“Good bike infrastructure gets more people biking.” It’s a simple rule that has been proven right time and time again across our city.
San José Avenue’s turn to affirm this rule came last June with the implementation of the first phase of the San José Avenue Road Diet Pilot Project, stretching from the I-280 off-ramp to Randall Street along the Bernal Cut. The first phase of safety improvements, which removed one lane of traffic on San José and separated people biking from cars with a buffer, have resulted in a 62% increase in the number of people biking* in the peak afternoon hours, an incredible change that shows the power of streets that make people feel safe.
The San José Avenue Road Diet Pilot Project returned San José Avenue to its condition before the 1989 earthquake, restoring a critical connection between the Glen Park, Excelsior and Bernal Heights neighborhoods and the rest of the city. The second phase of this project, completed this week, aims to further reduce vehicle speeds making biking even safer by merging the two off-ramp lanes into a single lane.
The result of more than 20 years of community advocacy, the San José Avenue Road Diet Pilot Project has closed a critical gap in our bike network and brought us closer to our Connecting the City vision. Help us make this pilot project permanent today by sending a support email today or signing this petition created by a fellow member.
* A previous version of this post quoted incorrect data from the SFMTA, which stated there was a 651% increase in biking.
