Group demands removal of San Francisco center bikeway after data shows cycling drop

The saga of the much-maligned protected center bikeway along Valencia Street in San Francisco has taken another turn as new data shows a large drop in cycling numbers since the installation of the controversial infrastructure.

In a recent disclosure obtained by a San Francisco sustainable transportation advocate Luke Bornheimer through an anonymous public records request, data from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) indicates a substantial decline in bicycling activity on Valencia subsequent to the installation of a controversial center bikeway in April 2023. The statistics, sourced from September 2023 and compared to baseline data collected in October 2022, indicate a notable 53% reduction in cyclists on Valencia Street.

The numbers become more urgent when consideration is given to the period of time that curbside protected bike lanes were introduced on Valencia Street between Market and 15th Streets in 2019. This earlier initiative got the opposite result — a 49% surge in cycling activity, accompanied by a 99% decrease in vehicles parked in the bike lane and, according to the data, an elimination of “close calls” and “near-dooring incidents.”

Bornheimer, the driving force behind the ‘Better Valencia’ campaign, is urging San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the SFMTA board of directors to promptly replace the center bikeway with curbside protected bike lanes. Bornheimer emphasizes the urgent need for action.

People biking on Valencia Street decreased by up to 53% after the unintuitive, dangerous center bikeway was installed.

SFMTA data from September shows a significant decrease, highlights need to install curbside protected bike lanes.

Please sign petition: https://t.co/d8C2LqqBsz pic.twitter.com/7D0stTlbGS

— Luke Bornheimer (@LukeBornheimer) January 3, 2024

“This unprecedented decrease in people biking on Valencia Street should be a wake-up call to Mayor Breed and the SFMTA Board of Directors,” said Bornheimer, in a press release.

The data illustrating the decline in biking on Valencia Street coincides with the contentious reception of the center bikeway design, which garnered a mere 13% public approval during SFMTA’s three-month outreach process (comprising 80 out of 618 responses).

Drawing attention to the concerns raised by Valencia Street merchants, Bornheimer underscores the positive impact of curbside protected bike lanes on businesses and economic recovery. He cites various analyses from New York City, demonstrating the economic benefits of curbside protected bike lanes, which are also proven to reduce car traffic and encourage greater use of bikes for local trips.

Business along the strip complained that the bikeway was impacting business, but reports suggest this is false. Most research indicates that curbside bike lanes are actually a boon for business.

When the center bikeway was first proposed, it gained the tentative support of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, as it is a “pilot project,” and something had to be done along a very dangerous roadway. But given the number of incidents that have occurred since the installation, and now the drop in cycling numbers, it is becoming hard to find any rationale for leaving the bikeway in the center of the street.

Bornheimer and the supporters of the ‘Better Valencia’ campaign are urging Mayor Breed and the SFMTA Board of Directors to instruct SFMTA staff to replace the center bikeway with curbside protected bike lanes. Additionally, they propose exploring the pedestrianization of one or more blocks of Valencia Street, allowing access for commercial deliveries and residents accessing parking garages.

“Every day that Mayor Breed and the SFMTA Board remain silent and don’t take action hurts Valencia merchants, the safety of people on Valencia, and the City’s Climate Action efforts. I hope Mayor Breed and the SFMTA Board will take immediate action to make Valencia better for business, people’s safety, and our planet,” he said.

Better Valencia has organised a petition to continue advocating for protected curbside bike lanes and pedestrian zones along Valencia, which readers can find here.