Celebration to Mark Completion of 24th Street Improvement

For immediate release: July 14, 2015

Contact: Rachel Gordon, 415-554-6045

San Francisco, CA – The community is invited to join District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener, San Francisco Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru, San Francisco Transportation Director Ed Reiskin and Noe Valley neighborhood leaders for the 24th Street Urban Village streetscape ribbon-cutting ceremony.

When: Wednesday, July 15, 2015 at 10:30 a.m.

Where: 24th and Noe streets (southwest corner)

What: Community celebration and ribbon-cutting

”The commercial heart of Noe Valley is 24th Street, one of the great neighborhood corridors in San Francisco,” said Supervisor Wiener, who represents the area. “It’s a community destination to shop and eat and to catch up with neighbors. These streetscape improvements make 24th Street safer, more attractive and more welcoming for residents and visitors.”

Led by San Francisco Public Works in partnership with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the project team worked closely with Supervisor Wiener, the Noe Valley Association and other neighborhood representatives with the shared goal of improving pedestrian safety, increasing transit efficiency and beautifying the corridor that runs along 24th Street from Castro to Church streets.

Improvements include decorative, high-visibility crosswalks at Castro, Noe, Sanchez and Church streets; improved bus stops with wider sidewalks to ease the boarding and unloading of passengers, decorative brick trim along the curb line, and new benches and planters at Castro and Noe streets; upgraded curb ramps along the corridor; and modernized, easier-to-see traffic signals at Castro Street.

The $560,000 neighborhood improvement project was funded through the voter-backed 2011 Road Repaving and Street Safety Bond.

“We worked closely with the Noe Valley community to create an even more welcoming and vibrant corridor. At the end of the day, this is a great example of refreshing a neighborhood through thoughtful design,” said Director Nuru. “With the support of City voters, we have been able to improve safety and beautify our shared public spaces not just in Noe Valley but in neighborhoods across San Francisco.”

Added Ed Reiskin, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s Director of Transportation, “One of the most important investments we can make in our communities is making our neighborhood streets safer. Working with the Noe Valley community and San Francisco Public Works, the SF Municipal Transportation Agency was able to make significant upgrades for pedestrian safety that will help us reach our citywide Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic deaths.”

Debra Niemann, executive director of the Noe Valley Association, said the new streetscape builds on the long-term strategic plan created with community input in 2007. “The Noe Valley Association is a community benefits district that works to make the 24th Street commercial district cleaner, greener and more vibrant,” said Niemann. “Through the Noe Valley Association, property owners and merchants have invested heavily in streetscape improvements. These latest changes keep the momentum going. That’s one of the reasons Noe Valley appeals to many as a place to live and as a shopping destination.”

About San Francisco Public Works: The 24/7 City agency cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and nurtures City-maintained 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.