We must slow our streets

The Slow Our Streets campaign

Since launching the Slow Our Streets campaign in 2020 with the support of our members, we have:

• Successfully passed legislation to allow lower speed limits and speed safety cameras. Walk SF worked on the passage of Assembly Bill 43 in 2021, which means San Francisco can now lower speed limits by 5 MPH on many types of streets (read more). After six years of multiple attempts at passing speed camera legislation, we celebrated in October 2023 when Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 645 allowing San Francisco and five other California cities to pilot speed cameras (read more).
• Released a groundbreaking report on speed in San Francisco. We surveyed more than 47 blocks across the city in every Supervisorial District in 2022 with the help of 50+ volunteers and community groups. This data, plus extensive research, led to Walk SF’s groundbreaking report outlining how our city can lead on ending dangerous speeds: Making San Francisco a ‘Safe Speeds City’: Solutions to Slow Our Streets and Save Lives.

In 2024, our Slow Our Streets campaign is focused on:

• Pushing the City to get speed cameras on our streets as quickly and strategically as possible. Read more.
• Ensuring the City takes a comprehensive and aggressive approach to addressing speed within its next Vision Zero strategy. The City’s current Vision Zero policy and action plan expire at the end of 2024.
• Holding the City to expanding 20 MPH speed limits to all eligible locations ASAP. Read more.
• Supporting state legislation that allows new speed-slowing solutions. Walk SF was a proud sponsor of Senate Bill 961, which would have required all cars and trucks manufactured or sold in California (except emergency vehicles and motorcycles) to give an audio and visual alert to drivers when they’re going more than 10 MPH above the speed limit, starting in 2030. Learn more.
• Lifting up stories about the true toll of dangerous speeds in the media and with city leaders. We need to build awareness and support for solutions to #SlowOurStreets. Especially through our work with San Francisco Bay Area Families for Safe Streets, we will tell the stories of those who have been directly affected by dangerous speeds in a variety of ways.
• Building a diverse, neighborhood-by-neighborhood movement to Slow Our Streets. We know that so much of what happens – or doesn’t happen – with traffic safety is a matter of political will. We will build the strength of our movement through community organizing and new partnerships. Together, we can show that loud and clear, San Francisco wants to #SlowOurStreets!

How you can help Slow Our Streets

We will have a wide range of ways you can get involved in our campaign in 2024. Make sure you’re signed up to get our newsletter.

And as a small nonprofit working to do big things, your financial support is also really needed for this campaign!

Questions? Contact Marta Lindsey at marta@walksf.org.