SF begins enforcing new parking restrictions
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Parking changes are coming to San Francisco and California. Photo: Barbara Munker/Picture Alliance via Getty Images
San Franciscans who park their cars within 20 feet of a crosswalk began receiving "written warnings" this week as city crews prepare to enforce California's "daylighting" law.
Why it matters: The goal is to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by making it easier for drivers to see people crossing the street.
Driving the news: The statewide law prevents drivers from parking within 20 feet of any intersection. Crosswalks with curb extensions require a 15-foot buffer.
- The "clearance of a few feet can make a big difference for street safety," the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has previously said.
- "By converting a parking space at the crosswalk to a red painted curb, a child or a senior doesn't have to tiptoe into the street just to be able to see if vehicles are about to enter the intersection."
Yes, but: This law applies to all crosswalks, whether the crossing is painted or not.
- Legislators didn't include funding for cities to paint curbs red or remove parking meters.
- It will also eliminate 14,000 parking spaces — about 5% of San Francisco's total parking.
How it'll work: If you're by a curb that isn't painted red, park at least one car length away from any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
- If the curb is red, make sure you don't park your vehicle in the painted section of that curb.
- SFMTA will begin issuing citations for violations in January, even in unmarked areas, with fines starting at $40.
The big picture: Each year, about 25% of traffic deaths and half of all traffic injuries nationwide are attributed to intersections, per the Federal Highway Administration.
- San Francisco has recorded at least 25 traffic deaths this year.
Flashback: In 2019, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution urging SFMTA to "systematically implement parking restrictions at intersection corners."
- The city's High Injury Network has been a particular focus. It encompasses the 12% of city streets that account for 68% of severe and fatal traffic crashes, according to SFMTA.
- Red zones have also been added to many other intersections in recent years to bolster safety.
Go deeper: The most dangerous intersections in San Francisco, per police