Background 

The Better Streets Plan (BSP) will be a citywide policy document that will provide for the first time a unified set of standards and guidelines that govern the design of all city streets. The City intends to fundamentally rethink how it designs, builds and maintains the public right-of-way based on a balanced perspective, but emphasizing transit, cycling and walking. In addition to recognizing the increasing importance of sustainable modes of transport, the BSP will reflect the understanding that public spaces are about much more than just transportation – that streets serve a multitude of social, recreational and ecological needs that must be considered when deciding on the most appropriate design. The BSP offers the City the opportunity to integrate all these considerations into a single framework.

The BSP will be a citywide policy document that will provide for the first time a unified set of standards and guidelines that govern the design of all city streets. The City intends to fundamentally rethink how it designs, builds and maintains the public right-of-way based on a balanced perspective, but emphasizing transit, cycling and walking. In addition to recognizing the increasing importance of sustainable modes of transport, the BSP will reflect the understanding that public spaces are about much more than just transportation – that streets serve a multitude of social, recreational and ecological needs that must be considered when deciding on the most appropriate design. The BSP offers the City the opportunity to integrate all these considerations into a single framework.

Visit the official Better Streets Plan Website: www.sfbetterstreets.org

The BSP will consist of two primary components: the Streetscape Master Plan (SMP) and the Pedestrian Transportation Master Plan (PMP), both of which are partially funded by the Authority's Prop K transportation sales tax. Other components of the BSP—especially that pertaining to the design of the trafficway and parking sections of streets—will be completed over time as part of future phases.

Streetscape Master Plan (SMP)

The SMP will include a review of existing plans, codes and best practices from within San Francisco; a review of best practices from peer cities; the development of a street typology framework; the development of a Streetscape Design Toolkit to guide the design of City streets, including guidelines on materials, dimensions, plantings, drainage features, and street furnishings (e.g., benches, lighting); and the drafting of the City code revisions necessary to implement the Streetscape Design Toolkit.

Pedestrian Transportation Master Plan (PMP)

The PMP will include a review of best practices from peer cities; description and analysis of the existing conditions and needs; comprehensive policies for pedestrian safety, access, education and enforcement; a 20-year Capital Improvement Program with a prioritized project list; and installation criteria and/or design guidelines for many of the tools used to benefit pedestrians, such as crosswalks and pedestrian signals. The PMP will be closely coordinated with the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Transition Plans, which DPW is undertaking. Visit MTA's Pedestrian Transportation Master Plan website for more information about the PMP.

Management Structure

The Mayor's Director of City Greening is the lead for the overall BSP effort, working in close coordination with the interdepartmental Better Streets Coordination Team, with members from DPW, the Mayor's Office on Disability, MTA, Planning Department, and PUC. The Mayor's Director of City Greening also will be the day-to-day project manager for the BSP community involvement contract. The lead agency for development of the SMP and the PMP are the Planning Department and MTA Planning respectively.

Better Streets Plan Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

The CAC has 14 community representatives, including those appointed to the previous PMP Policy Advisory Committee, which is now folded into the BSP CAC. Each member sits on the CAC in representation of a community organization and/or specific area of interest. In addition, in order to ensure broader representation and diversity, selection of CAC members considered other factors such as school safety expertise, MUNI expertise, bicycle expertise, geographic diversity, ethnicity, and age. The current members of the CAC include:

The Board of Supervisors' Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) will also play and important role, including providing input on the BSP directly and by offering opportunities for public input through its regularly scheduled meetings.

The first meeting of the CAC was on October 16, 2006.  The CAC meets every month on the first Monday of the month, for a period of about 12 to 18 months.

Prior Public Outreach

The Authority hosted a public meeting to receive comments regarding public outreach for the Pedestrian Master Plan (PMP) on May 2 . Approximately 30 people from pedestrian and neighborhood advocacy groups, pedestrian planning firms, and agency staff attended the meeting.

To reveiw past discussions on the Pedestrian Master Plan outreach process from the Authority's Plans and Programs Committee, Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee, and PMP Project Advisory Committee meetings, click to download the following documents:

• Authority Plans and Programs Committee Minutes (Microsoft Word document)
• Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee Minutes (Microsoft Word document)
• PMP Project Advisory Committee Minutes (Microsoft Word document)

How do I get more information about the BSP?

Email the interim BSP project manager via email at if you'd like to be added to a distribution list for future notices.  Please mention the Better Streets Plan in your subject or body of message.