FixMasonic.org

promoting a complete street in the heart of San Francisco

Residents

"People live here." Signs promoting this phrase can be seen on streets around San Francisco where automobile traffic has become so dominant that motorists hardly notice they are in a residential area. Masonic Avenue is just such a corridor: home to large institutions and retail establishments, sure, but also home to hundreds of residents who live right on the street.

We knew it was a noisy street when we moved here. We saw the speeding cars, and have witnessed our share of violent accidents. Still, we look at other streets that carry similar loads of traffic and wonder if it couldn't be handled better here.

If you're one of the people who live on the street, and you'd like to share your perspective, please contact us and feel free to add your comments to the blog. We need the perspectives of people who understand this place.

 

Neighbors

Neighbors represent a balance of concerns: a quieter boulevard makes for a nicer neighborhood, but if it comes at the expense of easy parking or creates traffic jams, the change can become unwelcome. If you live or work in the Haight-Ashbury, North of Panhandle, Lone Mountain, Anza Vista or Laurel Heights neighborhoods, rest assured that any change proposed for Masonic Avenue will be weighed against any extra burden it may create for the surrounding neighborhoods. Your voice is needed to make sure this is done right.

Several academic institutions share at least one border with Masonic Avenue:

  • University of San Francisco (USF)
  • University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) Laurel Heights Campus
  • City College of San Francisco (CCSF) John Adams Campus
  • Raoul Wallenberg High School (SFUSD)
  • San Franisco Day School (SFDS)
    • as well as
  • Blood Centers of the Pacific
  • Mount St. Joseph-St. Elizabeth
  • Sisters of the Presentation

    • Several popular shopping destinations are also located along Masonic:

  • Trader Joe's
  • The City Center: Mervyn's, Best Buy, Office Depot, and several other chain retailers
  • Albertson's Fulton Market
  • Haight Street

    • Not to mention numerous corner stores, cafes, restaurants and smaller retail establishments on and around Masonic.

     

    Commuters

    The largest number of people who encounter Masonic Avenue on a daily basis are of course the people using it to get from point A to point B, and to now they seem to have dominated the discussion, judging by the result. It's essential to ask:

  • Is daily traffic load at peak/off peak hours sufficient to justify the current curb lane? Does this lane carry a significant amount of traffic?
  • Can SFGo (see link at right) help not only the the 43 Masonic but all traffic to flow in a more regulated manner?
  • Would there be more cycle commuters if this route were rideable by any but the most aggressive urban cyclists?

    • It's stated elsewhere on this site, but it bears repeating: there is no simple solution for Masonic Avenue such as pushing more bicycle and pedestrian traffic onto another road. Masonic Avenue is the only complete north/south thoroughfare from Fell/Oak to Geary (or Pine/Bush) between Stanyan and Divisidero: each of these alternative routes is a half-mile away, and thus not a practical alternative route.

    We all need to learn to get along on Masonic.

     

    "Sunday Drivers"

    What is this admittedly whimsical category doing here? It's not as if Masonic Avenue is on the 49 Mile Scenic Route. Nevertheless, Masonic Avenue is located deep in the heart of the city where "I left my heart." It's worth asking - is helping cars travel a single mile as fast as possible the point of this street? Or could it be a more pleasant place to be for people who aren't in such a hurry, without stealing precious minutes from the lives of people just trying to get across town?

    Many other experiments in calming or even eliminating high-speed corridors in San Francisco and other livable cities have been a success. Why not here?