After a long 12 hours of debates, 9 hours of continued public comments, and over 2 years of waiting, Golden Gate Park's popular 1.5-mile promenade of JFK Drive is now officially car-free.
The SF Board of Supervisors started the debate Tuesday April 26th at 9 a.m., and concluded their decision with a 7-4 vote in favor of making the bustling section safer for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
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"Today is a historic day," Breed proclaimed on Twitter immediately after the vote. With Supervisors Matt Haney, Dean Preston and Rafael Mandelman co-sponsoring Breed's legislation, she called the victory "a long-term benefit to San Francisco." "We still have work to do, she writes, "but passing this legislation is where we begin to make real change."
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JFK Drive began its vehicle-free status in April of 2020 to promote better pedestrian safety and walkable exploration of its span, which stretches for a mile and a half from Kezar to Transverse Drive and features several museum and garden attractions.
The lack of cars during quarantine and promotion of safe outdoor activities helped garner positive support for keeping the portion like this, yet as the city continues to open up, the official petition took longer to finalize.
Over eight months the SFMTA and Recreation and Park department conducted surveys on residents about their preference and opinions, discovering that 70% of all the 10,000 participants wanted to maintain the Drive for pedestrians.
See also: Historic Hippie Hill is Golden Gate Park's Enduring Peaceful Hangout Cove
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Within the debate, many who supported the legislation emphasized its benefits for both pedestrian and environmental safety. Stephen Gamboa, a Kaiser Permanente Emergency Medicine doctor, declared, “I’ve seen too many injuries on J.F.K.–injuries that are totally preventable.”
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Additionally, WalkSF deemed the Drive as one of the most dangerous and accident-ridden streets in the whole city.
Haney also reiterated the decision as a positive move towards sustainability, citing cleaner air from this legislature as “a very important step in that direction.”
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While most of the testimonies were in favor of keeping the path car-free, those in opposition, such as Supervisors Connie Chan and Shamann Walton, and even the De Young Museum, argued that the closure would continue to disproportionately and negatively impact those most affected. These include the disabled, elderly, and those with kids or jobs needing the route for optimal daily commutes to work or school.
Chan and Walton instead advocated a different proposal to have one-way traffic on Eighth Avenue, and a two-way road on Conservatory Drive.
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Overall, from the impassioned testimonies, and even a touching serenade, the night finished in a celebratory eruption, marking history for San Francisco as a top pioneering city that emphasizes citizen and environmental safety.
Definitely grace the 1.5-mile safe stretch yourself on a sunny day, making sure to take in all the surrounding sites it has to offer.
Photography by: Rich Hay/Unsplash
