In May of this year, the 17th Street Plaza at the corner of Castro and 17th Street opened to the public. What was once an awkward and dicey area for pedestrians was transformed into a protected, landscaped sitting area that has affected some interesting changes to the neighborhood.
The San Francisco Great Streets Project conducted a study to look at user’s perceptions of the plaza and overall usage since it opened. They employed several methods for getting their data: time-lapse photography, pedestrian counts and surveys. Key findings included (full report here):
– The length of time spent in the area increased and users became more engaged in cultural and social activities
– The area is now utilized as a place and a destination rather than a route
– A greater sense of community character was perceived by pedestrians
– There was an increased desire for public space in the Castro Street Commercial Area
The 17th Street plaza is the first trial in the city’s “Pavement to Parks” initiative, designed to help make streets safer for pedestrians while beautifying areas and providing gathering places.
I think something like this would be great for the Richmond District. Though we are blessed with lots of parks in our neighborhood, we have a host of areas where traffic and pedestrian safety is at odds (think Fulton Street corridor, Park Presidio Blvd.). Plazas like these, even ones that are just filled with landscaping, help signal to drivers that they’re in a pedestrian area. Studies show it can significantly reduce traffic speeds. Then load on the community benefits as found in the Great Streets Project report and you’ve got a win-win situation.
Some possible locations that come to mind are Geary or Clement at Park Presidio Boulevard. I would love to see one in the main stretch of Clement, e.g. around 6th to 9th Avenue since it’s already such a hub of our community (don’t ask me where it would fit in though!). Also by the firehouse out at the end of Geary seems like a spot that could use some sprucing up and would be a central place for people to gather. And perhaps one out on Balboa in the business corridor.
So where would you install pedestrian plazas in the Richmond?
Sarah B.
[Via Streetsblog SF]
I’m curious where would you recommend these plazas go? In the cited example, it made logical sense to convert that portion of the intersection in to a plaza. I am unaware of any similar places in the Richmond District. At least along the Geary and Clement corridors. California by (I think) 6th might have some potential.
Your thoughts?
Thanks!
PS I saw that you mentioned Fulton and Park Presidio, just not sure where specifically a plaza would fit. Thanks again!
I’m not really sure either, that’s why I wanted reader’s opinions 😉 I think one reason that the one on 17th is successful is due to the nearby commercial areas.
Just putting on in the middle of a residential area doesn’t make a ton of sense, however you could install one that also doubles as a bus stop and helps to slow down traffic. There are several spots on Fulton where I think would be good (25th & Fulton for example).
My top spot would be geary and park presidio – I think that intersection is particularly unattractive and dangerous to pedestrians. With the Park Presidio park areas alongside I would think something nice could be done there.
I think the SFFD corner or Cornwall St would be good physically, but there’s not enough to keep people there. To have a pedestrian-friendly street, you need a destination that pedestrians are already going to. Castro/Market/17 is already a destination as well as a starting & meetup point, so it’s a natural place for a plaza.
Keeping that in mind, I think Clement would be a good, and possibly only choice, maybe just closing down a block or two (5th-7th?) , or a Sunday Streets thing where Clement itself is closed Arguello to Funston, but cross traffic on the Avenues (maybe excepting 10th & 11th to allow the library to join in the fun) remains.
I’d like to see part of inner Clement (pick any spot) along the length for a block or so. It would cut off Clement for the people who like to zoom up the street with all the traffic. I’d like to see some seats with tables or just seats on streets as well. Take a look at the corners along Broadway. They have some, it looks enviting!
Park Presidio & Geary doesn’t make sense. The reason this one makes sense is because it’s a densely foot trafficked area and that terrible intersection made no sense. I mostly MUNI, but I occasionally drive, and commute through the Castro area, and every time I saw someone trying to drive there, I wondered exactly how crazy they had to be to want to turn there.
Park Presidio & Geary is the clearly defined intersection of two major thoroughfares. The reason people there don’t “notice” (re: care) whether they’re almost running you over as you cross the street is because they’re jerks.
The purpose is to re-shape an already heavily trafficked spot that people mill about in anyways, not to make your bus stop while you wait for the 38 more comfortable for you to wait in.
They should be set in more neighborhood-y areas out there. Where it is likely people will use them consistently and at other times than the commuter hours. Otherwise, I must believe you’re just another SF resident selfishly trying to divert a useful and beneficial idea to your area, apropos of nothing.
“I saw it somewhere else and thought, what makes them so special? I’m special too!! Gimme gimme!”
To support your point, the main Clement Street corridor I suggested would probably be one of the better areas to put one into. It’s heavily trafficked both by cars and pedestrians; it’s more of a hub of the neighborhood. They were just ideas I was throwing out there!
The plaza should alleviate jaywalking and car traffic; I would suggest 4th Ave to 10th Ave along Clement but perhaps just a temporary plaza for one weekend a month. Usually weekends are the busiest and I find myself doing frogger along Clement since there are several intersections with 2-way stops. Also, cafes and stores should extend out to the street allowing patio tables, chairs, and other wares.
I foresee severe opposition from retail stores and restaurants giving up parking on a weekend but I would love to see any plaza close to where I live.
A good way to begin experimenting in the Richmond would be to organize something similar to the NYC Weekend Walks program (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/weekendwalks/html/home/home.shtml). These are organized by local groups in good weather to boost pedestrian traffic to a street or stretches of streets. It’s a first step in helping everyone in the neighborhood reimagine the street space and come up with plans for specific plaza or other ideas.
@Kit – Yes! There is an initiative in San Francisco very similar called Sunday Streets. http://sundaystreetssf.com/ One is coming to the Great Highway/Ocean Beach on August 9 and Sept. 6.