Lake Merced Bikeway Feasibility Study and Quick-Build

Introduction

Lake Merced Park is a 614-acre park in southwest San Francisco featuring a multi-use path that is a popular destination for walking and biking. Lake Merced is located in an Equity Priority Community, and is bordered by a segment of the city’s Vision Zero High Injury Network.

In June 2019, the Transportation Authority allocated Neighborhood Program funds to the SFMTA to study how to improve bike safety and access to and within the park.

The resulting Lake Merced Bikeway Feasibility Study was completed in January 2021. The primary goal of this study was to understand options for relieving congestion on the multi-use pathway around the lake. This study presented near-term options for adding bikeways at road level on streets adjacent to the lake and long-term options for widening the multi-use pathway around the lake.

In July 2021, the Transportation Authority allocated additional Neighborhood Program funds to SFMTA to build on the feasibility study and the ongoing Lake Merced Pedestrian Community Based Transportation Plan by planning and designing quick-build safety improvements focused on Lake Merced Blvd. from Skyline Blvd. to John Muir Dr. The goal of the quick-build was to identify two categories of safety improvements and position them for implementation:

1. Spot improvements: improvements such as striping and crosswalk upgrades, additional signage, narrowing of traffic lanes, traffic beacons, and pedestrian refuge islands.
2. Corridor-wide improvements: road lane reductions and new protected bike facilities.

In January 2023, proposed designs were approved by SFMTA Board, and in March 2023, the Transportation Authority allocated additional construction funds to the project to supplement sales tax and TNC tax funds previously allocated to the SFMTA's Quick Build Program. Constructed improvements include relocated parking and traffic lanes, narrower travel lanes, repainting, continental crosswalks, speed cushions and speed humps, upgraded traffic signals, separated bikeways, and transit boarding islands.

Project/Study Partners

This project was funded by the Transportation Authority’s Neighborhood Program, with planning, design, and construction led by the SFMTA.

Cost and Funding 

This project was supported by the Transportation Authority’s Neighborhood Program at the request of Transportation Authority Board Member Myrna Melgar (District 7), as well as former Board Member Norman Yee. 

Resources

SFMTA Lake Merced Bikeway Feasibility Study

Prop K transportation sales tax funding request - Lake Merced Bikeway Feasibility Study (PDF)

SFMTA Lake Merced Pedestrian Safety Project

Prop K transportation sales tax funding request - Lake Merced Quick-Build Planning/Design (PDF)

Project Designs (PDF)

Prop K transportation sales tax funding request - Lake Merced Quick-Build Construction (PDF)

Contact

Lake Merced Feasibility Study

Jeffrey Banks, SFMTA: jeffrey.banks@sfmta.com

Lake Merced Quick-Build

Thalia Leng, SFMTA: thalia.leng@sfmta.com