Geary Rapid Project
Interactive Virtual Tour
Now that the Geary Rapid Project is complete, we're excited to share the many ways the project has made traveling on Geary a safer, more accessible experience for everyone. This three-year capital project has upgraded one of San Francisco’s busiest corridors between Market and Stanyan streets with safety improvements, more reliable bus service and utility upgrades.
Check out our self-guided virtual tour to learn about some project highlights. We’ve also included a few neighborhood gems. You can take this tour on your computer or mobile device, or go for a walk down Geary to experience the real thing.
To use the Virtual Tour, scroll through the items one-by-one or click on the map to jump to a spot.
New signalized crosswalk at Commonwealth
New signalized crosswalk at Commonwealth. Click to expand.
Based on community advocacy, SFMTA added some improvements that weren't envisioned in the original Geary Rapid Project design. This new traffic signal at Commonwealth/Beaumont avenues was installed after local residents campaigned for safer walking conditions here. Instead of the uncontrolled crosswalk, pedestrians going north or south across Geary Boulevard can now push a button to stop vehicle traffic before crossing. Click the arrow over the photos to see before and after images.
New signalized crosswalk at Cook Street
New signalized crosswalk at Cook Street . Click to expand.
This previously uncontrolled crosswalk has been improved with a new traffic signal. Along with the new signal installed at Commonwealth, every crosswalk on Geary Boulevard as far west as 31st Avenue is now controlled.
New red transit lanes
New red transit lanes. Click to expand.
Dedicated red transit lanes have been installed between Stanyan Street and Van Ness Avenue, keeping buses from getting stuck in traffic and making your 38 Geary trips shorter. Painting transit lanes red makes them more noticeable to drivers and has shown to improve compliance by about 50%.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals
Accessible Pedestrian Signals. Click to expand.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) are pedestrian push buttons that communicate when to cross the street for people with visual impairments using audible tones, speech messages, and vibrating surfaces. Eleven intersections were outfitted with new APS, bringing the total number along Geary to 24.
Newly repaved roads
Newly repaved roads. Click to expand.
The Geary Rapid Project, in coordination with San Francisco Public Works (SFPW), has repaved 1.5 miles of roadway between Masonic and Van Ness avenues, making traveling along Geary smoother for all users.
Community highlight: Blues Evolution Mural
Community highlight: Blues Evolution Mural. Click to expand.
The Blues Evolution Mural, funded by Bobby Webb (President of the Blues & R&B Foundation) is a beautiful artists' profile mural by Santie Huckaby. This piece represents unity and strength of accomplishments to those who work hard at anything they choose to do. The artists represented are pioneers of music and serve as a legacy to pass on to the youth, giving them a sense of pride and confidence to last them their lifetime. Located at Post and Steiner, on the backside of the Hamilton Recreation Center.
Steiner bridge removed and replaced with surface-level crosswalks
Steiner bridge removed and replaced with surface-level crosswalks . Click to expand.
Steiner Street has a new look since the non-ADA compliant and seldom-used pedestrian bridge was removed in 2020. The surface-level crosswalk on the west side of the intersection, where the bridge had been, has been improved with new median refuges, while the east side is sporting a brand new crosswalk. Click the arrow over the photos to see before and after images.
Landscaping upgrades at Steiner
Landscaping upgrades at Steiner. Click to expand.
After the Steiner pedestrian bridge was removed, the spaces where the bridge landings were removed were renovated for the adjacent SF Recreation and Parks sites. The Hamilton Recreation Center has a new stairway, expanded patio and landscaping. And an expanded grassy area and sidewalk was built on the southwest side of the intersection to improve access to Raymond Kimbell Playground.
Pedestrian countdown signals
Pedestrian countdown signals. Click to expand.
The Fillmore intersection, which had no pedestrian countdown signals crossing Geary, now has them at all four crosswalks. Divisadero, Scott and Laguna streets also gained countdowns for people crossing along Geary—now every signalized intersection on the Geary corridor, over five miles, has countdowns.
Community highlight: Fillmore Street
Community highlight: Fillmore Street. Click to expand.
Once a jazz epicenter that attracted greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday, today Fillmore Street is a top destination for diverse shops and dining. You can still catch a live performance at the Sheba Piano Lounge, the Boom Boom Room, or soak in some history at The Fillmore, where local luminaries such as the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane played.
Community highlight: Miyako Ice Cream Shop
Community highlight: Miyako Ice Cream Shop. Click to expand.
Miyako Old Fashion Ice Cream Shop opened on Fillmore Street in 1993 and has stayed relevant through the years by sticking to its original formula: genuine customer service and unbeatable prices. It is the oldest Black-owned ice cream shop in the City, family-owned and run.
New crosswalks at Webster
New crosswalks at Webster. Click to expand.
Two new surface-level crosswalks with improved median refuges and decorative pavers were built across Geary Boulevard at Webster Street to supplement the Japantown pedestrian bridge. The community helped design the east side crossing so that vehicles can always see pedestrians to improve safety.
Community highlight: African American Arts & Culture Complex
Community highlight: African American Arts & Culture Complex. Click to expand.
AAACC is a community-based organization with a mission to empower the community through art and culture. Programs include the African-American Shakespeare Company, introduced in 1994 to open the realm of classic theatre to a diverse audience and provide an opportunities for actors of color to hone their talent in some of the world’s greatest classical roles. Works include the canon of classical theatre such as Shakespeare and great American and world playwrights.
Community highlight: Paper Tree
Community highlight: Paper Tree. Click to expand.
Paper Tree is a Legacy Businesses that has been family owned since 1968 and is a destination store for origami papers, books, art supplies, gifts and cards. A purveyor of Japanese paper, each generation has been instrumental in promoting and educating the art of origami (paper folding) widely to the American public. 1743 Buchanan Street, Buchanan Mall/Osaka Way
Community highlight: Soko Hardware
Community highlight: Soko Hardware. Click to expand.
