San Francisco aimed to enhance Polk Street's safety for all users in 2012. Initial plans proposed protected bike lanes and various safety features. However, merchant opposition led to the removal of most protected bike lanes and certain safety elements, particularly in key commercial areas. The result has been a heavily compromised street that has not achieved its safety goals, remaining part of the High Injury Network. There have been minimal improvements since the plan's implementation, emphasizing the need for reassessment of the street's design.
The city began planning upgraded bike lanes for Polk in 2012, with initial proposals including protected bike lanes in both directions and various safety features.
After sustained merchant opposition, the final design eliminated nearly all protected bike lanes, leaving many commercial areas without any bike lanes at all.
Polk remains part of the city's High Injury Network, and its so-called 'protected' bike lanes don't work, indicating a failure to meet safety standards.
Emails revealed lobbying influenced the rollback of safety features, resulting in a heavily watered-down plan that left the street dysfunctional.
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