“SF Business Owners Fed Up with Valencia Bike Lanes and Seek Changes to SFMTA”
SF business owners fed up with Valencia bike lanes look at breaking up SFMTA
Business owners along Valencia Street are saying a pilot bike lane program is killing their businesses. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says its looking for a solution to keep cyclists safe and businesses operating. Now small business owners may look into breaking up the SFMTA, or a change in leadership.
SAN FRANCISCO – Business owners along Valencia Street are saying a pilot bike lane program is killing their businesses. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says it’s looking for a solution to keep cyclists safe and businesses operating.
San Francisco’s Valencia Street is one of the city’s major north-south corridors; now a year-long pilot program with a bike lane running down the center of Valencia is underway through August 2024.
But business owners along the stretch with the center bike lane between 15th and 23rd streets, like Nikki DeWall, who owns Blondie’s Bar, say that lane is killing their businesses. “Over the course of the last six months, our business has dropped anywhere between 30% and 50% depending on what day, which is a huge impact,” said DeWall. The timeline given by DeWall slightly precedes the implementation of the bike lane pilot project.
Mission District business owners held a rally in the bike lane to call attention to their concerns. At that rally, DeWall said she and the other businesses aren’t anti-bike, but say the bike lane and the changes it’s brought are now impacting all types of businesses along the corridor. “They’re all getting the same feedback from their patrons,” said DeWall. “There’s nowhere to park, it’s too complicated to figure this street out.”
Even bike lane users say they’re not fans of the center lane configuration. “Hell no, it’s not really safe because people here just don’t care,” said Hal Nguyen. “There’s always construction up here, and people get hit by cars and I’ve seen more accidents since this lane has been here.”
SFMTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin said the bike lane is a work in progress and that the SFMTA is committed to finding a balance to keep cyclists safe and businesses healthy. “That’s what we’re trying to find with this pilot, and we’re going to keep making adjustments until we get the dials fine-tuned to create the greatest public good while recognizing the street is of limited right of way, and has a lot of needs,” said Tumlin.
Organizers of the protest say the problems with the bike lane are symptomatic of deeper problems within the SFMTA, and are looking at breaking up the SFMTA and or seeking changes to how the SFMTA is run and leadership is picked.
SFMTA’s director says the solution to frustration with a bureaucracy isn’t to destroy the entire department, but to work with leadership to find a way forward.
SF Business Owners Fed Up with Valencia Bike Lanes Look at Breaking up SFMTA
SAN FRANCISCO – Business owners along Valencia Street are expressing frustration with a pilot bike lane program that they claim is negatively impacting their businesses. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has acknowledged the issue and is actively seeking a solution that ensures the safety of cyclists while supporting local businesses.
Valencia Street is one of San Francisco’s major north-south corridors, and a year-long pilot program featuring a bike lane running down the center of the street is currently underway until August 2024.
However, business owners along the stretch of Valencia Street between 15th and 23rd streets, such as Nikki DeWall, who owns Blondie’s Bar, argue that the center bike lane is causing a significant decline in their businesses. DeWall stated, “Over the course of the last six months, our business has dropped anywhere between 30% and 50% depending on the day, which is a huge impact.” It is important to note that DeWall’s timeline slightly predates the implementation of the bike lane pilot project.
In response to their concerns, business owners in San Francisco’s Mission District held a rally in the bike lane to draw attention to the issue. DeWall emphasized that they are not against cycling but believe that the bike lane and the associated changes are negatively affecting all types of businesses along the corridor. She explained, “They’re all getting the same feedback from their patrons. There’s nowhere to park, it’s too complicated to figure this street out.”
Even some bike lane users themselves express dissatisfaction with the center lane configuration, citing safety concerns. Hal Nguyen stated, “Hell no, it’s not really safe because people here just don’t care. There’s always construction up here, and people get hit by cars, and I’ve seen more accidents since this lane has been here.”
SFMTA Director Jeffrey Tumlin acknowledged that the bike lane is a work in progress and pledged to find a balance that ensures the safety of cyclists while supporting local businesses. Tumlin said, “That’s what we’re trying to find with this pilot, and we’re going to keep making adjustments until we get the dials fine-tuned to create the greatest public good while recognizing the street is of limited right of way and has a lot of needs.”
Organizers of the protest argue that the issues with the bike lane are indicative of broader problems within the SFMTA. They are considering the possibility of breaking up the SFMTA or advocating for changes to its leadership and operational structure.
In response, SFMTA’s director emphasized that dismantling the entire department is not the solution to addressing frustration with bureaucracy. Instead, he urged stakeholders to work collaboratively with leadership to find a way forward.
The SFMTA continues to engage with business owners, cyclists, and community members to find a resolution that balances the needs of all parties involved..
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Christien Kafton said Fed up with Valencia bike lanes, business owners look at breaking up SFMTA
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