Raised crosswalks may be coming to the Lower Haight, as part of a safety measure to make the neighborhood more pedestrian-friendly. A hearing this Friday will determine whether the crosswalks will be constructed. 

If the five-inch raised crosswalks are improved, they'll be installed on Page Street (the west side crosswalk at Pierce), Pierce Street (the north crosswalk at Waller), Waller Street (the west side crosswalk at Steiner) and Steiner Street (the south crosswalk at Hermann).

"Raised crosswalks bring the level of the roadway to that of the sidewalk, forcing vehicles to slow before passing over the crosswalk and providing a level pedestrian path of travel from curb to curb," Ben Jose from the SFMTA told us. "They also increase visibility of people walking and crossing."

The proposed crosswalks are part of the Wiggle Green Corridor project, which received approval from the SFMTA Board of Directors last November. The project plans to construct bulb-outs, raised crosswalks and rain gardens to increase walkability in the neighborhood, and reduce stormwater waste around the Wiggle.

The SFMTA is holding a public hearing on the crosswalks this Friday, February 12th, at 10am in room 416 at City Hall. If the project is approved, construction is slated to begin in September 2016, and last approximately a year.