe, California WALKS’ David Grant, San Francisco Dept. of Public Health’s Rajiv Bhatia, and CIR video producer Adithya Sambamurthy on KQED’s Forum.

DEMAND ENFORCEMENT
With pedestrian deaths making up a quarter of traffic fatalities in the Bay Area – a rate outpaced only by New York and Los Angeles – it is clear that the local police and District Attorney are not holding criminally-responsible drivers accountable.

If the City is to meet the goal set in the Mayor’s recently-released Pedestrian Strategy to reduce serious or fatal pedestrian injuries by 25 percent by 2016 and 50 percent by 2021, it will require more than physical improvements alone. The City must step up strategic and targeted police enforcement to put an end to the 20 deaths a year that are a result of walking.

Help Walk SF demand that the SFPD use data to prevent traffic crimes — just like any other crimes — on high-injury corridors and fast roadways like Van Ness, Sloat Boulevard, 19th Avenue, Geary Boulevard, 6th Street, and Ocean Avenu.

Nine people have already been killed by cars this year. The media don’t report it. The police and DA don’t act on it. Without Walk SF, you might not even know this tragic statistic. Only your support will build the pressure needed to put an end to these preventable deaths.

Don’t let the City get away with inaction; tell the police to enforce the laws that protect you, your family, and your friends when you walk.

Join or renew as a Walk SF member today.

Polk Street: A Walk on the Risky Side

natalie — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 22:05:33 +0000

Polk and Bush, photo by Carlos Avila Gonzalez (SF Chronicle)

Did you know that Polk Street is one of the most dangerous in the city for walking?

According to the Mayor’s recently-released Pedestrian Strategy, Polk Street has some of San Francisco’s highest rates of speeding cars and drivers failing to yield to people in crosswalks.

With its diversity of shops and restaurants, and dynamic block-by-block character, Polk Street could be a wonderful place to walk – if it were made safer for everyone who uses it.

Read more about this important commercial corridor and SFMTA’s proposed safety improvements in Walk SF’s story in the SF Chronicle.

Then, help ensure SFMTA adopts a strong investment plan that will have the potential to transform Polk, like Valencia, to bring more foot traffic to local businesses and create a safer, more vibrant atmosphere for all.

Attend one of the upcoming community meetings to speak up for sidewalk extensions, more trees and greening, calmer traffic, and safer crossings:

Polk Street Improvement Project
Sat 10 a.m.-1 p.m. OR
Tue, 5-8:30 p.m. Tuesday
First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall, 1300 Polk St.

For more information, visit www.SFMTA.com/Polk or email darcie.lim@sftma.com.

City Marks Walk to Work Day with Release of Pedestrian Strategy

natalie — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:36:47 +0000

Thank you for making the nation’s first Walk to Work Day such a huge success!

On Friday, April 12 pedestrian foot traffic increased by 20% in San Francisco! Neighborhoods like the Civic Center, SoMa, and South Beach showed significant gains as over 2,000 participants spoke up for better walking. People, including nine of eleven Supervisors, shared their experiences and photos online, or stopped at one of the five official hubs including Ritual, Réveille Coffee Co., Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Philz Coffee, and the Paramount Group and Starbucks.

Walk to Work Day contest winners included Donna Ashizawa, who walked 8.11 miles to claim the “Longest Distance Walked” prize. The Department of the Environment’s staff garnered the “Golden Millipede” for the “Most Employees Participating” challenge. Other winners for the “Most Interesting Sight” and the “Best Shoe Bling” were also recognized during the happy hour at Show Dogs.

Mayor Ed Lee and Walk SF's Elizabeth Stampe on Walk to Work Day © William Mercer McLeod www.williammercermcleod.com

But more than simply encouraging the most healthy and sustainable form of transportation, Walk to Work Day was organized to raise awareness about street safety.

With seven pedestrians who have already been killed by cars this year, it is critical to focus public attention on the more than 800 preventable collisions and dozens of deaths annually that plague the city.

As a result of the Walk to Work Day coverage, Walk SF members set the stage for Mayor Ed Lee to announce San Francisco’s long-awaited Pedestrian Strategy. The Mayor – together with Police Chief Suhr, SFMTA, DPW, and the Department of Public Health – unveiled a clear, concise and measurable plan to reduce the number of serious and fatal pedestrian injuries by half in the next ten years.

