South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build Project
Virtual Open House and Engineering Public Hearing
The South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build Project Virtual Engineering Public Hearing is now closed for public comments. The public comment period closed on October 27, 2021 at 11:30 p.m. This site will remain live for the public to explore the project and get more information, but will not be open for comments.
Welcome
Thank you for joining the South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build Project's Virtual Open House and Engineering Public Hearing. This event is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the project, see the proposed design, and provide public comment on the project.
No decision or approval will be made during the Public Hearing event period and all comments received will be reviewed by the project staff and responded to accordingly. After the Public Hearing event concludes, staff will present the comments received to the City Traffic Engineer, who will then make a decision on project approval.
Comments and questions received during each week will be responded to and posted on the SFMTA project website the following week. Check back to see public comments received and responses to questions.
The Virtual Open House and Public Hearing event will be live from October 13th, 9:30 am to October 27th, 11:30 pm. Following the conclusion of the public commenting period, this site will remain live so the public can explore the project and get more information.
How to use the Virtual Public Hearing tool:
This website is best viewed on a laptop or desktop web browser, but it is also accessible by tablet or mobile devices.
There is a navigation bar at the top of the web page that can help you move to specific sections that you're interested in such as project background, the proposed design, and the proposed timeline. Otherwise, for full project context, we recommend scrolling from the beginning to the end.
To leave a public comment during the Virtual Public Hearing, please visit the section titled "How to Leave a Public Comment", which can be found in the navigation bar above or at the bottom of this Virtual Public Hearing web page.
If you encounter any issues with this web page, please send an email to SVNQuickBuild@sfmta.com.
Language Assistance:
Contact 311 - Free language assistance / 免費語言協助 / Ayuda gratis con el idioma / Бесплатная помощь переводчиков / Trợ giúp Thông dịch Miễn phí / Assistance linguistique gratuite / 無料の言語支援 / 무료 언어 지원 / Libreng tulong para sa wikang Filipino / การช่วยเหลือทางด้านภาษาโดยไม่เสียค่าใช้จ่าย /خط المساعدة المجاني على الرقم
In-Person Tabling and Online Office Hours
SFMTA project team staff will be hosting in-person tabling and online office hours to discuss the project proposal with you in detail and provide opportunities for you to ask questions.
Online office hours will be held at the following times:
- Friday, October 15: 1pm to 2:30pm (online or by phone)
- Wednesday, October 20: 2pm to 3:30pm (online or by phone)
- Monday, October 25: 9:30am to 11am (online or by phone)
Online office hours will be held on Microsoft Teams. Click below to access online office hours during the posted times. You are also able to call in (audio only) with your phone by dialing (415)-915-0757 ext. 944790750# .
In-person tabling will be held at the following times:
- Thursday, October 14: 4pm to 6pm (in front of House of Brakes @ South Van Ness Avenue & Calle 24)
- Sunday, October 17: 12pm to 5pm (at Phoenix Day, on Valencia Street between 16th Street and 24th Street)
Project Overview
South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build Project Area
Through the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA’s) Vision Zero Quick-Build effort, the South Van Ness Quick-Build Project is planning traffic safety improvements for South Van Ness Avenue between 14th Street and Cesar Chavez Street.
Project Goals
- Improve traffic safety for all users of South Van Ness Avenue, namely pedestrians and drivers
- Reduce speeding
- Reduce double parking and improve businesses' use of curb space
Vision Zero Quick-Build Program Background
The Vision Zero Quick-Build Program is a SFMTA effort to implement bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements using cost-effective treatments that can be installed quickly. The effort stems from an executive directive issued by Mayor London Breed calling for faster transportation safety improvements. Quick-Build traffic safety projects are a critical part of reaching San Francisco’s Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities on city streets.
To enable quick implementation of these safety improvements, Quick-Build projects have a streamlined approval process including a combined virtual Open House and Public Hearing paired with in-person outreach events. Quick-Build projects use adjustable and easily removable low-cost materials that can be installed in a matter of weeks or months.
After a project is implemented, the project team evaluates the design for effectiveness and reviews feedback from community members. The results of the evaluation will identify if there is a need for design modifications and may inform the design of future projects.
Typical quick-build improvements can include:
- Roadway paint and traffic delineators
- Traffic signs
- Parking and loading changes*
- Traffic signal timing changes*
*These improvements require additional time for design and implementation
Project Background and Safety Needs
South Van Ness Avenue is a mixed residential and commercial street running through the heart of the Mission neighborhood. It is home to restaurants, retail spaces, auto repair shops, faith-based institutions and community gathering spaces, as well as residents and families.
South Van Ness Avenue is on San Francisco’s High Injury Network , the 13% of city streets that account for over 75% of serious injuries and fatalities.
From 2015 - 2020, there were over 190 reported collisions along South Van Ness Avenue from 14th Street to Cesar Chavez, resulting in 10 severe injuries and 3 fatalities.
On October 31, 2019, a 69-year-old woman was crossing in a marked crosswalk at South Van Ness Avenue and 19th Street when she was struck and killed by a turning vehicle.
On July 17, 2015, a pedestrian crossing south of 16th Street was struck by a southbound vehicle, and later succumbed to his injuries.
17% of reported collisions along South Van Ness Avenue from 2015-2020 involved pedestrians.
