Note: GJEL Accident Attorneys regularly sponsors coverage on Streetsblog San Francisco and Streetsblog California. Unless noted in the story, GJEL Accident Attorneys is not consulted for the content or editorial direction of the sponsored content.

“I don’t want to die,” said San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Janelle Wong. Under the pressure of a one-minute time limit for public comment, the long-time advocate was forced to boil down the reason for asking the San Francisco Board of Supervisors Tuesday to approve Mayor London Breed’s legislation to permanently ban automobile traffic on a portion of the western half of JFK Drive. “I don’t want to be mutilated.”

Ultimately, the majority of the supervisors heard that stark statement and the stories from many other people who called in or came to speak who told stories of getting hit by motorists while walking and biking in San Francisco, including on JFK before it became car-free . And after a marathon hearing that started at 9 am and lasted 12 hours, the Supes voted seven to four to make the JFK Promenade permanent, with Ahsha Safaí, Shamann Walton, Connie Chan, and Aaron Peskin voting against the car ban.

I would like for every supervisor who votes NAY on car-free JFK tomorrow to also admit they vote NAY on Transit First, NAY on Vision Zero, and NAY on meeting our mode share goal of 80% sustainable modes by 2030. Be honest with the voters, for once.

— Emily Huston (@ehuston101) April 25, 2022

Supervisor Matt Haney talked about the importance of keeping JFK car-free in moving towards a more sustainable future. “This is a very important step in that direction.”

Prior to the meeting, over a hundred pro-bike, pro-pedestrians, pro-safety advocates showed up at 8 am on the steps of City Hall to make a last push for the mayor’s proposal, which would, as advocate Marcel Moran put it , preserve “a tiny sliver of Golden Gate Park to be car-free.”

“I have a lot of difficult decisions to make at the Board of Supervisors,” said D5 Supervisor Dean Preston, who co-sponsored the bill, during the pre-vote rally. “This is not one of them.”

Even after the vote today, there is much more to be done, and staff will continue to do that important work. This city has an incredible park system that should make us all proud. Making JFK car-free will only make it that much better.

— London Breed (@LondonBreed) April 26, 2022

He explained that it wouldn’t be difficult because workers who travel by bike use JFK to commute. And while he acknowledged the value of the JFK promenade for recreation and community, it’s also a lifesaver—literally—for people who ride on two wheels. “It is an essential part of a car-free network and you deserve a safe way to get to work not in a car.”

Supervisors Rafael Mandelman and Dean Preston, co-sponsors of the legislation along with Matt Haney, at the pre-hearing rally discussing the likely outcome of the vote. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

“I’ve seen too many injuries on JFK–injuries that are totally preventable,” said Stephen Gamboa, a doctor of Emergency Medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center during public comment. He and other physicians who tested said they treat all sorts of trauma patients who, while not always injured seriously enough to make city statistics, suffer years of debilitating pain thanks to “car versus ped” collisions on JFK Drive. These collisions, they explained, ceased on the section from Kezar to Transverse when it was closed to cars at the start of the pandemic.

There is NOTHING about putting cars back on JFK that makes it safer, better for families, better for tourism or better for older adults. San Francisco needs and deserves a permanently car-free JFK. pic.twitter.com/fOUPo59SH3

— Dr Momifornia (@Momifornia1) April 26, 2022

Meanwhile, representatives from the de Young and others tried to frame the debate as an access and equity issue (many speakers gaslighted that only poor people of color drive cars and only rich white people ride bikes). Many speakers gave nearly identical statements opposing an imaginary proposal to close the entire park to drivers. In reality, of course, the only thing on the table was 1.4 miles from JFK Drive.

Walk SF’s Jodie Medeiros and Supervisor Matt Haney at the rally. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick

Supervisor Connie Chan continued to push her “compromise” that would still allow cars on the 1.4 miles of JFK in question. But as Moran stressed during public comment, the car-free Promenade is already a compromise position. “The rest of Golden Gate Park is open to cars.”

Also open to cars: the massive, 800-space garage underneath the park, completed in 2004 and built specifically to reduce the need for parking on JFK

That said, a handful of motorists who spoke frankly about why they want JFK open to cars. “It makes for faster commuting,” said one speaker.

David Miles addressing the Board of Supervisors during public comment. That’s doctor Gamboa behind him. Photo: GovTV

Chan reiterated her belief that a survey instituted by the city, which showed that 70 percent of San Francisco residents want the JFK Promenade to endure what was cooked. “Some of the responses were from the same IP address,” she said, adding, “Can we wait some more?”

But ultimately a slim majority of the board decided 40 years is long enough to wait to have one portion of one street in the city car-free. They decided that allowing more people on bicycles and on foot to be maimed and killed is not a suitable “compromise.”

“In 1966, there was a proposal to build two new freeways. It was defeated by a six-to-five vote of Supervisors,” said advocate Danny Sauter. “In 1990, there was a proposal to demolish the Embarcadero freeway. It passed six to five by the Supervisors.” He said today’s vote, in 2022, to keep JFK car-free, would be looked back on in the same way.