Soko Hardware is a Legacy Business that has been owned and operated by the Ashizawa family since 1925. Today it’s operated by the 4th generation of the Ashizawa family! Soko Hardware carries not only hardware goods but unique Japanese tools, gardening, home goods and cooking supplies.
Buchanan crosswalk & art panels
Buchanan crosswalk & art panels . Click to expand.
This new crossing at Geary Boulevard and Buchanan Street serves as both a physical and a symbolic reconnection to help bridge the gap between neighborhoods that were divided when the Geary Expressway was built in the 1960s. Community input informed the design of the new crosswalk, which features community-designed decorative panels representing the surrounding Fillmore, Japantown and St. Francis Square communities. Feedback also informed the dimensions of the median pedestrian area, which needed to be large enough to accommodate groups of Rosa Parks elementary school children. Learn more about the crosswalk and decorative panels.
New bulb-outs at Laguna
New bulb-outs at Laguna. Click to expand.
Bus bulb-outs are sidewalk extensions at bus stops that allow buses to pull directly to the curb and remain in the travel lane at bus stops, which decreases delays caused by pulling in and out of traffic. These bulbs at Laguna also double as pedestrian bulbs, which are improving safety for people walking by shortening the distance to cross the street. The new Cherry trees help visually narrow the wide boulevard to encourage slower vehicle speeds and also provide a symbolic gateway to Japantown.
New trees
New trees. Click to expand.
The Western Addition has really been “spruced up” with 31 new trees planted between Divisadero and Gough as part of the Geary Rapid Project. These Cherry, London Plane and Canary Island Pine trees were chosen for their cultural significance and suitability for a major thoroughfare.
Sewer and water main replacement
Sewer and water main replacement . Click to expand.
The Geary Rapid Project, in coordination with San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), has installed 1.5 miles of new sewer and almost three miles of upgraded water mains. And not a moment too soon—some of the old pipes were over 100 years old and beginning to leak. These new utility mains are more earthquake-resistant, can better withstand the effects of climate change, and will help ensure neighbors have uninterrupted sewer and water service for many years to come.
Bus stop change at O’Farrell and Larkin
Bus stop change at O’Farrell and Larkin . Click to expand.
The inbound 38 Geary bus stop on O’Farrell at Larkin was moved from the near side of the intersection to the far side at the beginning of the project. Moving bus stops far side allow buses to take advantage of our Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system, which holds the green light as buses approach the intersection. Two new pedestrian bulb-outs were also installed at this intersection to improve safety.
New pedestrian bulb-outs and accessible curb ramps
New pedestrian bulb-outs and accessible curb ramps. Click to expand.
Pedestrian bulb-outs were installed at the northwest and southeast corners of Geary and Hyde to shorten the crossing distance for people walking and encourage vehicles to take turns more slowly. Accessible curb ramps were installed at the remaining two corners. In total, 34 new pedestrian bulb-outs have been installed along the corridor as part of the Geary Rapid Project.
Protected left turn at Geary and Leavenworth
Protected left turn at Geary and Leavenworth. Click to expand.
Left turns are one of the leading causes of traffic collisions. At Leavenworth, a protected left turn arrow was added to separate people crossing from turning vehicles. This intersection also received two new pedestrian bulbs and accessible curb ramps at every corner
Safety improvements at O’Farrell and Leavenworth
Safety improvements at O’Farrell and Leavenworth. Click to expand.
A pedestrian countdown signal was installed at the intersection of O’Farrell and Leavenworth, so now every intersection in the area has countdown signals. A new pedestrian bulb-out and accessible curb ramps were also added.
Community highlight: Tenderloin Museum
Community highlight: Tenderloin Museum. Click to expand.
The Tenderloin Museum is a beautifully curated space that tells the story of the neighborhood. The museum highlights the Tenderloin's rich and complex history, and how it has come to be the neighborhood it is today.
Community highlight: Boeddeker Park
Community highlight: Boeddeker Park. Click to expand.
Located centrally in the Tenderloin, Boeddeker Park serves as an urban oasis for local children, seniors and families alike. Through years of development and continuous stewardship, it has become a safe place for people to play, exercise and enjoy fresh air. Note the mural overlooking the park, featuring a tree with a sign that reads, "Everyone deserves a home."
Safety improvements at Geary and Mason
Safety improvements at Geary and Mason. Click to expand.
Pedestrian bulb-outs were installed at the northwest and southeast corners of Geary and Mason to shorten the crossing distance for people walking and help make pedestrians more visible to cars.
Community highlight: Union Square
Community highlight: Union Square. Click to expand.
There’s always something happening in the heart of the city. From the ice-skating rink to the Macy’s Tree and the Chanukah Menorah, Union Square has your holidays covered. Check out their latest events.
Extended transit bulb-out at O’Farrell and Grant
Extended transit bulb-out at O’Farrell and Grant. Click to expand.
Transit bulb-outs can reduce bus travel time by allowing buses to stay in the bus lane when loading and unloading passengers. The existing bulb at the O’Farrell/Grant bus stop was lengthened to allow two buses to pull up to the stop at once.
Transit bulb-out extended at Geary and Kearny
Transit bulb-out extended at Geary and Kearny. Click to expand.
The existing transit bulb-out at the Geary/Kearny bus stop was lengthened to allow two buses to pull up to the stop at once and give passengers more room to wait. This was the last bulb to be installed, marking the completion of the Geary Rapid Project!
To minimize disruption, construction occurred in coordination with partner city agencies, including roadway repaving by SF Public Works; sewer and water main replacement by SF Public Utilities Commission; and fiber optic conduit installation by the Department of Technology.
