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San Francisco Launches a Slow-Streets Program to Support Social Distancing

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San Francisco is the latest Bay Area city aiming to reduce traffic on some streets — and make more room for walkers and runners — under the current stay-at-home orders.

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Director Jeffrey Tumlin says the "Slow Streets" program is designed to help pedestrians follow current coronavirus health guidelines.

“We identified some low-volume, residential streets that we could quickly transform...to make sure that people can walk or jog safely, while also maintaining social distance,” explains Tumlin.

A map of San Francisco's new "Slow Streets" program.

The project will begin later this week on short segments of 41st Ave. in the Sunset neighborhood, and Page St. in the Haight-Ashbury district. Unlike the car-free Market Street transition a few months ago, this program will allow continued residential and delivery traffic at low speed.

"While traffic congestion has dropped, it is still difficult for people to maintain physical distance on many sidewalks," wrote Mayor London Breed in a statement. "The most important thing that people can do right now is to remain inside as much as possible. But when they do have to go outside for essential trips, this program will help people keep six feet of distance from others."

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Oakland is currently expanding a similar effort launched earlier this month.

-- Annie Berman

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