To:

MayorLondonBreed@sfgov.org, MTABoard@sfmta.com, Alexandra.C.Sweet@sfgov.org, Andres.Power@sfgov.org, Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org, Jeffrey.Tumlin@sfmta.com, Tom.Maguire@sfmta.com, Jamie.Parks@sfmta.com, SlowStreets@sfmta.com, LakeStreet@sfmta.com, SlowLakeStreet@gmail.com, Senator.Wiener@senate.ca.gov, Assemblymember.Ting@assembly.ca.gov, Assemblymember.Haney@assembly.ca.gov

Subject:

Keep Lake Slow and include it in the Slow Streets Program

Message:

I am writing in full support of Slow Lake Street (and the Slow Streets Program) and its inclusion in an expanded, comprehensive, and permanent Slow Streets network. From its origins as an emergency pandemic response to its current role as a lifeline for thousands of San Franciscans, Slow Streets envision a future in which kids, families, seniors, and neighbors of all abilities move around their City safely and sustainably.

There are thousands of Slow Lake and Slow Streets supporters from around the city. A robust majority of 53.4% of Richmond District residents support Slow Lake Street. If this were a presidential election, it would be a blow-out; no president has enjoyed that margin of victory in four decades. Citywide, the support for Slow Lake Street is even stronger, at 57.7% of residents, which parallels the 63.03% of votes won by Prop. J in the Nov. 2022 election.

More so, Slow Lake has profoundly improved the Richmond District and the City. Thousands of adults and children from all neighborhoods—on bikes, scooters, foot, motorized wheelchairs, and more—use it daily to commute, shop, exercise, or get to school. We can NOT allow sound public policy to be watered down, blocked or reversed. We need your leadership and votes to send a message that political theatrics and outright misinformation will not stand in the way of progress on safety, climate and livability. 

With this in mind, I am recommending the approval of a permanent Slow Streets program that features:

- A reaffirmed permanent Slow Lake Street that is part of the city’s Slow Streets Program.

- A comprehensive network that encourages a diversity of uses including walking, biking, and rolling for people of all ages and abilities

- Street design changes that slow cars and eliminate cut-through traffic through physical infrastructure, encouraging low speeds (under 15 mph) and low vehicle volume (under 1,500 cars per day)

- The permanent and expedient approval of all existing Slow Streets, including Page and all streets previously approved during the August 3, 2021 MTAB meeting (Lake, Shotwell, Sanchez, and Golden Gate)

- A robust process allowing for community-led nominations for expanding Slow Streets to guide their success throughout the City’s varied neighborhoods, including equity-priority communities, connecting with schools, parks, commercial corridors, and other amenities of daily life

- A plan to double the number of Slow Streets by 2024 to create a 100-mile network of streets that are safe for anyone ages 8 to 80

Thank you for your support.