West Portal crash exclusive: No evidence driver was impaired

By Jonah Owen Lamb and Noah sfstandard – excerpt

The initial toxicology report for the driver who allegedly crashed her SUV onto a West Portal sidewalk, killing a family of four, did not show that she was impaired, The Standard has learned. Law enforcement is now probing whether there was a mechanical failure in the Mercedes.

The revelations provide a glimpse into the otherwise opaque criminal investigation that has unfolded since police arrested driver Mary Fong Lau, 78, in connection with the March 16 crash. Ever since that tragic day, residents, business owners, City Hall and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency have sparred over how, or whether, to reshape the intersection of Lenox Way and Ulloa Street, where the incident occurred…

After the collision, the San Francisco Police Department arrested and booked Lau on suspicion of felony vehicular manslaughter, felony reckless driving causing bodily injury, and additional traffic violations. Prosecutors have an initial 72-hour window to file charges against a suspect after they are arrested. In this case, law enforcement released Lau pending further investigation. The District Attorney’s Office has three years to file charges if it decides to.

Lau is now out of custody and cooperating with police; she has given them at least one interview…

But the SFMTA has already come to a key conclusion: The infrastructure of the street did not cause the crash.

The driver was “traveling at a high rate of speed on the wrong side of the road and lost control of the car,” SFMTA spokesperson Michael Roccaforte told The Standard. “It was an exceptionally rare case and one of those freak things that’s tough to prevent.”…(more)

Valencia Street merchants push city to scrap controversial center bike lane

By Joel Umanzor : sfstandard – excerpt

Valencia Street Center Bike Lane

Valencia Street business owners are calling on the city to overhaul the controversial center-running bike lane as transit officials consider redesigning the Mission District bikeway.

In a letter submitted on Monday, the Valencia Corridor Merchants Association urged the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency to replace the center bike lane with a side-running protected lane, restore left and right turns for vehicles, and prioritize the preservation of customer parking.

We have watched as dozens of our friends and neighbors have closed shop and know of a score more who are barely hanging on and likely to shutter in the coming months,” the letter read. “As Valencia represents the largest continuous stretch of independent merchants in the nation, it occupies a special space in the city and is worth saving.”

Among the key requests outlined in the letter are restoring commercial loading zones converted to parking during the pilot, assisting businesses in relocating parklets if needed, adding signage for nearby SFMTA parking lots and reimbursing merchants who are forced to demolish or rebuild parklets due to construction.

The merchants also proposed reducing metered parking costs for six months during and after construction to attract customers, expediting the construction schedule, and timing new bike signals with green lights to prevent gridlock.…(more)

Save Access to City College of San Francisco

Some actions you may take to Save Access to City College of San Francisco
SFMTA to Vote on the Frida Kahlo Way Project on May 7 https://westsideobserver.com/24/4-sfmta-plan-for-city-college-transit-panned.php

Sign the petition opposing the Frida Kahlo Way Quick Build.  https://www.change.org/p/save-access-for-city-college-sf-students-stop-quick-build-project

Make a public comment at the Tuesday, May 7, 2024, SFMTA Board Meeting. Come to City Hall, Room 400, 1 pm. If you can’t attend in person due to a disability, remote public comment is available upon request. To request accommodation, please contact the Board Secretary at MTABoard or 415.646.4470 at least three hours in advance of the meeting.

Read about it in Westside Observer: https://westsideobserver.com/24/4-sfmta-plan-for-city-college-transit-panned.php

BRIDGE TOO FAR

By Ben Shimkus, Motor Staff : the-sun – excerpt

‘Blatant cash grab,’ fumes New Jersey governor as city now charging $15 every time drivers travel across major streets

THE nation’s first-ever congestion pricing tolls are set to roll out in months – but six types of drivers will be able to avoid the fees if they fill out the proper paperwork…

DRIVERS have raged over the announcement that congestion pricing in a major U.S. city has been approved despite public outcry.