Now it’s time to hold the city leaders; feet to the fire by demanding action to fix the most dangerous 44 miles of roadway in San Francisco.

Please join or renew as a member today to hold the city accountable to funding and implementing the Pedestrian Strategy they released on Walk to Work Day.

Your membership will ensure the city’s goals to reduce pedestrian injuries 25% by 2016, and 50% by 2021 are met!

Speak up for safer streets now.

Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor The Paramount Group, Inc., the Supporting Sponsor New Balance and sponsors TMASF Connects, GJEL, Lennar and FunCheapSF.

Speak Up for Safer Streets at the Citywide Pedestrian Safety Hearing

natalie — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:23:04 +0000

Keep the City Accountable to Improve Street Safety

Keep up the momentum beyond Walk to Work Day! On Monday, Supervisor Jane Kim will hold a citywide pedestrian safety hearing.

Join Walk SF and community members to demand much-needed fixes on the city’s most dangerous streets. Two weeks ago, on the Embarcadero, a 7-year old girl had her legs crushed by a garbage truck as she walked in the crosswalk with her grandparents. Crashes like this and the one on Sloat that killed 17-year-old Hanren Chang’s are preventable.

Across San Francisco there are too many streets that feel like freeways and drivers who don’t yield to people (and don’t face consequences).

Demand the fixes needed to prevent more tragedies:

Citywide Pedestrian Safety Hearing
Land Use and Economic Development Committee (agenda here)
Monday, April 15
1:30 p.m.
City Hall, Room 250

What are city agencies doing to redesign streets for safer speeds? Are the police even tracking the number of people who get hit? What are they doing to enforce the laws that should keep you safe in the crosswalk? Hear from city agencies and tell your own story.

If you can’t attend the hearing, send your feedback:

Call or email Supervisor Kim at (415) 554-7970 or Jane.Kim@sfgov.org. You can also email Supervisor Wiener and Supervisor Chiu, both on the committee as well, at Scott.Wiener@sfgov.org andDavid.Chiu@sfgov.org.

Join the growing movement for a more walkable, livable city. Start or renew your Walk SF membership as a Sustainer; $10 a month will help win change on the streets!

Walker Profiles: Wayne Myers-Taylor

natalie — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 02:27:20 +0000

Photo copyright Taj Washington

Walk to Work Day is Friday, April 12. In the lead up to the big day, we talked with San Franciscans who already walk to their workplace or wherever they spend their day.

In our next installment of Walker Profiles, we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Myers-Taylor who walks to work in SOMA from Upper Haight each day.

How did you decide to start walking from work?

My cholesterol was high; I needed more exercise — and I got tired of running in place at the gym. So I got a pedometer, and decided that I was going to get to 10,000 steps a day, come hell or high water.

What is your favorite part about walking home from work?

Looking at the architecture and the amazing scenery! It’s great to spend some time at a slower pace. I actually prefer walking to biking because I get time to think, instead of rushing to where I need to go. Plus, as a new-ish resident, walking really helps me learn the city layout.

What challenges have you faced when walking to work? How do you overcome them?

No traffic lights! I come from New York City, and it’s traffic lights everywhere, and vehicles obey them (mostly). Here in SF, I’m constantly dueling with cars making “rolling stops,” or bicycles that don’t stop at all. So I find that I have to stay aware at all intersections.

Do you have regular stops on your walk? Regular people you interact with?

I do say “hello” to a regular crew of dogwalkers on Page Street, and a Sikh man that I encounter walking in the opposite direction. When I get bored, I switch routes — Page one day, Hayes another, and sometimes I cut through Duboce Park and take 16th all the way to SOMA.

What’s your favorite walk story/experience?

There’s a kid’s vendor stand on Noe, near Henry. It looks like the makeshift wooden counter from “Peanuts” where Lucy dished out advice for five cents. Anyway, I think there were kids selling lemonade from it once, but they left the stand behind, and every couple of days, someone writes a new item for sale across the top in chalk. First is was cookies for five cents, then bike repair, dream analysis, Lego building help, and so on.

It’s fun seeing random creativity in action.

Thanks Wayne for sharing your story with us! Are you already walking to work? Tell us about your experiences here.

Interested in walking to work on Friday, April 12? Learn about Walk to Work Day contests, drawing prizes and Hubs near you for FREE coffee and pre-loaded Clipper cards at walk2workday.org.

