How Do You Solve A Problem Like Scott Street?

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Scott Street?Photo: Reader Brett G.
Andrew Dudley
Published on August 28, 2014
So far this year, we've reported on a cyclist getting hit at Oak and Scott, an SUV crashing into two parked cars on Scott near Haight, and a Muni bus and CPMC shuttle colliding at Haight and Scott. 

That last incident occurred just a week ago, but since then we've gotten two more reports of accidents on Scott -- one on Thursday in which a bicyclist and car crashed at Scott and Haight (thought it's unclear which crashed into which), and one yesterday in which two cars collided at Scott and Page (pictured above).

Fortunately, the only injuries in these incidents were minor ones. However, this is an awful lot of dangerous action for one supposedly low-speed street.

For the last year or so, the city has been exploring options to calm traffic on the street. The thinking is that drivers -- much like bicyclists on the Wiggle -- are rushing down sleepy lil' Scott Street to get across the neighborhood, and that's causing problems. From the SFMTA's website:

"Motorists who drive through a neighborhood – rather than to a local destination – can cause congestion on residential streets. The City proposes restricting traffic on Scott Street to make it more comfortable for residents, bicycle riders and pedestrians."
Specifically, the SFMTA wants to "reduce Scott Street's appeal as a cross-town route" by installing an extra-large bulbout at the southwest corner of Fell and Scott, which would prevent auto traffic from entering the street from the north:



SFMTA planner Miriam Sorell tells us that the project is now in the environmental review phase.  According to the most recent timeline, that review is expected to last into 2015, with construction starting thereafter.  So, the earliest we would likely see any changes on the street would be some time in 2016.

Will these changes reduce the kinds of crashes that have become all too frequent on Scott Street lately? What else could be done to improve traffic safety in the area? Let us know what you think in the comments. In the meantime, stay safe out there, folks.