Protestors put their bodies on the line to protect cyclists on Howard Street

Fire Dept. concerns delay protected bike lane

Organizer Maureen Persico rings a cow bell to welcome cyclists into the people-protected bike lane. Photo: Bryan Goebel/Human Streets

A group of protestors wearing yellow shirts that say “protected bike lanes save lives” put their bodies on the line, and brought a people-protected bike lane to the sight where a cyclist was killed last year on Howard Street.

The organizers of Thursday’s protest say they’re alarmed that Fire Department concerns about Muni wires have delayed and could potentially thwart near-term plans to upgrade from a buffered bike lane to a parking-protected bike lane on Howard between 6th and 11th streets.

“Howard Street is basically a surface highway, designed to have cars traveling at 45, 50 miles an hour. That’s unsafe for bicyclists. Bicyclists want to have more protection,” said co-organizer Matt Brezina.

The San Francisco Muncipal Transportation Agency is moving ahead with a parking-protected bike lane a block south on Folsom Street from 12th to 4th streets. The SFMTA Board is expected to approve plans this fall, and construction could begin as soon as November.

A number of Folsom intersections will be daylighted, new transit boarding islands, or “bike-transit ballets,” will be installed and the SFMTA will double the number of delivery zones, addressing concerns of some businesses along the corridor. A bolder, long-term vision and repaving for both streets is in the planning process.

On Howard, the Fire Department is concerned that parked cars on the outside of the bike lane will create conflicts with its rigs and the overhead Muni wires. A Fire Department spokesperson did not return an email requesting comment.

“We want to update safety as fast as we can, and in this case on Howard there’s a technical issue and we have to work it through with the Fire Department,” said SFMTA sustainable streets spokesperson Ben Jose. “But we’re pleased to be rolling through with Folsom.”

As we’ve written, Fire Department officials have opposed parking-protected bike lanes. But they have no problems with protected bike lanes so long as the parking is removed, not a politically popular thing to do in San Francisco.

Jose said the agency considered moving the bike lane from the north to the south side of Howard, away from the overhead wires, but it would be difficult to do without repaving the street, and removing the Muni wires would be costly.

One way to solve the issue, Brezina suggested, is to build a two-way parking-protected bike lane on the south side of Howard, providing a bike lane big enough for the Fire Department’s rigs to enter. That would leave room for two parking lanes and two lanes for autos on Howard.

“It would double as an emergency access lane for fire trucks,” said Brezina. “That’s what we’re fighting for.”

Last June, 26-year-old Kate Slattery was killed by a hit-and-run driver while biking on Howard Street at 7th. Howard is on the city’s high-injury map, streets where a majority of fatal and severe traffic collisions occur.

The people-protected bike lane protest — which drew more than 40 activists — was the third in as many months. Similar protests have taken place on Valencia and Turk streets.