Walk to Work on Friday, April 12

natalie — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:21:14 +0000

Be a part of the nation’s first official Walk to Work Day!

Join the celebration: It takes walking just 15 minutes of your commute to be counted! Walk and share your photos and experiences using the #Walk2Work hashtag on Twitter and Instagram.

Get fit: A half-hour walk a day, reduces health risks, improves your mood — and lengthens your life, too!
Go green: By choosing to walk for short trips instead of driving, you can help reduce San Francisco’s carbon emissions by 800,000 pounds a year.
Bring friends: Download a FREE employer toolkit of resources (Poster, Benefits, Pedestrian Rights and the Law, New Balance discount and more!) to build the movement for a more walkable, livable city.

How to participate on Friday, April 12:

1. Head to a Hub: Stop by one of Walk SF’s official Walk to Work Day Hubs to get your sticker, enter to win prizes, and fuel up with coffee, treats and a FREE Clipper card pre-loaded with a ride home.

Just say ”I’m walking to work today” or show your sticker to enjoy these special offers, valid that day only 7:30 to 10 a.m. (while supplies last) at the following hubs:

Paramount Group, Inc.: Free Clif Bars and Starbucks coffee, corner of Market Street and Spear
Ritual Coffee Roasters: Free coffee for first 150 participants, Octavia Street at Hayes
Réveille Coffee Co.: Free coffee for first 50 participants, Columbus Avenue at Kearny
Peet’s Coffee and Tea: $1 off coupons, Market at Second Street
Philz Coffee: 10% off all coffee drinks, 24th Street at Folsom

Find more businesses offering treats and discounts like 10% off Sports Basement at Bryant and for New Balance at Shoes-n-Feet on Walk to Work Day on this map.

Plus, while you’re walking, treat yourself to the quintessential Walk to Work Day, Spotify playlist.

2. Walk and share! Share your photos and experiences on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the #Walk2Work hashtag. This enters you for more prizes! Be sure to like or follow Walk SF on Facebook and Twitter so we can let you know you’ve won.

3. Celebrate: Afterward, stop by the Walk to Work Day happy hour and get another chance to win prizes in drawings and the contests for “Longest Walking Commute,” “Most Interesting Sight,” “Best Shoe Bling,” and “Most Employees Participating.” To compete, share your entries on Twitter, Instagram with the #walk2work hashtag, or post on Walk SF’s Facebook page.

Walk to Work Day Happy Hour:
Show Dogs
Friday April 12, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Market Street at Taylor

Oh yes, you’ll have earned your beer.

Special Update:

Join Mayor Ed Lee and nine Supervisors who will be participating in Walk to Work Day, making all or part of the morning commute on foot from hubs throughout the city. Find your local neighborhood event, then meet up with your District Supervisor to enjoy coffee and walk together. Find all participating hubs on this map.

D1 Supervisor Eric Mar: Cinderella Bakery, Balboa Street, 7:45 a.m.
D2 Supervisor Mark Farrell: Peet’s Coffee, 2197 Fillmore at California, 8:00 a.m.
D3 Supervisor David Chiu: Réveille, 200 Columbus Ave at Kearny, 8:30 a.m.
D4 Supervisor Katy Tang will join Sup. Breed at Ritual, Octavia at Hayes, 8:45 a.m.
D5 Supervisor London Breed: Ritual Coffee, 432B Octavia Street at Hayes, 8:45 a.m.
D8 Supervisor Scott Wiener: Peet’s Coffee, 2257 Market at Castro, 9:00 a.m.
D9 Supervisor David Campos: Philz Coffee, 24^th Street at Folsom, 8:30 a.m.
D10 Supervisor Malia Cohen will join Sup. Breed at Ritual, Octavia at Hayes, 8:45 a.m.
D11 Supervisor John Avalos: Mamá Art Cafe, 4754 Mission at Persia, 7:00 a.m.

Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor The Paramount Group, Inc., the Supporting Sponsor New Balance and sponsors TMASF Connects, GJEL, Lennar and FunCheapSF.

Walker Profiles: Meet Kristina

Meghan — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 20:56:21 +0000

Photo Courtesy of Kristina Johnson

Walk to Work Day is this Friday, April 12. Leading up to the big day, we talked with San Franciscans who already walk to their workplace or wherever they spend their day.

