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| Towards a complete bike network and a bike-friendly city
In June 2009, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) adopted the 2009 San Francisco Bicycle Plan and gave the green light to 45 Bike Lane Projects. This decision represents years of work by San Francisco Bicycle Coalition staff, members and volunteers.
The Bicycle Plan is a five-year master plan and ambitious roadmap meant to boost biking to new heights of safety and convenience. The Bike Plan outlines 60 improvement projects and long-term opportunities for bike route upgrades. What's Next?
The 2009 Bike Plan calls for:
The SFMTA develops and maintains the Bike Plan as part of the City's transportation system, collaborating with other agencies and the community (including, of course, the SFBC). The City adopted its first Bike Plan in 1997 and developed and adopted an updated Bike Plan in 2005, although a legal challenge to the environmental review conducted for that Plan has tied up the implementation of any physical improvements to the Bike Network, including bike lanes, bike parking racks, and route signage, since June 2006.
Of course, traffic engineering for more bikeable streets is important, but it's not enough by itself. The 2009 Bike Plan also spells out policies and actions for bike parking, bicycle-related law enforcement, bicycle education (for cyclists and motorists), bicycle parking, transit access, and other improvements to the overall bicycling environment. Coordination and collaboration by SFMTA with other public agencies and community groups will be essential to assure success in implementing the Bike Plan's many elements, but the payoff will be tremendous. With the Bike Plan and its short-term Bike Network improvements approved and implemented, we'll be moving in the right direction again, towards an even more bike-friendly city with a "complete" bike network where anyone from age 8 to 80 can feel safe riding a bike, with ample secure bike parking, effective education of all road users (including cyclists), enforcement efforts focused on dangerous behavior and right-of-way respect, and encouragement for those who'd like to try biking. It's good for the environment, it's good for the economy, it's good for our health. And it's fun! ⇒ review the Draft San Francisco Bicycle Plan ⇒ review the Environmental Impact Report for the SF Bicycle Plan ⇒ review a timeline of the SF Bike Plan ⇒ request a sidewalk bike rack or report other Bike Network problems or needs to the City with our Bike Network Fix It form | |||||||||