SFMTA Interns Help Educate Drivers on New Fell Street Configuration

Photos: Bryan Goebel

Recognizing the need to educate easily confused drivers on the new configuration at the troubled intersection of Fell Street at Divisadero, alongside the Arco station, the SFMTA has sent out a two-person team of interns to explain to drivers that they shouldn't obstruct the bike lane while waiting to turn left to get gas. In addition to the curbside talk, the interns are handing drivers this flyer (PDF).

According to SFMTA spokesperson Kristen Holland: "The interns on Fell Street were deployed on Tuesday and Thursday to distribute the flyers and to explain to drivers who block the sidewalk and/or bike lane that they shouldn't and that they should use the queuing lane instead. The SFMTA will continue this education effort to educate station visitors about the changes."

In less than a month, the SFMTA plans to paint the bike lane green but before it can do that, in order to comply with Federal Highway Administration colored pavement regulations, it needs gather data on how many drivers and bicyclists interact at the dicey intersection. Some bike advocates and bicyclists who use the route regularly have suggested that nothing short of a cycletrack with no left turns is the only way to solve the problem.

In the meantime, the weekly protests at the Arco station will continue this afternoon, and every Friday, according to organizers, until the problem is fixed.