San Francisco Votes to Replace Controversial Center-Running Bike Lane on Valencia

After a year of mixed (mostly negative) reactions, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has decided to replace the controversial center-running bike lane on Valencia Street with a new side-running protected bike lane. The SFMTA’s board voted unanimously to approve the change on Tuesday evening, marking the end of a pilot program that had split opinions along the busy corridor.

The new side-running lane will be located alongside the sidewalk, with parked cars acting as a buffer between cyclists and moving traffic. The redesign also takes into account the 21 parklets—outdoor seating areas that have become a staple along Valencia Street. The bike lane will weave around these parklets, while other parklets will be moved slightly further from the sidewalk to allow the bike lane to continue in a straight line.

According to the SFMTA, the pilot center bikeway program showed some positive results, such as fewer cars double parking in the bike lane and a slight reduction in traffic collisions, though the decrease wasn’t dramatic. Traffic volume on the street dropped 14%, while pedestrian volume fell by 8%. Despite this, the decision to change the bike lane design was driven by feedback from both businesses and residents who found the center-running lane confusing and impractical, not to mention unsafe.

The side-running bike lane will result in the removal of 37% of parking spaces along Valencia Street. This is in addition to the 71 metered parking spots lost when the center-running lane was first installed.

While SFMTA has focused on redesigning Valencia Street, bike advocates say the city needs a bigger, more connected network of protected bike lanes. Luke Bornheimer of the advocacy group Streets Forward criticized the SFMTA’s Biking and Rolling Plan, saying it lacks a clear vision for a citywide bike lane network. He pointed out that in other cities like New York and Paris, connected bike lanes have helped reduce car traffic, improve safety, and make streets better for everyone.

Valencia Street, San Francisco

“San Francisco faces increasing car traffic, demand for car parking, noise, air pollution, and climate emissions while roadway fatalities and injuries continue at the same rate due to too many people using cars to get around,” said Bornheimer, in a statement. “In order to decrease car traffic, demand for car parking, noise, air pollution, climate emissions, and roadway fatalities and injuries, San Francisco needs a visionary plan for a connected network of protected bike lanes. SFMTA’s Biking and Rolling Plan fails to meet the moment or lay out a visionary plan that would help people shift trips from cars to bikes and scooters.”

Bornheimer also expressed frustration with the delay in the Biking and Rolling Plan’s progress, which he says has taken too long to develop while important streets have been left without needed bike lanes. He pointed to streets like 17th Street and Arguello Boulevard as examples of places where protected bike lanes should have been built sooner.

As the city moves forward with the new Valencia Street design, Bornheimer and other advocates will continue to push for a more comprehensive approach to cycling infrastructure in San Francisco.

The new side-running bike lane design is expected to start construction as soon as January. While the change will address some of the concerns about the center-running lane, it remains to be seen whether it will solve the issues surrounding parking, business access, and cyclist safety.

For many San Franciscans, the future of the city’s streets—and how they are used—depends on how well SFMTA can balance the needs of cyclists, drivers, pedestrians, and businesses. With a growing demand for safer, more sustainable transportation options, Valencia Street could become a test case for how the city adapts its streets to support everyone.