Popular Stockton Street Pedestrian Safety Program Back for Fourth Year

For immediate release: Feb. 5, 2015

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

San Francisco, CA – Mayor Ed Lee, District 3 Supervisor Julie Christensen and City department representatives joined Chinatown business and community leaders today to announce this year’s kickoff of a popular program to improve the shopping experience on Stockton Street leading up to the Chinese New Year. 

With a special permit, merchants along Chinatown’s Stockton Street, from Broadway to Sacramento streets, can set up their merchandise displays in the curbside parking spaces fronting their businesses. Now marking its fourth year, the Stockton Street Pedestrian Enhancement Program provides more space, safety and comfort for pedestrians as they shop for food and wares on the bustling commercial stretch. The temporary program this year runs through Feb. 18, 2015.

“As we gear up to celebrate the Year of the Ram, we want to make sure that Chinatown residents, merchants and visitors to this historic neighborhood have a safe and prosperous New Year,” Mayor Lee said. “We have seen the success of this program over the past three years, and I am excited to work together with Supervisor Julie Christensen and the Chinatown community so our residents and small businesses can share in our City’s prosperity.”

The City has partnered with the Chinatown Neighborhood Association, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Chinese American Association of Commerce, Chinatown Merchants Association, Chinatown Community Development Center, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, Community Youth Center and Recology. San Francisco Public Works, the Police Department, the Department of Public Health and the Municipal Transportation Agency will be on site to ensure that the streets and merchandise displays are kept safe.

“This collaborative program benefits our merchants, our residents and the thousands of visitors who make Stockton Street a go-to destination during the Chinese New Year and creates a safer and more festive experience for everyone involved,” said Supervisor Christensen, who represents Chinatown.

“This has helped the neighborhood flourish even more during the Chinese New Year, and we are looking forward to another successful year,” said Pius Lee, chair of the Chinatown Neighborhood Association.

Curbside parking will be prohibited in the program area between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. to accommodate merchandise displays. Muni service through the area will not be disrupted.

During the program duration, deliveries along the corridor must be scheduled before 8:30 a.m. or after 7 p.m. In addition to the temporary prohibition of curbside parking, double-parking restrictions will be strictly enforced along Stockton Street and the streets that feed into Stockton Street to make sure that traffic is not obstructed. Health inspectors will assure that food items are properly displayed.

“We found a creative solution to help businesses thrive and to make sure that our busy sidewalks remain safe during the holiday season,” said San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru.

In addition to overseeing the Stockton Street Pedestrian Enhancement Program, Public Works has crews on the ground in Chinatown scrubbing down the streets, steam cleaning and sweeping the sidewalks, painting out graffiti, fixing pot holes, cleaning the tunnels, sprucing up street fixtures and giving Chinatown’s alleyways some extra tender loving care to make the celebrated neighborhood shine for the New Year.

About San Francisco Public Works: The 24/7 City agency cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and nurtures Citymaintained street trees; designs, constructs and maintains City-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; builds curb ramps; eradicates graffiti; partners with neighborhoods; trains people for jobs; greens the right of way; and educates our communities.