SF removing dozens of news racks to improve cityscape

Copies of the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, and Oakland Tribune for sale in San Francisco on March 1, 2016. The Bay Area News Group, which owns the papers, announced an organizational shakeup, reducing all its newspapers to two. less Copies of the San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times, and Oakland Tribune for sale in San Francisco on March 1, 2016. The Bay Area News Group, which owns the papers, announced an organizational shakeup, ... more Photo: Greg Keraghosian Photo: Greg Keraghosian Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close SF removing dozens of news racks to improve cityscape 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

About 60 green news-rack pedestals will disappear off San Francisco sidewalks within the next month as Clear Channel and Public Works downsize the program.

The often underused or empty bins will be removed by May 28. Another 23 pedestals, which have eight or 10 compartments, will be replaced with 23 more compact, six-unit pedestals.

“Vacant and underused news racks collect trash and are more prone to graffiti tags and other vandalism, becoming magnets for neighborhood blight,” Public Works spokeswoman Rachel Gordon said. “In some areas, we want to improve and expand the path of travel to make it easier for pedestrians to use the sidewalk.”

Consolidating those pedestals will allow the program to expand into new areas, Gordon said. Later this year, Public Works plans to install 53 pedestals in new locations: 10 in Portola, two on Alemany Boulevard, two in Balboa Park, six in Dogpatch, 12 on Sansome Street and 21 in the Excelsior.

The Board of Supervisors created news-rack zones in 2002 to cut back on sidewalk clutter and control the appearance of the pedestals. They started in downtown San Francisco, SoMa and North Beach. In 2009, the program spread to include residential corridors, including Taraval and Irving streets, and in Noe Valley and West Portal.

In 2002, Clear Channel Outdoor was awarded a 20-year contract to install, operate and maintain up to 1,000 pedestals on public property. Removing them from some locations will improve the cityscape, the company said.

Publishers apply for space by paying a $50 permit fee and entering a lottery. Once chosen, the newspapers, magazines, guides, maps, course catalogs or newsletters can be stowed in the boxes, and any freestanding racks must be taken down.

Lizzie Johnson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ljohnson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LizzieJohnsonnn