In our next installment of Walker Profiles, we’d like to introduce you to Kristina Johnson who walks from work in the Inner Sunset to Noe Valley each day.

How did you decide to start walking from work?

I decided that I could get some aerobic exercise and alone time if I ditched the bus for walking. There are some hills, nice scenery and a spectacular view from Market street that makes me feel like it’s a treat, not a chore.

What is your favorite part about walking home from work?

I really enjoy seeing everything at a walking pace (albeit a brisk pace!); the houses, little sidewalk gardens, birds flying overhead. It’s a very soothing way to end my hectic workday. The added benefits have been weight loss, better sleep at night and better concentration.

What challenges have you faced when walking to work? How do you overcome them?

The traffic can be a bear and that one crazy intersection on Market street is dangerous! There is a button to trigger the pedestrian crossing, but sometimes cars ignore it and go speeding down the hill; I have to WATCH constantly! The intersection at Parnassus and Cole is always crowded too, and people don’t seem to know when it’s their turn to go.

I generally keep back from the crosswalk until I see it’s pretty clear and I get across as quickly as I can. Crosswalks are not the best part of my walk, that’s for sure!

Do you have regular stops on your walk? Regular people you interact with?

I walk through completely residential neighborhoods so, I don’t really see anyone. It’s kind of like a “walking meditation” in that regard…no stopping to chat with merchants or anything fun like that, but still a really nice activity.

Thanks Kristina for sharing your story with us! Are you already walking to work? Tell us about your experiences here.

Interested in walking to work on Friday, April 12? Learn about Walk to Work Day contests, drawing prizes and Hubs near you for FREE coffee and pre-loaded Clipper cards at walk2workday.org.

Walker Profiles: Meet Thien

Meghan — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 17:25:21 +0000

Photo courtesy of Thien Lam

Walk to Work Day is just around the corner on Friday, April 12. Leading up to the big day, we talked with San Franciscans who already walk to their workplace or wherever they spend their day.

In our second installment of Walker Profiles, we’d like to introduce you to Thien Lam who walks from the Mission to downtown each day.

How did you decide to start walking to work?

I wanted to get some exercise that was practical at the same time I was doing my commute.

What is your favorite part about walking to work?

Listening to music on my headphones and zoning out.

What challenges have you faced when walking to work? How do you overcome them?

I wore a bad of pair of sneakers one day and got terrible blisters. I don’t wear those sneakers anymore.

Please share your favorite “Walking to Work” story.

No specific story, but I have bumped into friends on the way home from work on a couple of occasions and ended up going out for dinner or to the movies, which made for nice serendipitous and spontaneous moments. This could feasibly happen to anyone, at anytime, but it seems the probability would increase the more time you spend walking around.

Thanks Thien for sharing your story with us! Are you already walking to work? Tell us about your experiences here.

Interested in walking to work on Friday, April 12? Learn about Walk to Work Day contests, drawing prizes and Hubs near you for FREE coffee and pre-loaded Clipper cards at walk2workday.org.

Supervisor Yee Wants to Put Pedestrian Safety First; You Can Help

natalie — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:49:06 +0000

Join Walk SF and other community members in demanding the much needed fixes for Monterey Boulevard, the area around Glen Park BART, Sloat, and many other wide, dangerous streets.

District 7 is home to a number of dangerous streets. Most recently, there have been two terrible crashes here: the tragic death of Lowell high school student Hanren Chang, and the serious injury of a pedestrian near the West Portal MUNI station.

If you have experiences to share about walking in District 7, please share them:

D7 Pedestrian Safety Hearing

Thursday, April 4
10 a.m.

City Hall Room 250

Supervisor Norman Yee has made pedestrian safety his first order of business for his district: West Portal, Parkside, St. Francis Wood, Forest Hill, Ingleside Terrace, Sunnyside, and Park Merced – this is your chance tell demand the fixes needed to prevent more tragedies:

Share your experiences with dangerous streets like Monterey, Portola Drive, 19th Avenue, Ocean, Sunset, and Lake Merced Boulevard
Speak up for street safety improvements in District 7

If you can’t attend the hearing, send your feedback: call the District 7 office at (415) 554-6516 or email Supervisor Yee at Norman.Yee@sfgov.org.

For detailed, live updates on the hearing, contact jon@friendsofmontereyblvd.org or follow @MontereyBlvdSF on Twitter.