Ball in supes’ court on car-free JFK Drive proposal

A proposal that would permanently keep John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park closed to vehicle traffic is inching closer to becoming reality.

Thursday, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Board of Directors and the Recreation and Parks Department’s Commission held an eight-hour joint meeting to discuss the issue. In an unanimous vote among the SFMTA board and 5-2 vote cast by the Rec and Parks Commission, the two groups ultimately decided to forward the car-free JFK Drive staff recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. The two dissenting votes came from commissioners Larry Mazzola and Laurence Griffin.

Staff from Rec and Park and the SFMTA were tasked with conducting public outreach to evaluate various proposals and configurations for making the corridor permanently car-free. After surveying more than 10,000 residents, staff presented their report — also addressing concerns raised by residents, seniors and people with disabilities — on March 7. 

The report included more than a dozen recommendations to improve park access, including the addition of 20 blue zone spaces behind the Music Concourse Bandshell and a more robust free Golden Gate Park Shuttle as part of the Golden Gate Park Safety and Access Program.

The shuttle now runs every 20 to 25 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends and holidays. Additionally, the shuttle will make new stops, including at Haight and Stanyan streets to connect passengers with nearby Muni routes. Rec and Parks launched the shuttle expansion late last month.

Directors and commissioners Thursday heard public comment from both sides of the aisle. A rally opposing the permanent closure was held at the steps of City Hall prior to the meeting.

Luke Bornheimer, cofounder of Kids Safe SF, an advocate for keeping the roadway free of cars, said:

“The JFK promenade is a wildly popular public space that has directly moved us towards our Vision Zero and sustainable mode shift goals and made San Francisco a more connected, healthy and sustainable place to live.”

Staff said the survey indicates that 70 percent of residents support the idea of keeping JFK Drive closed to private vehicles inside Golden Gate Park. In their study of travel time impacts before and after the 2020 pandemic response closure, they found no significant impacts.

SFMTA board Director Steve Heminger thinks it is due time The City shifts its focus from vehicles, saying:

“We’ve been designing our cities around the automobile for 70 years now. I think it’s time to give other travel modes the turn.”

The proposal’s critics say senior and disabled visitors would have to travel further to get to the de Young museum as some nearby blue parking spots would be eliminated under the proposal.

Access Manager Karen Berniker for the de Young museum, who objects to the road closure, said her job is to ensure that museum is ”physically and programmatically” accessible for people with disabilities, adding:

“I am unable to do that, due to the road closure.”

Berniker and other museum staff claimed that the elimination of the blue zone space violates Americans with Disabilities Act laws.

Sarah Madland, director of policy and public affairs for Rec and Parks, said they have been advised that the change in the road configuration will not “create any new liabilities under ADA.”

The Music Concourse underground parking garage, operated by the Music Concourse Community Partnership, was also discussed Thursday. Rec and Parks General Manager Phil Ginsburg said Mayor London Breed’s staff has established a working group to address potential improvements the garage’s operations, financing and governance.

Despite already receiving support from the mayor, the final decision will be up to the Board of Supervisors, but it unclear when the board will take up the matter.

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.