Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan

Background

From the Balboa Station Area Plan to the Ocean Avenue Corridor Design project, the Ocean Avenue corridor has been the subject of many discussions regarding transit, pedestrian, and traffic improvements over the years. The purpose of this Task Force is to build upon past work and plans. Some projects have been completed or are underway and ongoing, but there are many more proposals that have not been implemented. The multifaceted needs of residents, merchants, families, students, and the City College campus community have amplified the necessity for creative solutions and the difficult decisions that must be made to address the growing needs of the corridor and the neighboring area. This process will take a comprehensive approach by looking at the area holistically to also include the emerging needs and impacts of future growth from projects like the Balboa Reservoir, City College Master Plan, and Upper Yard/Balboa Park Mixed-Use Affordable Housing Project. The task force will garner community feedback to develop and prioritize proposals into an Action Plan.

Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan Task Force Members

Over the course of five total meetings, the Task Force will advise Transportation Authority staff on the development of the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan. Task Force members were chosen by Transportation Authority Board Members Myrna Melgar (District 7) and Ahsha Safai (District 11) and represent a variety of residents, businesses, and community representatives active in the corridor. 

Public Engagement

To receive email updates about upcoming outreach opportunities and project updates, please sign up at the bottom of this page or visit this page and sign up for the "Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan."

Past Events

In partnership with the District 7 Office of Supervisor and Transportation Authority Board Member Myrna Melgar, we held a virtual town hall on October 13, 2022. 

• Watch the recording in English
• See the English presentation (PDF)
• Watch the recording in Cantonese
• See the Chinese presentation (PDF)
• Watch the recording in Spanish
• See the Spanish presentation (PDF)

In partnership with the District 7 Office of Supervisor and Transportation Authority Board Member Myrna Melgar, we held a virtual town hall on June 15, 2022. 

• Watch the recording in English
• See the English presentation (PDF)
• Watch the recording in Cantonese
• See the Chinese presentation (PDF)

Project staff attended Sunday Streets in the Excelsior on June 12, 2022. We shared information about the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan and distributed the survey.

Task Force Meeting Summaries

During the October 13, 2021 Task Force Meeting 1, Transportation Authority staff gave a presentation of the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan scope, objectives, task force roles throughout the project, and reviewed previous plans and studies conducted in the corridor. Staff asked for task force feedback on the project study area, initial thoughts for community engagement and feedback resulted in an adjustment to the study area to include the southeast portion of Westwood Park neighborhood (Miramar Avenue to Wildwood Way), a discussion of  key needs in the corridor, and guidance for the upcoming community engagement plan. Staff concluded with next steps for the project. 

During the February 16, 2022 Task Force Meeting 2, Transportation Authority staff gave a presentation that covered goals and projects from prior planning efforts and studies in the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan study area. 

Staff presented proposed project goals and received full support from the Task Force members; the project goals are: 

• Improve safety and connectivity for pedestrians, bicyclists
• Improve transit efficiency, reliability, and accessibility
• Manage congestion on streets, particularly at freeways
• Improve livability to support economic vitality and quality of life

Staff presented projects that had been proposed or identified in prior plans but had not been implemented and asked the task force for initial perspectives about these projects. After reviewing past projects, task force members shared new project ideas that are related to traffic calming, bike and pedestrian safety improvements, and reducing transit delay. These ideas were documented for future phases of the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan. Staff concluded with an overview of upcoming public outreach, which will take place in Spring/Summer 2022.

During the July 13, 2022 Task Force Meeting 3, Transportation Authority staff gave a presentation on outreach findings, how outreach findings shape the list of projects to advance, and the evaluation framework. While reviewing outreach findings, staff asked task force members to share feedback about how to expand the fall round of outreach with suggestions for new groups to speak with and for other ways to provide support. 

The task force agreed to advance a list of seven project concepts for further development and evaluation. For each of the seven concepts, task force members discussed concepts in more detail to provide staff with additional considerations for the concept refinement process.  The list of identified projects for advancement are: 

• Pedestrian safety improvements (e.g. decorative crosswalks, pedestrian-scale lighting, and bulb-outs at intersections)
• Geneva pedestrian, transit, bike improvements 
• Ocean Avenue corridor safety and speed management improvements
• Streetscape improvements (e.g. landscaping, tree planting)
• Bike safety improvements on Ocean Ave and connectivity improvements 
• Muni Forward improvements
• Remove the Ocean Avenue pedestrian bridge, move the City College retaining wall, and construct a shared bike and pedestrian path

The meeting concluded with next steps, which include refining and evaluating project concepts to support upcoming outreach in the fall. The fall outreach will help further narrow the list of priority projects to advance in the Ocean Avenue Mobility Action Plan. The plan is expected to be complete by early 2023. 

During the November 16, 2022 Task Force Meeting 4, Transportation Authority staff gave a presentation recapping task force activities so far, outreach findings from the second round of public engagement, and the small and large projects to be considered for advancement. While reviewing the small and large projects, staff asked task force members to share clarifying questions to help inform a vote to determine two large projects and three small projects to be advanced. Task force members were polled on the small and large projects.

For the large projects, the task force voted for the following two projects to be advanced: 

• Shared pedestrian and bike path improvements
• K-Ingleside Muni Forward improvements

For the small projects, the task force voted for two projects to be advanced. A third project is expected to be determined at the next task force meeting in early 2023.  

• Ocean Avenue pedestrian safety improvements 
• Ocean Avenue speed management improvements

Further technical analysis and refinement of the small projects will be developed over the coming months. Transportation Authority staff will present this additional information on small projects during the next task force meeting for task force members to consider and come to a consensus on the third large project for advancement in the Mobility Action Plan. 

During the February 23, 2023 Task Force Meeting 5, Transportation Authority staff presented alternative concepts for the Bike Connectivity and Geneva Multimodal Improvements concepts, developed based on feedback from Task Force Meeting 4. The first concept featured bike connectivity improvements along Ocean Avenue which would create a complete east-west connection between the Balboa Park BART Station and Junipero Serra, via Holloway Avenue and Lee Avenue. The second concept presented varying levels of transit, pedestrian, and bike improvements.

Staff presented various configurations for both concepts and asked task force members to share clarifying questions and comments to inform a vote on their preferred configuration option for each concept. After task force members voted on their preferred configuration options for both of the concepts, members voted on the concept to advance for the Mobility Action Plan. Task force members voted to advance the concept that features bike connectivity improvements via Holloway Avenue as the final small project for the Mobility Action Plan. 

The full list of projects selected by the task force to be advanced for the Mobility Action Plan include: 
Large projects: 

• Shared pedestrian and bike path improvements, with removal of the Ocean Avenue pedestrian bridge 
• K-Ingleside Muni Forward improvements 

Small projects: 

• Ocean Avenue pedestrian safety improvements 
• Ocean Avenue speed management improvements
• Bike connectivity improvements via Holloway Avenue

The projects selected to advance will be subject to additional design and outreach before being implemented. Transportation Authority staff concluded with next steps for the project, which include finalizing concept recommendations, developing cost estimates, and developing a final report by Spring 2023.