Upper Market Street bike lane "compromises the safety of firefighters and local residents"

Photo Mike Peel

From: Scanlon, Olivia (FIR)

Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2017 1:52 PM

To: Maguire, Tom; Sallaberry, Mike; Golier, Patrick; Montoya, Luis; Hildreth, Casey 

Cc: Barnes, Bill (ADM); Gonzales, Mark (FIR); DeCossio, Dan (FIR); Rivera, Anthony (FIR); Balmy, Alec (FIR); Gracia, Daniel (FIR)

Subject: Report on Impact of Proposed Plans by SFMTA for Upper Market Street  

Good afternoon, 

Please see the findings below regarding Market Street proposal. 

Regards, 

Olivia 

Olivia Scanlon 

San Francisco Fire Department 

698 2nd Street 

San Francisco, CA 94107

The Bureau of Fire Prevention, Support Services and Suppression have reviewed MTA's proposed protected bicycle lanes on Upper Market and Herman streets.

The review was a parallel path of both drawing review and on site physical inspection. The Bureau of Fire Prevention has concluded that MTA's Upper Market design materially compromises the safety of firefighters and local residents for the following reasons:

1) Herman Street: 

* Diagonal parking scheme reduces the clear width to 15 feet resulting in insufficient clearance to deploy Aerial Ladder.

2) Upper Market: 

* Protected Bike Lane shifts car parking stalls which in turn further displaces aerial truck staging (38 feet out from the building versus prescribed 15-30 feet) creating an unsafe climbing angle for firefighters.

3) Upper Market: 

* Protected Bike Lane shifts parked car stalls forcing the aerial truck to stage under Muni overhead wires creating an electric shock hazard for firefighters. 

In addition, the SFFD has requested SFMTA to provide drawings using approved fire vehicle turn templates at the corner of Market/15th St/ Sanchez. This is a frequently traveled street just down from Sta 06. Fire must confirm that the proposed corner bulb-out and bicycle/vehicle parking at 15th St./Sanchez doesn't compromise Fire access. 

Given compromised safety standards as detailed above, it is the recommendation of the Bureau of Fire Prevention to decline the expansion of protected bike lanes as currently outlined in MTA's proposal. The Bureau of Fire Prevention encourages MTA to identify alternatives that will address outlined safety standard issues, and welcomes further engagement on same.

See the SF Curbed story on this issue: San Francisco votes to protect bike lanes despite SFFD alarm.

See also Upper Market Street and the Bicycle Derangement Syndrome.