Lombard Street car ban lands this weekend

The closure of Lombard Street to vehicular traffic between Larkin and Leavenworth streets will start this weekend from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s board of directors last month approved a pilot project to temporarily close the street — known as the “crookedest street” in the world — to vehicles after residents complained about the traffic in area and concerns over pedestrian safety.

Vehicles will not have access to the street on the weekends of June 21–22, 28–29, and July 5–6 and 12–13. The street will also be closed on the Fourth of July holiday.

Vehicle access will still be allowed for residents who live on the street and for emergency vehicles.

Though the street will be closed, pedestrians will not be allowed to walk down the winding brick street surface. Visitors to the major attraction will be restricted to the sidewalk.

The SFMTA said the pilot will determine if there should be more closures of Lombard on a regular basis. A gate sought by residents so only local traffic can drive through would require a change in state legislation.

Parking control officers will be on hand to enforce the temporary street closure.

The SFMTA said they will monitor the pilot by working closely with the parking control officers and neighborhood groups.

The transit agency can discontinue the pilot before the July 13 if any problems arise either observed by the SFMTA or neighborhood groups.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.