PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2025

CONTACT: Marta Lindsey, Communications Director, Walk San Francisco, (617) 833-7654 (cell), marta@walksf.org

City will kick off ‘daylighting’ citywide on Monday with District 5 Supervisor Mahmood

Community groups and neighbors celebrate major safety improvement for all intersections

WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 12:00-12:30PM 

WHERE: The intersection of Broderick and Hayes Streets in the Panhandle neighborhood

WHAT: District Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, the SFMTA, Walk San Francisco, and District 5 residents will celebrate the start of ‘daylighting’ being painted in District 5 and then at all intersections citywide. There will be a ceremonial curb-painting to kick off the work of the SFMTA Paint crew.

Daylighting prevents parking at certain parts of the intersection to ensure clear sightlines for everyone.

A new California daylighting law means it’s now illegal for drivers to park within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk at the corners where vehicles face the crosswalk.

The SFMTA is painting daylighting zones with red paint at intersections citywide so drivers know not to park there and this important safety solution can help prevent crashes.

The SFMTA has completed daylighting all school zones in San Francisco before moving onto the rest of the city. 

Walk SF strongly supports the SFMTA’s commitment to paint daylighting at every intersection by the end of 2026 so drivers know to not park in daylighting zones – and our city streets are made significantly safer. 

VISUALS:   

• Brief speaking program with District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, SFMTA Director of Streets Viktoriya Wise, and Walk SF’s communications director Marta Lindsey 
• A ceremonial painting of the curb by Supervisor Mahmood and SFMTA Director of Streets Viktoriya Wise
• Zoe the Zebra, Walk SF’s mascot for safe intersections 
• Neighbors holding signs celebrating safer intersections and daylighting 

ATTENDING: 

• Bilal Mahmood, District 5 Supervisor
• Viktoriya Wise, SFMTA Director of Streets
• Marta Lindsey, Communications Director, Walk San Francisco
• District 5 residents 

BACKGROUND: 

Every day, an average of three people are hit while walking in San Francisco. The vast majority of these crashes happen in the intersection. 

One of the best ways to make sure people are safe at intersections is called ‘daylighting.’ Daylighting prevents parking at certain parts of the intersection to ensure clear sightlines for drivers and pedestrians. 

When there aren’t clear sightlines, it is very dangerous. Pedestrians are forced to step into the crosswalk without being able to see if it’s safe to do so. Daylighting helps drivers, too – and not just with seeing pedestrians, but also being able to see approaching vehicles.

Daylighting reduces traffic crashes by 30%. Learn more about daylighting. 

In 2024, 42 people were killed in traffic crashes in San Francisco, the highest number since 2007. More than 500 were severely injured in traffic crashes.

As vehicles get significantly bigger and taller, daylighting is even more crucial to prevent crashes. The average American passenger vehicle is now 8 inches taller than it was three decades ago. SUVs and trucks are now the dominant type of vehicle, making up almost 75% of the market share. This means that it’s more difficult for drivers to see pedestrians when cars are parked all the way to the intersection. 

SOCIAL MEDIA

#ILoveSafeIntersections #VisionZeroSF @walksf 

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Walk San Francisco (‘Walk SF’) advocates for safe streets for everyone who walks, which is everyone. Since our founding in 1998, Walk SF has been leading the way to make San Francisco a pedestrian-first city where people of every age and ability can walk safely. Learn more.