First responders are not exempt from the charge, but nearly 30,000 government vehicles are…

Drivers will pay the tolls on streets south of Manhattan’s 60th street…

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy called it a “cash grab” and vowed that the legal battle was “far from over”…

After a long and drawn-out legal battle in New York and New Jersey, city officials passed the controversial congestion pricing surcharge for vehicles to enter the business district of Manhattan.

People anxious for the verdict surrounded the building, causing local police to place barricades and have several officers lining the perimeter.

Cab drivers were calling on officials to reconsider charging them per entry, chanting, “Exempt the yellow cabs now,” according to CBS.

However, several ongoing lawsuits will likely see that delayed.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will be one of several venomously fighting what he previously called an attack on Jersey residents. … (more)

It will be interesting to see how long this lasts, and how tourists, merchants, and unions respond.

West Portal traffic safety initiative slows to include community voices

cbsnews : video

https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/west-portal-traffic-safety-initiative-slows-to-include-community-voices/

A group of West Portal business owners and neighbors have successfully slowed the planning process for a traffic safety project that was fast-tracked by the city following a deadly collision last month. 

At the request Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Myrna Melgar, the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency kicked off an expedited planning process for the West Portal Safety Improvement Project following the March 16 collision that killed a family of four waiting at a bus stop at Ulloa Street and Lenox Way near the West Portal Muni Station.

The idea was to bring the project to the MTA board for approval in May or June and for at least some of the improvements to be built out by the end of summer. 

Both the plan and the planning process, however, immediately drew the ire of the West Portal Merchants Association and other neighborhood groups in the area. 

West Portal Protests Grow

Outrage over proposed SFMTA traffic safety plan in SF’s West Portal after family killed : KGO News footage and comments
https://abc7news.com/outrage-over-proposed-sfmta-traffic-safety-plan-in-sfs-west-portal-after-family-killed/14731008/

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — There was outrage on Wednesday among residents and business owners over proposed traffic changes in the West Portal neighborhood of San Francisco.

Around a hundred people rallied outside an SFMTA feedback session. The agency is proposing the changes after a recent crash killed an entire family.

“I’m sick to my stomach about it!” said Lavive Kiely.

West Portal Protests Grow : There are at least 5 sites, with letters and or protests against the New SFMYAi plan for West PortalThe are coming from a wide range of San Francisco residents and business people who are fed up with SFMTA
Including Muni passengers, who will be forced to disembark and switch vehicles at the West Portal Station.

The Design: from the SFMTA web site. https://www.sfmta.com/reports/west-portal-station-safety-and-community-space-improvements-proposed-design with a survey, more maps and photos of “street art objects” Note that MUNI passengers will also be impacted by the new design that will force them to disembark and change vehicles at the station. Not sure how this improves their safety, but, that is the plan. SFMTA does not discriminate. They ignore everyone equally.

map shows proposed changes for the west portal area. west portal avenues center lanes in both directions would be for transit and commercial vehicles only between ulloa and vicente.

Learn more are upcoming events and share your feedback in our survey by Sunday, April 28

SFMTA will be conducting polls on West Portal at the following dates and places:

Mon, April 22, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – West Portal Ave and Vicente Street
Tue, April 23, 8 – 9:30 a.m. at West Portal Station
Wed, April 24, 4 – 5:45 p.m. outside the West Portal Branch Library

PROTESTS against SFMTA: Letters and Petitions

1. Fire Jeff Tumlin: https://form.jotform.com/233365439085159

Help! SFMTA is Devastating Vibrant Neighborhood Corridors: https://form.jotform.com/233355625390154

2. Save West Portal: https://form.jotform.com/241095320780149

3. Please don’t make driving or parking harder in the West Portal Avenue business district ! https://www.change.org/p/please-don-t-make-driving-or-parking-harder-in-the-west-portal-avenue-business-district?recruiter=1123557002&recruited_by_id=380da5e0-b632-11ea-86c3-

Current parking on West Portal

4. Tell the SFMTA to protect businesses and keep West Portal accessible.
https://sites.google.com/view/savewestportal/

SHARE WITH EVERYONE!!

