A SUGGESTION TO IMPROVE OUR CITY

First, as a historian I fully appreciate the significant of the Alvord Bridge in GGP, constructed by Ernest Leslie Ransome in 1889, as the world's first and oldest steel reinforced concrete bridge. I believe my suggestions can be implimented without alteration to this structure.

I also appreciate that in a “transit first” city, improving access for private vehicles may seem counter productive.

I make this suggestion:

Kezar Drive should be widened to two lanes east bound

because of the impact of private vehicles to transit in the Inner Sunset resulting from the bottleneck at this location.

Background: Most vehicles driving from the Sunset traveling to downtown must pass down Kezar Drive. It is the primary “arterial” fed by Lincoln and 7th Ave. Until a few years ago, Lincoln narrowed from three to two lanes at Kezar and then to one at the Alvord Bridge, but vehicles could spill onto Waller and, passing through the upper Haight, reconnect with the four lanes on Oak Street.

As part of a “reduction of pavement” plan throughout Golden Gate Park, Haight Asbury activists were successful in having Waller closed to traffic. Certainly this has reduced traffic in their neighborhood, but the result has had major impacts to the west.

The Problem: On weekday mornings, traffic backs the two designated arterials, Lincoln and 7th Ave, spilling traffic on to 9th and through Golden Gate Park. Residents of 6th and 5th Avenues also suffer this spill over of commuters. The addition load often can not be accommodated by the 30 second lights at Irving and Lincoln leading to significant delays on 9th between Judah and Irving, a portion of the N-Judah, and #44 routes.

The Solution: increasing Kezar from one to two lanes eastbound could reduce this backup and it resultant impacts.

Currently there are three lanes of traffic over the Alvord Bridge , two west and one east, and a 9 ft. sidewalk on the west and 12 ft. on the east side.

The western sidewalk leads effectively nowhere as the 4ft. 9in. pathway is blocked by light poles.

By removing the sidewalk on the west and narrowing to 8ft the sidewalk on the east, 48ft. remain for roadway. Four 12ft. traffic lanes!

Chris Duderstadt 10/2006