Divisadero "improvements"
Jim Herd asks a good question about one of the recent "improvements" to Divisadero Street:
And what planning genius decided that widening the sidewalk at Divis and Haight, effectively removing the cutout for[Muni]; now it totally blocks one lane and increases the bottleneck of traffic---not that MUNI drivers ever really use bus stops, but at least the frigging UPS truck had a place to park!
The city did the same thing at the Hayes/Divisadero and the McAllister/Divisadero intersections, and it's not clear why. As Herd points out, it creates an immediate bottleneck for anyone driving behind the #24 bus, making it more difficult and dangerous to switch lanes, often stranding vehicles in the intersection behind a bus as the light changes.
It was sensible, however, to eliminate the bus stops at Fulton and Divisadero, since there's another bus stop a block away at McAllister and Divisadero. Eliminating those stops allows the #24 to make a faster run between McAllister and Haight Street.
I have to admit that overall the Divisadero upgrade looks pretty good, but, judging from all the potential tree-planting sites the city has prepared, there's a danger of over-landscaping the street, leaving it looking more like a reforestation project than a busy city street.
But Herd's reference to the "itty bitty underground parking garage" on the Concourse in Golden Gate Park is odd, since that garage has 800 parking spaces.
Labels: Concourse Garage, District 5, Divisadero, Golden Gate Park, Jim Herd, Neighborhoods, Parking
posted by Rob Anderson @ 9:41 AM
8 comments
8 Comments:
You can't really overdo tree planting.
Street trees cause a psychological slowing of traffic. They're good for every roadway user, including motorists.
In the 1950s, street trees were cut down nationwide (those that weren't already killed by Dutch Elm Disease) because they were thought to pose a hazard to speeding, drunk drivers. That's the kind of thinking we used to work with.
Oh yes, we're so much smarter now, with our progressive thinking and BikeThink. Is it too much to ask to see some evidence for your assertions?
Perhaps Muni induced bottlenecks are the progressive's new "traffic calming" measures.
All over the cit there's a war against cars and the people who use them. Take Army street for example. They intend to do what they've done on Divis but to a greater extent, eliminating two of the six lanes to widen sidewalk, create a median and add bike lanes. Of course this will slow down both cars and Muni while producing a "bicycle freeway" for the privileged bike coalition members who apparently have no ambitions of raising a family in San Francisco.
"Take Army street for example. They intend to do what they've done on Divis but to a greater extent..."
I think what "they" (the new fangled hippie dippies...) intend to do with Army Street is rename it! Progressive hippie bastards! Now we know you are "way more San Francisco" than the rest of us. Do you still call 17th St "Santa Clara St"?
"the privileged bike coalition members who apparently have no ambitions of raising a family in San Francisco."
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The street should have been left "Army Street" which is what many of us still continue to call it. The citywide referendum should have included only the people who live on the street and not outsiders. Pols here are so willing to cast aside historical names just to gain some short lived press. What connection did Chavez have to this area, or this street? None !
Apparently Herd edited his post after I posted this, since "the itty-bitty garage" description is gone.
Murphy's comment above was not removed by me, the only "administrator" of this blog.
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