Sloat Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Improvements

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is repaving Sloat Boulevard between Skyline Boulevard and 19th Avenue.  Work began in April 2017.  The project includes the following elements:

• Upgrades to existing curb ramps and pedestrian walkways to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 
• ​Installation of five Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (PHB), also known as “HAWK” beacons, on Sloat Boulevard at 21st Avenue, 26th Avenue, El Mirasol Place, Everglade Drive, and 36th Avenue. These crossing signals are activated by pedestrians and turn the traffic signal solid red to signal drivers for motorists to stop. The solid red light is followed by a blinking red light, which should be treated as a STOP sign.
• ​Installation of bulb-outs for shorter crossing distances at four locations on Sloat Boulevard at 21st Avenue, 26th Avenue, El Mirasol Place, and 36th Avenue.
• ​Extension of bicycle lanes on Sloat toward Skyline Boulevard, which will remove on-street parking on the south side of Sloat Boulevard between the Sunset Boulevard bridge and Lakeshore Plaza.

Based on community feedback, Caltrans has worked in coordination with the SFMTA to make the following modifications to the project:

• All proposed bus zone relocations have been removed.  Instead, the bus will continue to stop at their current locations along Sloat Boulevard.  At locations where a bulb-out is being installed, the bus will stop at the bulb-out, with the front-door aligning with the bulb.
• ​The proposed traffic signal at Sloat Boulevard/El Mirasol Place will instead be installed as a pedestrian hybrid beacon.

SFMTA Board of Directors
Elements of this project which fall under the purview of the SFMTA Board of Directors were approved at the Board’s regular meeting on Tuesday, May 16th, 2017. 

• The report given to the Board can be viewed here.
• The approved resolution can be viewed here.

Updates and Contact Information
Future updates will be provided by Caltrans at the following website:  http://www.dot.ca.gov/d4/sloatresurfacing/

For more information, please contact one of the following people:

Construction Questions or Concerns
Jose David
Caltrans Resident Engineer
510.754.0001
jose.david@dot.ca.gov

All Other Items
Robert Haus
Caltrans Public Information Branch Chief
Robert.haus@dot.ca.gov
510-286-5576

Historic Information
The information below is provided for historic reference on work to date along the Sloat Boulevard corridor as well as the development of the Caltrans project. 

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), working in conjunction with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and San Francisco Public Works is planning various pedestrian enhancement projects along the Sloat Boulevard (State Route 35) corridor between 36th Avenue and 21st Avenue.  Public Works pedestrian safety improvements were completed in Summer 2016. 

The following is a summary of milestones associated with the project as well as previously complete projects.

2005 - Caltrams installed vehicle speed feedback signs.
2010 – Supervisor Carmen Chu requested Caltrans develop plans to improve pedestrian safety.
2012 – Caltrans redesigned portions of Sloat Boulevard by reducing the number of lanes, adding bicycle lanes, reducing the speed limit to 35 mph and adding “yield to pedestrian” signing/striping at all intersections with existing marked crosswalks.
2013 – The City of San Francisco secured funding for a project that constructed bulb outs and a HAWK beacon at the Sloat Boulevard/Forest View Drive-Vale Avenue intersection to further increase the safety of pedestrians by creating a controlled pedestrian crossing. The City worked in coordination with Caltrans to develop and deliver the project.
2013 – As part of a regional transportation safety project, a Project Initiation Document (PID) was approved to install HAWK beacons throughout Caltrans District 4 (Bay Area) on various State Routes, including Sloat Boulevard (Route 35).
April 2015 – A Project Initiation Document (PID) was approved for a Pavement Rehabilitation Project on Sloat Boulevard between Skyline Boulevard and 19th Avenue.
August 2015 – In an effort to minimize construction impacts along the corridor, the Sloat Boulevard portion of the regional HAWK beacon project was separated from the original project and was combined with the Sloat Boulevard Pavement Rehabilitation Project.
Spring 2016 – San Francisco Public Works constructed bulb outs at Sloat Boulevard/ Everglade Drive Constanso Way and a HAWK beacon at Sloat Boulevard/23rd Avenue
Summer 2016 – Design for both the Caltrans HAWK beacon project and the Pavement Rehabilitation project was completed.
March 2017 – Construction of the Caltrans HAWK beacon and Pavement Rehabilitation project is scheduled to begin.

Outreach
Proposals were presented to the community at public meetings in the neighborhood on January 13, 2016 and again on February 9, 2016.  Community members were asked to fill out a questionnaire, which were compiled and reviewed.  Based on community feedback and further analysis, the following project modifications are proposed:

• Shorter red zones. This change maintains approximately three parking spaces previously proposed to be removed.
• ​​SFMTA is no longer pursuing the bus bulb on 36th Avenue; a smaller pedestrian bulb is proposed to provide sidewalk space for Hybrid Pedestrian Beacon (HAWK) beacon equipment. This change maintains approximately two parking spaces previously proposed to be removed.

