How To Curb Upper Market's Double-Parking Problem?

How To Curb Upper Market's Double-Parking Problem?Photo: Brian Ray/Hoodline
Steven Bracco
Published on November 18, 2015

Tonight at 7pm, you're invited to join the SFMTA at Sanchez Elementary School (325 Sanchez St.) for a "curb management workshop," where discussion will focus on how unsafe habits like double-parking might be curtailed with better-designed vehicle parking and loading, bicycle parking and passenger drop-off" areas. 

Back in August, you may have noticed changes to crosswalks at some of the busiest intersections in the Castro, including new curbside "safety zones" that carve out space at 16th & Noe, 15th & Sanchez, and 14th & Church along Market Street. These changes are a part of the city's Vision Zero initiative to eliminate all traffic fatalities by 2024.

The safety zones and other quick fixes aren't the end of what SFMTA has planned along Market Street, however. The agency is still working to implement "important safety improvements on Market Street between Castro Street and Octavia Boulevard for people walking, riding bikes, and driving vehicles."

Image: SFMTA

SFMTA's Public Relations Officer Ben Jose tells us that one of the major community concerns that will be addressed during the workshop is the prevalence of double-parking in the area. The SFMTA be looking to improve safety "by using tools like improved loading and drop-off zones and metered spaces to make our curbs work more efficiently for everyone," he said.

Double-parking along the Upper Market Street corridor and across the city is a common complaint. District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, who's been a longtime advocate against the practice, recently posted a photo to Facebook of a delivery truck doing just that. "This situation is all too common in San Francisco—delivery trucks (and other vehicles, including cabs, ride shares, and private autos) double parking and blocking traffic and bike lanes even though there's plenty of available parking by the curb or even a loading zone," he wrote.

Image: Supervisor Scott Wiener/Facebook

Wiener continues to call on the SFMTA for more enforcement. "There's remarkably little double parking enforcement in San Francisco, and that needs to change. As the city gets more congested, effective traffic management and enforcement takes on added importance."

The SFMTA's Upper Market Street Safety Project will continue to tackle a variety of issues impacting pedestrian, bike and vehicle traffic in the area. As we noted in July, "mid-term" changes will focus on bicycle lane improvements, signal timing, and intersection guidelines, while long-term changes could involve crosswalk realignment, concrete "bulb-outs," and a parking protected bicycle lane.

If you've got opinions, bring them to tonight's meeting, and/or chime in in the comments below.