What’s happening with the Battery Street Bikeway?

From Alec Bash, BCNA Safety Committee Member and VP, Gateway Tenants Association

Since 2019, the BCNA has been working with the SFMTA and Supervisor Peskin to monitor and improve the Sansome-Battery Quick Build Project. For background on the first phase, read the BCNA article here on Pedestrian Safety Improvements and Traffic Calming additions.

The final phase of the Quick Build project involves a dual-lane bikeway from Vallejo-Market Streets and has been opposed by the majority of Barbary Coast residents and businesses. With the help of Supervisor Peskin, the BCNA Safety Committee has worked with the SFMTA to make significant changes to improve pedestrian safety and to be a part of the 2-yr evaluation process.

Installed in late January 2023, the Battery Street Quick-Build Two-Way Protected Bikeway has been in place for over three months. We’ve seen issues such as bicyclists and pedestrians nearly colliding, cars driving down the bikeway to turn left at Clay Street, scooters breezing through red lights, bicyclists choosing to ignore the bikeway and drive in vehicle lanes, etc.

The SFMTA is in the early stages of its two-year evaluation period, and we understand their criterion for success is safety rather than how many bicycle or scooter riders actually use the bikeway. They plan to add signage or striping for pedestrians crossing the bikeway to reach the divided (floating) passenger loading zones at 550 Battery St (Gateway Vista West) and 810-820 Battery St. (pre-school and Broadway Family Apartments).

The SFMTA has asked for feedback on bikeway usage, violations, near-misses, accidents, etc. Please report anything noteworthy on our BCNA Contact Form so we can pass it along (without attribution) to the SFMTA during this evaluation period.

For the second part of their initiative, the SFMTA plans to add another protected bikeway along Sutter Street to add more bicycle access to the downtown area. They seem to believe this will help revitalize downtown, as does the San Francisco Downtown Partnership.

BCNA and the BCNA Safety Committee have been working with the SFMTA and District 3 Supervisors to monitor and improve the Sansome-Battery Quick Build Project since 2019. Check out other articles about the BCNA Safety Initiatives on our website, www.bcnasf.org. As an all-volunteer organization dedicated to neighborhood improvement, please consider joining or donating to BCNA!