During the outreach process, Sloat Boulevard neighbors provided feedback on the proposed project elements.  In an effort to respond to this feedback, the project team has prepared this “Response to community questions, comments and concerns”.  Please note we have reorganized the document to make it easier to read and added additional information. 

• Revised Project Graphics (May 10, 2016)
  o   Caltrans Environmental Determination
  o   San Francisco Environmental Determination
  o   Caltrans Project Report
• Response to community questions, comments and concerns (revised May 10, 2016)
• ​Response to community questions, comments and concerns (originally posted April 25, 2016) 

Project Elements

Pedestrian crossing
Caltrans is planning to repave Sloat Boulevard between Skyline Boulevard and 19th Avenue in San Francisco.  As part of this repaving project, Caltrans will upgrade intersection curb ramps and pedestrian walkways to be compliant with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.  Furthermore, Caltrans is planning to install five Pedestrian Hybrid Beacons (commonly referred to as “HAWK” beacons) at the following locations:

• Sloat Boulevard/21st Avenue
• ​Sloat Boulevard/26th Avenue
• Sloat Boulevard/El Mirasol Place
• Sloat Boulevard/Everglade Drive
• ​Sloat Boulevard/36th Avenue

These pedestrian beacons would be similar to the one that was recently installed at Sloat Boulevard/Forest View Drive.  Additionally, Public Works completed the installation of another Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon at Sloat Boulevard/23rd Avenue. The new crossing signals are activated by pedestrians with a push of a button, giving drivers a red light for safer crossings.

An alternative design is being considered at the intersection of Sloat Boulevard/El Mirasol Place which would result in full signalization of the intersection.  This would allow for greater flexibility in routing Muni’s No 57 Park Merced line by allowing the bus to make a U-turn at this location, creating a direct connection to the Lakeshore Plaza Shopping Center.  This element is still under review and the recommended control for the intersection will be provided in the revised proposals.

Bulb-outs
To supplement the planned pedestrian improvements along Sloat Boulevard, Caltrans, in coordination with SFMTA, is proposing installation of pedestrian bulb-outs at these four locations:

• Sloat Boulevard/21st Avenue
• Sloat Boulevard/26th Avenue
• Sloat Boulevard/El Mirasol Place
• ​Sloat Boulevard/36th Avenue (a smaller pedestrian bulb is now proposed

Bulb-outs are a commonly applied pedestrian tool to enhance pedestrian visibility, shorten the crossing distance and tighten turning radius.  More information on bulb-outs can be found at the following links:

San Francisco Better Streets Plan
National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)

Muni modifications
Two of the pedestrian bulb installations would result in the need to relocate Muni bus zones at Sloat Boulevard/21st Avenue and Sloat Boulevard/26th Avenue.  Additionally, the existing eastbound bus zone at Sloat Boulevard/El Mirasol Place is located between the crosswalks, which is a non-standard bus zone location.  As such, it is proposed that this bus zone be located further west, towards Middlefield Drive.  All of these bus zones serve the Muni ‘s No. 23 Monterey line.   

Neighborhood meetings

• Lowell High School– February 9, 2016
• Lowell High School – January 13, 2016
  • Presentation of Proposal
  • ​Project Questionnaire: Deadline, February 12, 2016

Completed Improvements

San Francisco Public Works Pedestrian Safety Improvements
Public Works Sloat Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Improvement project includes safety improvements at three intersections along Sloat Boulevard between 19th Avenue and Skyline Drive: 23rd Avenue, Forest View Drive and Everglade Drive. The renovation will provide a safer environment for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and transit riders with the installation of special traffic calming features.  Improvements include:

• Sloat Boulevard at Everglade Drive: Bulb-outs, curb ramps, crosswalks. For more information, download the Sloat Boulevard at Everglade Drive Factsheet. - (中文信息) 
• ​Sloat Boulevard at 23rd Avenue: Median extension, curb ramps, crosswalks, and . For more information, download the Sloat Boulevard at 23rd Avenue Factsheet. - (中文信息) 
• ​Sloat Boulevard at Forest View Drive: Bulb-outs, median extension, curb ramps, crosswalks, and a new pedestrian activated crossing beacon. For more information, download the Sloat Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Project factsheet. (completed September 2013)

Public Notices

• Proposed parking and traffic
• ​Surface mounted facilities notice 5/20/13
• ​​​​Surface mounted facilities notice 2/18/14

Presentations

• 9/12/2013 community meeting presentation #2
• 5/22/2013 community meeting presentation #1