In the wake of the extended shelter for the Bay Area, now going through at least May 31, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced Monday the city will close two more city streets to vehicles and open them up for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Both John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park and John F. Shelley Drive in John McLaren Park will be completely closed to vehicles through the duration of the order to ensure space for social distancing for people walking, jogging or biking.
"We know that people need to go outside, whether to get exercise or just to clear their head, and closing JFK and Shelley Drive to cars will make it easier for people who choose to leave their home to stay 6 feet apart from others," Breed said in a statement.
"That said, we all need to work together to keep slowing the spread of COVID-19 in our community. Everyone must continue to stay at home as much as possible and follow all public health recommendations," she said.
JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park will be closed to traffic from Kezar Drive to Transverse Drive, while Shelley Drive in McLaren Park will be closed to traffic at the gates at Cambridge and Mansell streets.
The two streets closed to vehicles Monday add to a growing network of streets that have been temporarily closed to vehicles recently.
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Last week, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency opened up a number of streets to pedestrians and bicyclists as part of the Slow Streets program. A map of the city's Slow Streets can be found at https://www.sfmta.com/covid19.
Over the weekend, the Presidio Trust announced road closures on Saturday and Sunday along some streets within the trust area to also allow for social distancing.
"Springtime weather and our extended stay home order make it tempting to gather outdoors, but to protect each other from the coronavirus we need to keep up San Francisco's good work: staying 6 feet away from anyone outside our households and covering our faces," said Health Director Dr. Grant Colfax.
"Now more than ever, San Franciscans are relying on our parks and urban trails to relieve stress and give a sense of familiarity during this unprecedented time," General Manager of San Francisco Recreation and Park Department Phil Ginsburg said. "Parks aren't a luxury; they are a necessity."
Jodie Medeiros, executive director for the advocacy group Walk San Francisco, called the closure announcements "welcome news" and thanked those "who have spoken out with us for safe, car-free space on JFK Drive -- and on streets across our city -- during shelter-in-place."
