Eyes on the Street: First Fell Street Bike Lane Markings on the Ground

Crews laid down the first preliminary stripes of the three-block separated bike lane on Fell Street this morning. The SF Municipal Transportation Agency is moving ahead with the safer connection between the Wiggle and the Panhandle, confident that a legal appeal filed against the project will be denied.

As of this afternoon, a few short stretches had preliminary markings, and temporary striping tape spelled out the words "Bike Lane" on each block. Since the SFMTA removed the car parking lane and began grinding off the old street markings two weeks ago, the space had been open for bicyclists but left mostly unmarked.

When complete, the bike lane will be 7'3" wide, with a five-foot buffer zone separating it from motor traffic. The SFMTA's designs show that the bike lane will include a green bike box at Fell and Divisadero, and green markings will highlight merging zones at intersections. Some intersections will feature "mixing zones" where bike and car traffic merges, like those seen on the JFK Drive parking-protected bike lanes in Golden Gate Park.

The SFMTA says that by next summer, a similar lane will be installed on Oak Street, and concrete planters will be built in the buffer zone (which will still allow drivers to cross the bike lane to enter driveways). In addition, the sidewalk will be extended at 12 street corners, the synchronized traffic signal speed will be lowered from 25 MPH to 20 MPH to calm motor traffic, and special signals will be installed at intersections to give bicyclists and pedestrians a head start to cross in front of turning vehicles.

The queuing space for cars waiting to enter the Arco gas station, which drivers must cross the bike lane to reach, will not be removed under new bike lane design. The current design for that section, which directs bicyclists around the queue into a dashed green-painted merging zone, will remain.

One more picture after the jump...