The Golden Gate Park Bicycle Plan
and it's affect on mountain
biking in Golden Gate Park
UPDATE 10/09/2003: APPROVAL OF GOLDEN GATE PARK BICYCLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. At the regular public meeting of the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority board of directors on October 9 , 2003, the executive director recommended adoption of a resolution approving the Golden Gate Park Bicycle Implementation Plan. The latest version of the plan provides for priority projects for implementation, the next steps for implementation, and possible funding sources for project implementation. (This is good news because the Golden Gate Park Bike Plan had been stalled during the summer of 2003 because it is "attached" to the controversial Prop J and the deal to update the G.G.Park Concourse area, including the construction of a new parking garage. The development plans have met resisitance and as a result, the implementation of the bike plan has been slowed.)
Background
In the voter-approved Golden Gate Park Revitalization Act of 1998 (Prop J), three project objectives were specified: 1) design and implement transit, traffic and parking plans for Golden Gate Park; 2) design and construct an underground parking facility and; 3) design and complete landscape and surface improvements to the Music Concourse area. One of the ways that was decided to accomplish objective #1 and to "offset" development is through the Golden Gate Park Bike Plan, which was sponsored and written by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) in 2003.
In April 2003, the SFBC presented the preliminary comprehensive Golden Gate Park bicycle plan to the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority at their meeting at City Hall: Get a full copy of the April 2003 plan by Clicking Here. Your trusty sfmtb.com representative was a member of the Coalition's GGPark Task Force, went to the Concourse Authority board meetings, and helped shape some of the plan's components including the paragraph on page 13 of the Plan which reads:
"Create a continuous off-road bicycling trail around the perimeter of the park. Sign, maintain, and publicize route on signs and in brochures. Educate public about staying on trails, sharing with other users, and proper etiquette. Promote GGP as a mountain biking destination."
In June of 2003, the "Golden Gate Park Bicycle Implementation Plan" created by Duffey Company, was written to explain how to bring the actual Bike Plan to fruition. The language regarding mountain biking was changed somewhat in this implementation document. The newer language was opinionated and (without any proof) implied that mountain bikes are damaging the historic landscape:
"Protect the historic landscape, while attempting to work with the off-road bicycle riders"
Also, mountain bikers were not included in the list of "Bicycle Riders
in Golden Gate Park", even though they are mentioned in the sentence above.
How You Can Help Bring Mountain Biking to Golden Gate Park
There are a few ways you can contribute to making mountain biking a permanent
part of the Golden Gate Park bicycle plan.
YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE BY DOING A FEW IMPORTANT THINGS:
1. Get involved in the planning process. We at sfmtb.com have assembled an "SFMTB Advocacy Group" to focus and coordinate mountain biking input on the Golden Gate Bike Plan to the SF Bike Coalition and the City of San Francisco. CONTACT US if you want to be part of this group.
2. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU ARE A MOUNTAIN BIKER
3. Pass this information onto all of your friends, colleagues and organizations who would be interested in helping to create a quality shared-use off-road sustainable trail system in Golden Gate Park.
Golden Gate Park Bike Plan: Information on the JFK & Great Highway intersection:
Mountain biking in San Francisco could also be improved and made safer by the adoption of the concept in Golden Gate Park Master Plan Section 13-17 which outlines a major improvement at the JFK & Great Highway intersection. In the map below, you can see how it would improve the Land's End Ride.
JFK and Great Highway Currently the busiest entrance for motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike into Golden Gate Park from Ocean Beach. The intersection of JFK and the Great Highway is currently without a traffic signal, forcing pedestrians and cyclists to either wait until traffic yields or "wade" into traffic hoping that cars will stop. Neither is an attractive or safe option, and as a result this area has a long history of pedestrian and cyclist conflicts with motor vehicles. Cyclists traveling westbound are forced to make an unusual and unsafe movement to the south side of the intersection because the current configuration does not allow straight through travel. Air quality funds being sought would add a traffic signal, and buried bike sensors/ push button. In addition, the current "freeway offramp" entrance into the Ocean Beach parking lot would be reconfigured to improve pedestrian safety. This portion in particular is dangerous to cyclists.
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