The post Hurrah for J.F.Okay. Promenade Endlessly! – Streetsblog San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Here are a few streetsblog news nuggets to start your weekend off.

The city of San Francisco is committed to car-free JFK

For some time now, the powerful de Young Trust has been trying, through its paid lobbyists, to destroy the dream of a car-free JFK ride in Golden Gate Park. The city has been talking about this issue but it seems that things are moving in the right direction again.

From an SFMTA version:

Starting January 5, 2022, you will find new signage along the promenade route reminding users to be friendly, share space, move slowly and say hello to each other. Through over 50 outreach events by the Golden Gate Park Access & Safety Program team this fall and over 10,000 survey responses we received, the San Franciscans have overwhelmingly said they had the place to walk and roll along the JFK Appreciate Drive – but also want to see more Instructions on how to use the space. In response, the SF Recreation & Park Department and SFMTA jointly developed this courtesy campaign to encourage park users to put safety and friendliness first when navigating the boardwalk.

The editorial staff of the San Francisco Chronicle is now also heavily responsible for the boardwalk. From “JFK Drive is for people, not car commuters. So that it stays that way in 2022 and beyond “:

Before the pandemic, JFK was one of the most dangerous and deadly streets in San Francisco. From 2014 to its closure in 2020, there were 91 crashes. This is mainly because 75% of the people who travel with JFK had no intention of visiting the park; they just used it as a puncture. This would be a political failure for any city; however, for a supposedly transit-oriented city like San Francisco, this was an inexcusable display of incompetence.

And:

To ensure JFK remains a safe and enjoyable place, worthy of one of the most beautiful city parks in the world, it should remain closed to cars in 2022 and beyond.

It must sting the de Young Trust a bit to know that the newspaper that originally built its fortune is now officially written in the face. Of course, without a doubt, de Young will never stop stepping on the gas – pretending it’s a stock issue or that there isn’t a huge underground parking lot for people arriving by car. It is for this reason that the hard-working supporters of Walk SF are continuing their postcard campaign to protect the car-free JFK.

Register here as a volunteer service.

California’s high-speed rail project is getting more good news from federal agencies

A French high-speed train that travels at 200 miles per hour and draws power from the overhead line. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Streetsblog readers may recall that HSR opponents, including the chief of the railroad disaster, Ralph Vartabedian of the LA Times, predicted for years that the state would miss construction deadlines and receive $ 2.5 billion in federal matching Fund related to the Obama-era American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Well, this week the agency officially met its eligibility requirements.

From a California HSR publication:

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has notified the California High-Speed ​​Rail Authority that it has fully met its state funding requirements for federal dollars a year ahead of schedule. Today’s action meets an important requirement of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to fund the grant.

“Federal government investment in this transformative project has doubled dollar for dollar a year ahead of schedule,” said Brian Annis, chief financial officer for the agency. “With a strong, committed federal partner, we are able to further advance the provision of electrified high-speed trains to the Californian population.”

The agency has spent the $ 2.5 billion in federal ARRA funds by the September 2017 legal deadline. Funding benefited the 119 mile long backbone of the state’s high-speed rail system in the Central Valley, a historically deprived part of the state notorious for its poor air quality. The FRA asked the agency to match federal spending with state funding for qualified spending by December 2022.

This is big news. And it’s good news. Waiting to read your concise coverage, LA Times. Twitter, Twitter, Twitter.

Oakland launches “Universal Basic Mobility” pilot project

File photo of an AC transit bus

One of the main tenets of this blog is that mobility is a basic human right. Because of this, Streetsblog argues that building cities where residents have to buy an expensive car and wait to get around is inherently unfair. And everyone should be able to move regardless of their economic status. It appears that the City of Oakland is in agreement with its Universal Basic Mobility plan.

From an OakDOT version:

As part of its innovative Universal Basic Mobility pilot, the Oakland City Department of Transportation (OakDOT) announced today that it has successfully distributed 500 prepaid debit cards to East Oakland residents and employees. These cards are limited to the purchase of journeys or passes for public transport, bike sharing and shared e-scooters. Program participants started with $ 150 available on their cards. After recipients complete a survey in January, the second and final withdrawal of $ 150 will be loaded onto their cards. The goal of the Universal Basic Mobility pilot project is to increase walking, cycling, public transportation and shared mobility journeys in East Oakland while reducing private vehicle journeys.

“The Universal Basic Mobility Pilot is capitalizing on the huge investment in East Bay’s first Bus Rapid Transit Line (BRT) by providing participants with free rides on public transport, bike rentals and e-scooters,” added OakDOT- Director Ryan Russo added. “Removing financial barriers to mobility is critical to meeting the needs of East Oakland residents, who are most grappling with the dual costs of housing and transportation.”

For further information, click here.

The post Welcome to the J.F.Ok. Promenade, Fundamental Mobility – Streetsblog San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.