Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In

Coming off a weekend in which New York City gave one of the most famous stretches of street in the world to pedestrians, we're going to San Francisco to take a walk with Streetsblog Network member Pedestrianist. They've got a post on the inadequacy of that city's sidewalks -- and a few very simple suggestions for improvements:

0523091237a.jpgThe status quo at Potrero and 16th: Not so hot for pedestrians.

While some neighborhoods in this city have held onto luxuriously wide sidewalks, they are almost all dissected by arterial roads. That is, streets that were re-engineered after the rise of auto-centrism to serve as expressways for large volumes of car traffic.
Since these streets tend to be not much wider than average, the extra
road space devoted to cars usually comes at the expense of pedestrians.

The intersection of Potrero Avenue and 16th Street is one of the worst. This is a major transfer point for several Muni lines (37,572 people
ride the 9, 22, 33, and 53 lines every day). As people dash between
buses, McDonalds and the Potrero shopping center, they jostle for
limited space with each other and with speeding traffic.

The
layout of the intersection hampers pedestrian flow and lowers the
quality of this space. This broad square enjoys lots of sunshine and
great views of downtown and Twin Peaks. This is a historic spot, where
Joe DiMaggio played with the San Francisco Seals. But it's a miserable
place, to be avoided even by those who pass through out of necessity;
and it doesn't have to be that way.

Pedestrianist goes on the submit a humble proposal for change that includes bus stop and corner bulbouts -- a relatively cheap and easy solution that would provide significant relief.

Elsewhere around the network: Trains for America links to an argument from two former Nevada governors in favor of maglev trains between their state and California. Travelin' Local has an inspirational post on reasons to use mass transit -- in Los Angeles, no less. And Gary Rides Bikes has a dispatch from the mean streets of Santa Monica.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Queens Pols Have Lots of Claims About the Evils of Scooter-Share, But Few Facts

Queens elected officials rallied together to oppose e-scooters, but they are flat out wrong, DOT says.

September 17, 2024

Even 500 Episodes In, Jeff Wood Isn’t Done Exploring Everything Cities Can Be

Streetsblog's most prolific podcaster looks back on his legacy, and explores what's coming next.

September 17, 2024

Streetsblog to DOT: We’ll See You in Court — Again!

Streetsblog is quite a FOIL to the Department of Transportation!

September 17, 2024

Carmageddon: Shift to Remote Work Led to Increase in Driving and Congestion Nationally

Driving miles are higher today than they were before the pandemic, even though more Americans than ever still work from home.

September 17, 2024

Tuesday’s Headlines: Make McGuinness Safe Edition

The mayor's failure to implement the full road diet on McGuinness Boulevard continues to have terrible repercussions. Plus other news.

September 17, 2024
See all posts