Mayor Newsom and SFMTA Announce 2010 Sunday Streets Dates, Details

San Francisco—Following the unprecedented success of Sunday Streets in it’s second season, Mayor Newsom today announced this popular program will return as a new and permanent San Francisco tradition.

“We introduced Sunday Streets in 2008 as an incentive for San Franciscans to become more active and healthy, and experience the diverse communities within our City. The people of San Francisco have responded with overwhelming support, and we are proud to expand the number and duration of Sunday Streets events in 2010 as well as add at least one regular car-free recreational space to meet this enthusiastic demand for more of these kinds of programs” stated Mayor Newsom.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will present the 2010 Sunday Streets program, with leadership support from the Mayor’s Office and logistical support from City departments. “The SFMTA is proud to present this outstanding program and provide San Franciscans with the opportunity to play and socialize safely on the streets within their communities” said Nathaniel P. Ford Sr., SFMTA Executive Director/CEO. Livable City, a SF based sustainable transportation advocacy non-profit, will continue as Fiscal Sponsor and manage the day-to-day operations of the program.

As promised, the 2010 Sunday Streets season will feature nine dates, longer hours (10:00-3:00) and extend into new communities, in addition to the return of the popular routes in the Fisherman’s Wharf/Embarcadero, Bayview, Mission and Outer Sunset/Great Highway neighborhoods.

Proposed dates and locations include:

• March 14: Embarcadero, starting at Fisherman’s Wharf and PIER 39, south to China Basin and Terry Francois Blvd.
• April 11: Along the Great Highway, coinciding with World Health Day’s “1,000 Cities, 1,000 Lives” international event, as one of thousands of cities hosting simultaneous car-free events worldwide.
• April 18: Bayview, along 3rd Street from King and 4th (Caltrain Station) to Bayview Playground.
• May 23: Bayview, in conjunction with the 3rd Street Corridor Project and Bayview Merchant’s Association’s “3rd Street Festival.”
• June 20: Mission, along Valencia and 24th Streets.
• July 11: Mission.
• August 22: Great Highway/Golden Gate Park.
• September 19: NEW: Western Addition, exact location TBD.
• October 24: NEW Civic Center/Tenderloin, exact location TBD.

Augmenting this ambitious schedule, Mayor Newsom and the SFMTA will introduce a pilot project in one or more neighborhoods to host car-free recreation opportunities on a weekly or monthly basis, similar to the Sunday closure of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park.
Sunday Streets creates safe, fun, car-free space on City streets to give San Francisco residents and visitors an opportunity to get out and get active. Temporarily closing some streets to automobile traffic opens them up to people for walking, cycling, skating and recreation, creating a stronger sense of community in neighborhoods throughout the City.

San Francisco’s Sunday Streets started in 2008 with two inaugural events in August and September on a 4.5-mile route connecting Chinatown to the Bayview neighborhood along San Francisco’s picturesque waterfront.

In 2009 Sunday Streets featured six events along four different routes throughout the City: Fisherman’s Wharf to AT&T Park along The Embarcadero (April 26); AT&T Park to the Bayview neighborhood along the Bay Trail (May 10); two events in the heart of the Mission District (June 7 and July 19, the latter to coincide with the SF Symphony’s free concert in Dolores Park); and the last two along the ocean, with a route through Golden Gate Park and along the Upper Great Highway (August 9 and September 6).