Recent Improvement Efforts
A number of safety measures were implemented along South Van Ness Avenue from 2017-2020 to help address collision patterns. Click through the images below to see the safety measures recently installed along South Van Ness Avenue. Scrolling arrow is to the right of the image.
Check out SFMTA's Pedestrian Improvements Toolkit for more information about how these measures enhance pedestrian safety.
South Van Ness Avenue Today
Existing typical block of South Van Ness Avenue
South Van Ness Avenue today is a four-lane undivided roadway from the US-101 freeway on-ramp south of 13th Street to its southernmost point at Cesar Chavez. Parking and loading exists on both sides of the street.
Typical Existing Cross-Section of South Van Ness Avenue
Notable Issues in the Project Area:
Speeding
- Between 2015 and 2020, speeding was the cause in 11% of all reported collisions along South Van Ness Avenue. Multiple vehicle lanes give the appearance of a wide roadway, encouraging drivers to overtake others and swerve between lanes. In the event of a crash, driving at higher speeds greatly increases the likelihood of severe injury.
- The 85th percentile speed on South Van Ness Avenue is above 30 mph, but the street is a 25 mph zone.
Vehicle and Pedestrian Conflicts
Pedestrians must cross 4 lanes of traffic and be mindful of right- and left- turning vehicles. Left-turning vehicles must yield to 2 lanes of opposing traffic, meaning there are two potential collision opportunities.
Double Parking
Double Parking is a common occurrence along South Van Ness. Trucks and other vehicles often block a lane of traffic, which can slow traffic along South Van Ness and create dangerous conditions as drivers pass around the double-parked vehicle.
Proposed Changes
The South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build project proposes the following traffic safety improvements to help reduce speeding and increase safety for drivers and pedestrians. Scroll through the images below to see the traffic safety features incorporated into the project design.
- Traffic Lane Reduction from four lanes (two in each direction) to three lanes (one lane in each direction with a center two-way left turn lane dividing the travel lanes). The lane reduction, commonly referred to as a "road diet", will maintain capacity for today's traffic volumes, and allow for some traffic growth.
- A Center Two-Way Left Turn Lane will allow drivers to turn left at alleys or driveways without blocking a travel lane.
- Left Turn Pockets at Intersections will provide left turning drivers with a separate turn lane without blocking thru traffic.
- Traffic Signal Timing Changes will be incorporated to promote a safer and steadier traffic flow through the corridor, thereby reducing speeding.
- Improved Curb Management will allow businesses & community organizations to better utilize curb space for loading without blocking a vehicle lane. Curb management changes will be coordinated individually with businesses and introduced at a later time. If you are a business owner and are interested in discussing your loading needs along South Van Ness Avenue, please reach out to the SFMTA Project Team at SVNQuickBuild@SFMTA.com.
Typical Proposed Midblock Cross-Sectional View of South Van Ness Avenue
Typical Proposed Intersection Cross-sectional View of South Van Ness Avenue
Why a road diet?
Photo of a recently implemented road diet along California Street
A road diet, or a traffic lane reduction, has been shown to significantly improve the safety of other streets across San Francisco and nationwide. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that road diets can reduce motor-vehicle crashes by 19 to 47 percent. A road diet can also be quickly implemented in a matter of weeks with just paint, unlike other roadway designs that can take years to design, bid and construct.
Road diets are known to have the following benefits:
- Reduced speeding: Reducing the number of vehicle travel lanes from two in each direction to one in each direction consolidates traffic and prevents cars from overtaking and weaving between traffic.
- Fewer vehicle conflicts: With the lane reduction, left-turning vehicles only need to contend with one opposing vehicle through lane instead of two. Merging and overtaking conflicts are also eliminated with the reduction to one thru lane in each direction.
- No more blocking a vehicle lane: Vehicles turning into alleys or driveways can use the center left-turn lane, no longer blocking a vehicle thru lane. Left-turn pockets at intersections separate left-turning vehicles from vehicle thru traffic, and allow drivers to feel less rushed to force a left turn with the absence of thru traffic sharing the same lane.
- Better emergency vehicle response times: Fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles can use the center two-way left turn lane to bypass vehicle thru traffic.
Timeline
How to Leave a Public Comment on the Project
If you would like to comment on the proposed changes, please use one of the recommended methods below:
Online Public Comment Form - Fill out the survey below:
South Van Ness Avenue Quick-Build Project Online Public Comment Form
Mail - Mail-in comments or questions may require additional time before a response can be given by project staff. Please use the Mail-In Public Comment Form and address it to:
Comments and questions received during the week will be responded to and posted on the SFMTA project website the following week. Check back to see public comments received and responses to questions.
General Information about this Virtual Public Hearing:
- Please use this opportunity to provide your input and ask questions
- No decision will be made while the Virtual Public Hearing event is live and active
- All written correspondence will be evaluated by the City Traffic Engineer to determine next steps
- The public hearing items can be approved by the City Traffic Engineer after the hearing
- The result of this Public Hearing should be posted on the agency's project web page by 5 p.m. a week after the Public Hearing concludes
Thank You
Thanks for visiting our website! If you have any questions or comments please reach out to us at SVNQuickBuild@SFMTA.com .
Check out our SFMTA Project Webpage for project updates, and sign up for our mailing list using the buttons below.
