Connecting Post Street to Downtown

Post Street is a missing link in the Citywide Bike Network. Existing bike lanes on Post (from Presidio to Steiner) abruptly stop at the boundary of Japantown.

Continuing the bike lanes along Post Street all the way to downtown is the logical choice to create a network of safe streets for bicyclists. It's the flattest street in the area, the most direct route downtown and connects to a roomy diamond lane at Octavia.

Plus, the current street allocation on Post Street (of two lanes east-bound, and one lane west-bound) facilitates speeding cars using Post as a short-cut from Geary Street. Department of Parking and Traffic engineers have determined that removing one travel lane would not create congestion and would provide enough space for safe bicycle lanes.

Removing this third travel lane would also benefit the many seniors who live in the area, particularly at the intersection of Post and Laguna. If a traffic lane is removed there would be enough space to install a concrete pedestrian safety island at the crest of the hill. This improvement would greatly benefit seniors who live in the high-rise senior housing on either side of this heavily crossed intersection.

Unfortunately, vocal opposition from Japantown merchants and some community groups have delayed the striping of bike lanes on Post Street. We will continue to work with community members to find a solution that works for as many stakeholders as possible.

Continued Outreach

We will continue outreach to Japantown merchants, residents and seniors to build support for bike lanes on Post Street or to find an alternative solution. One compromise that could work well for all stakeholders is simply removing a lane of traffic on Post Street, without striping bike lanes. This extra space would act as a safe buffer for bicyclists, provide room for a pedestrian island at Laguna and meet concerns from merchants about rampant double-parking of delivery trucks.

Speak Japanese?

We particularly need help from volunteers who live in Japantown and also help with translation of materials into Japanese. Of course, everyone who rides on Post Street and wants to make it safer for everyone is very welcome to join us!

If interested in connecting this link in the Citywide Bike Network, contact Andy Thornley at 431-BIKE x307 or andy@sfbike.org.