SFMTA Releases Revised Proposal for 17th Street Bike Lane

BY ODIN THIEN-AN MARIN

In June, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) released a revised proposal for a 17th Street Quick-Build Project, which’d rely on non-permanent materials, thereby shortening construction times and cutting costs. The new plan calls for a protected bike lane, buffered from the roadway by offset parking paths from the curb known as “floating parking”, with plastic bollards and painted raised elements.

The push to establish a protected bicycle lane is largely the result of advocacy efforts by Safer17th, a threeyear-old group founded by Potrero Hill residents. The organization wants to protect the wellbeing of cyclists, particularly younger people. Safer17th has collected more than 700 signatures supporting its advocacy.

“One of the things that’s been great about this effort is the way it’s been driven by local residents. It’s made of people who use 17th Street in their daily lives advocating for how it can be improved,” said Peter Belden, a Vermont Street