notes.husk.org/likes images.

San Francisco newest protected bike lane is now open on 17th St, between Church St and Sanchez St. It’s not yet protected with the planters and posts to keep drivers out are still to come (along with green paint and more accessible rebuilt curbs), but there is now a lane to protect.

The new bike lane only runs one block, but it is an especially dangerous block for cyclists and among the 12% of streets which account for 70% of crashes.

Without a dedicated bike lane, cyclists have had very little room between the rows of parked cars and the streetcar tracks running down the center where the narrow tires of a bike are easily caught, throwing the rider face-first into the ground.

The problem wasn’t the tracks themselves, but double-parked drivers who forced cyclists to cross over the tracks to pass. Even more dangerous is maneuvering around a car when the driver decides to make a sudden stop without checking for traffic behind them first.

Many car owners are upset and will be inconvenienced by removing a block of parking, but the SFMTA’s options are limited by the trackway and no other measures (including new signs and improved street markings) haven’t been effective. The SFMTA also noted that cycling is on the rise and would only lead to more crashes if something hadn’t been done.

More info: SFMTA / 17th St Bycicle Safety Project