The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is considering a plan to move the bike lanes on busy Valencia Street.
It's one of the busiest spots in the Mission District and it's currently the focus of a proposal to shift protected bike lanes to the center of the street.
"Here's what we're excited about: left turn restriction for vehicles, use of more robust materials like the K-79 bollards and 4-inch high rubber curbs over the usual dual soft hit posts that are usually included in the quick build projects,” said Janelle Wong, executive director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
The plan includes the elimination of 70 parking spaces over the eight-block stretch in favor of loading zones.
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Many business owners and employees in the area had some serious concerns about the proposal.
"I think it makes it more dangerous for cars and bikers,” said Eiad Eltawil, Rossi Galley owner.
He said Valencia already has a shortage of parking, which was made even more extreme when parklets were added during the pandemic.
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He said his customers who come in from across the city already have a tough time finding a place to park and shop.
Other business owners say erecting bollards and raised curbs in the middle of the street, and restricting left turns for vehicles, will make Valencia nearly impossible for delivery drivers to navigate -- especially since busy parallel streets already have left turn restrictions.
Not only businesses that are raising questions about putting the bike lanes in the middle of Valencia Street, bicyclists are also critical.
"I don't think the space even has a way to accommodate that many kinds of lanes and putting people in the middle of traffic just sounds very dangerous,” said bicyclist Joseph Roseberry.
"As a cyclist myself, I wouldn't want to be in the middle, because you got traffic coming and going and so to do that, would be to basically sandwich a person,” said Debbie Wiggins.
The proposal was presented to the SFMTA board Tuesday and had plenty of public comment -- both for and against.