Some pushback on West Portal Plans

Merchants and Visitors speak out against the West Portal Plans.

https://abc7news.com/outrage-over-proposed-sfmta-traffic-safety-plan-in-sfs-west-portal-after-family-killed/14731008

There must be at least three petitions opposing the SFMTA plans for West Portal so far. Here is one that lists a few other street reconfigurations that have devastated businesses from Market Street to Taraval and parts between.

End the Poorly Planned & Executed Valencia Street Center Bike Lane & Stop SFMTA form.jotform.com

https://form.jotform.com/233365439085159

SFMTA is Devastating Vibrant Neighborhood Corridors: Enough is ENOUGH

The small businesses that make SF amazing and unique are crying out for help to halt SFMTA’s devastation of diverse and vital business corridors, livelihoods, local jobs, and the very character of our neighborhoods.

Take actions to stop the madness.

SFMTA announces traffic proposal after family of 4 killed

By abc7 News Bay Area : YouTube – excerpt

SFMTA announces traffic proposal after family of 4 killed
youtu.be

More of same. Blame the drivers. Cut off another major intersection in a neighborhood that has already been negatively affected by the SFMTA. The plan seems to be to close all the merchants down so the developers can come in and tear down the buildings and build “better and higher and denser”

Upcoming Public Hearing on Parking Regulation Changes Affecting Geary Boulevard, Fulton Street, and Other Local Roads

Newsbreak – excerpt

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) plans to hold a public hearing on April 26, 2024, to discuss proposed changes to the city’s parking regulations. The hearing will be online and open for public input. SFMTA Order No. 6748 details the proposed changes, which include relocating commercial loading zones, establishing short-term parking, and creating new loading zones.

The first change involves Geary Boulevard between 25th and 26th Avenue. The plan is to replace the current 30-minute commercial loading zone, operational from 8AM to 6PM, Monday to Saturday, with a short-term parking area. The new metered green zone will have a 30-minute limit from 9AM to 6PM, Monday to Saturday. This change aims to improve truck loading and customer access.

The second change is to create a general loading zone on Geary Boulevard between 3rd and 4th Avenue. The new zone will have a 5-minute limit and will be operational from 8AM to 8PM daily, to facilitate customer access…(more)

A 5 minute limit? What is anyone going to do in 5 minutes? Or in 30 minute for that matter. Not time for a meal or much window-shopping. What are these people on? Other than spending out money to control us?

Which of our anxious mayoral candidates has the nerve to say NO to 5 minute limits and all these new regulations? Stop and desist or go away!

More businesses join legal fight against Valencia center bike lane

by ELENI BALAKRISHNAN : missionlocal – excerpt

Four additional businesses have joined the legal battle opposing the Valencia Street center bike lane and filed claims against the city, their attorney, Jim Quadra, announced at a press conference today.

The businesses — Consumer Auto Body Inc., Tunisian restaurant Gola, Vietnamese fusion restaurant Chic n’ Time, and the closed Phoenix Irish Bar — join three businesses that filed claims in February, contending that the street changes that accompanied the new center bike lane have damaged their businesses by diverting traffic and limiting parking.

“There should be several more [claims] coming,” Quadra said, speaking at the closed music venue Amado’s on Thursday morning. At least one other business owner who has not yet filed a claim also appeared in solidarity.

The city denied the claims filed by Rossi Art Gallery, Mediterranean restaurant Yasmin and Amado’s, he added, and those business owners are now considering a lawsuit.

A claim is a request for damages or compensation. If the recipient of the claim denies it, the complainant can then file a formal lawsuit to be heard in court…(more)

RELATED:

Pedestrian and cyclist safety project comes to Folsom Street

Do they ever stop? They are broke and they still insist on waging war against the public. What does it take to re-orient the SFMTA to taking care of their Muni riders and dropping all their other programs until they are out of debt and have restored the Muni system to the high level it once was?