City Celebrates Completion of the Second Street Improvements Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, mayorspressoffice@sfgov.org

*** PRESS RELEASE ***

MAYOR LONDON BREED AND CITY OFFICIALS CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT

The new streetscape design, part of a multi-year overhaul of the corridor, was completed despite the challenges posed by the pandemic and delivers new transit islands, pedestrian and bike safety features, and design enhancements for residents and workers in the area 

San Francisco, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and City officials today celebrated the completion of the transformative Second Street Improvements Project, which increases safety for people who walk and bike, improves Muni efficiency, replaces aging infrastructure, and offers a more welcoming environment along a busy South of Market corridor that connects major transit hubs and Downtown.

Second Street stretches eight blocks from Market to King Streets, connecting the South of Market neighborhood with historic Market Street and the Financial District to the north. It is an important connecting corridor for people who live in the area as well as people commuting to offices and attending events at Oracle Park. 

“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the City has continued to make progress on important infrastructure projects like these, which will play an important role in our upcoming recovery,” said Mayor Breed. “This projected created more than a hundred jobs for workers in the construction trades, which helped keep people employed over the past year. Now, as we start to emerge from the pandemic and have people return to the office and events in the area, this corridor will connect our neighborhoods and keep our residents safe.”

Construction on the Second Street Improvements Project began in November 2017 and continued uninterrupted during San Francisco’s Stay at Home Order, which allowed work to continue on essential infrastructure. This project supported more than 120 construction and electrical trade jobs at a time when putting people to work was crucial. 

Yesterday, San Francisco entered the Orange Tier of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, meaning San Francisco will open non-essential offices up to 25% capacity, bars and breweries for outdoor service, and some indoor family recreation up to 25% capacity. San Francisco has also established a timeline to resume outdoor arts, theater, and music performances and festivals for audiences of up to 50 people beginning April 1 and is working to create guidelines for outdoor spectator sports and large outdoor entertainment venues as well, which will further draw people back to San Francisco’s downtown and the Second Street corridor.

Public Works oversaw planning, design, and construction management for the project. Key partners included the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco Planning and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. M Squared Construction, Inc. served as the primary contractor.

The City began a comprehensive public engagement process in 2012 with a community-driven approach to planning and held more than 50 meetings with residents, merchants and community groups to develop a plan for a safer Second Street. The process resulted in numerous design elements to enhance pedestrian safety, including high-visibility and raised crosswalks; restricted parking near intersections, known as “daylighting,” to make it easier for drivers and pedestrians to see one another; sidewalk extensions to shorten the crossing distance; and improved signal timing to prioritize people who walk and use wheelchairs. The project also funded the construction of 102 new ADA-compliant curb ramps.

New bus stop bulb-outs for picking up and dropping off Muni passengers were added to make it easier for buses to navigate Second Street. The design also includes new protected bike lanes in each direction along Second Street, the primary north-south route for people biking in eastern SoMa. The corridor is part of a network of protected bike lanes in the South of Market neighborhood.

“Today, Second Street is less dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists and provides a vibrant, inviting streetscape for the residents, businesses and visitors who rely on this vital connector in the heart of San Francisco,” said Supervisor Matt Haney. “The community and our city deserve no less.”

“Under the leadership and guidance of Mayor Breed and our public health officials, we were able to continue the progress on this collaborative project already underway before the pandemic emerged,” said Alaric Degrafinried, Acting Director of San Francisco Public Works. “As a result, we have a street that is safer, more resilient and more beautiful.”

“The changes on Second Street create a safer environment for people who walk and bike, and will save Muni passengers travel time,” said SFMTA Director of Transportation Jeffrey Tumlin. “These are important and welcome improvements to advance San Francisco’s commitment to sustainable transportation will make a meaningful difference for people using this dynamic corridor.”

The $26 million project is funded in part by One Bay Area Grants and the Federal Highway Administration, SoMa Development Impact fees, and local Proposition K sales tax revenue.

“We are proud to have partnered on this project and deliver significant local and federal transportation funding to benefit the community,” said Tilly Chang, Executive Director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority. “Making our streets safer remains a top priority in San Francisco and the Second Street improvements exemplify that commitment.”

In addition to the transportation safety upgrades, infrastructure improvements were made below the street, including replacing 150-year-old sewer pipes, repairing water service connections and undergrounding overhead wires from Stillman to Townsend Streets. New street trees and landscaped median islands, as well as new trash receptacles, bicycle racks and benches were also installed. Crews paved the entire stretch of Second Street from curb to curb.

Additional project information is available at sfpublicworks.org/secondstreet.