SAN FRANCISCO—A temporary, four-block stretch project in of Jones Street in the city’s Tenderloin will be conducted in order to increase physical distancing as the district struggles with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to San Francisco city officials announcement on July 31.

To accomplish this, parking on the east side of the street as well as one of the three travel lanes on Jones Street will be removed, and the lanes will add an additional 5 to 8 feet of walking space next to the sidewalk and will be implemented in the next few days, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) said.

SFMTA described Tenderloin Covid-19 Response Plan as below;

Physical distancing lanes: These lanes will provide an additional 5 to 8 feet of walking space, adjacent to a sidewalk, and protected from moving vehicles with concrete barriers known as k-rail or parked vehicles.

Play Streets: With the loss of playgrounds and schoolyards, the thousands of children living in the Tenderloin have limited space to play and move around. The Play Streets effort will fully close entire blocks on Saturdays to give kids and adults a safe place to be.

Outdoor dining streets: In coordination with the restaurants on blocks, the SFMTA will assist with developing a “Shared Spaces” plan to support the small businesses as identified with the Tenderloin Merchants Association.

“We know that it’s been difficult for people to maintain physical distance on sidewalks when going out for essential outings in the Tenderloin, and these changes will make it easier for people to get around their neighborhood safely,” said Mayor Breed on the press release of Office of Mayer on July 31.

He expresses his expectation on this project ; “The Tenderloin not only deserves but desperately needs streets that are re-designed to meet the needs of the residents, essential workers, businesses, families, and seniors,” said Supervisor Haney. “With the critical guidance of the Tenderloin Traffic Safety Taskforce and many other stakeholders, I’m excited that this set of projects is being implemented.”

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