Healthy Saturdays

Study Shows that the Car Free Space on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park More Than Doubles Park Usage

Healthy Saturdays January 15th, 2007

For Immediate Release
Contact: Cassandra Costello, 554-7412 or 415-335-0019 (cell)
Cassandra.Costello@sfgov.org
February 15, 2007

Study Shows that the Car Free Space on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park More than Doubles Park Usage and Increases Attendance to the Museum and Local Merchants Without a Traffic Increase

Last year, Mayor Newsom vetoed legislation sponsored by Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, that would close JFK Drive on Saturdays to cars just like it is, and has been, for 40 years on Sundays. The main reason for his veto was concern about potential negative neighborhood impacts and lower attendance to the institutions in the park. Since the veto, a comprehensive study has been published that shows that the impacts to the neighborhoods due to Sunday closure were virtually the same on Saturdays vs. Sundays and the number of visitors to the de Young Museum is higher on Sundays.

“This study shows me that the Mayor should have no reason to veto legislation that I plan to introduce at the next Board of Supervisors meeting that will close JFK Drive from Kezar Drive to Transverse Drive, on a six month trial basis”, said Supervisor Jake McGoldrick. “The parking and traffic impacts are virtually the same on Saturdays and Sundays. The visitors to the park more than doubles on Sundays when the park is closed to traffic, and more people visited the de Young Museum and local merchants on Sundays.”

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority managed the study and the data was collected on two weekends in August. The study can be viewed at www.goldengatepark.org.

“Finally, the facts about car-free space in Golden Gate Park speak for themselves. As someone who spends a lot of time in the Park with my family on Sundays, it is obvious that this is one of the most popular and successful programs in the City,” says David Miles, a Richmond District father and leader of the CA Outdoor Roller Skating Association.

The study findings include:

The number of people using the Prk increases by an average of 116% on Sundays compared to Saturdays, and more than triple (from 856 to 2,712) in the busiest areas.
Pedestrian and bicycle usage also increases in the neighborhoods bordering the Park on Sundays, compared to Saturdays, by 24%.
Traffic volumes around the Park do not increase significantly. No major intersection bordering the Park sees a significant delay in travel time, and residential streets measured were “virtually identical” on Saturday and Sunday.
Car-free space encourages greater customer traffic to local businesses near the Park, based on figures showing half the people in the Park visit, or intend to visit, nearby businesses.
Surveyed visitors state they were able to find parking “relatively quickly on both Saturday and Sunday, although visitors reported finding parking on Sunday somewhat faster.” On average, half of drivers to the Park find a parking spot within five minutes.
More Park users visit the de Young Museum on Sundays than on Saturdays (37% vs. 23% respectively)

*Supervisor McGoldrick will join “Healthy Saturday” Supporters at a rally this Sunday, 2/18/07, in Golden Gate Park to celebrate the study’s positive findings*

(See linked file Sunday Accessibility in Golden Gate Park : MS Word Document)
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Cassandra Costello
Legislative Assistant

Supervisor Jake McGoldrick
San Francisco District 1
415-554-7412
Fax 415-554-7415

Study Shows Car-Free G.G. Park Increases Park Usage, Museum Attendance Without Traffic Increase

Healthy Saturdays January 15th, 2007

Study Shows Car-Free G.G. Park Increases Park Usage, Museum Attendance without Traffic Increase

San Francisco — Neighbors, environmentalists, and park advocates are calling on Mayor Newsom to support a six-month trial of Healthy Saturdays based on a comprehensive study released today showing that car-free space in Golden Gate Park more than doubles visitors’ usage of the Park, as well as increases attendance at the deYoung Museum and local businesses. The study also shows that car-free space has no significant negative impact on neighborhood traffic surrounding the Park or parking availability.

“The Sierra Club sees the results of this survey as proof positive that urban open space adds immeasurably to the quality of life of the city’s residents,” says Rick Galbreath, of the Sierra Club SF Chapter’s Executive Committee. “With 45% of park visitors walking or bicycling to Golden Gate Park and a 40% increase in visitation to the park’s cultural institutions and surrounding businesses on Sundays, it is time for Mayor Newsom to support a trial of car-free space on Saturdays.”

The study, (managed by the SF County Transportation Authority and the Municipal Transportation Agency), was commissioned by the Mayor’s Office and Supervisor Jake McGoldrick, following the Mayor’s veto last May of the Healthy Saturdays legislation sponsored by McGoldrick and passed by a majority of the Board of Supervisors. The legislation would have extended the popular car-free space on Sundays to Saturdays on a six-month trial basis. In his veto message, Newsom claimed that he did not have enough factual data about traffic and parking impacts to support the initiative.

“Finally, the facts about car-free space in Golden Gate Park speak for themselves. As someone who spends a lot of time in the Park with my family on Sundays, it is obvious hat this is one of the most popular and successful programs in the city,” says David Miles, a Richmond father and leader of the CA Outdoor Roller Skating Association. “Now thanks to this study, it is proven that car-free space has positive impacts not only in the Park but also in the neighborhoods. We are relieved that the myths about negative impacts on the neighborhoods have finally been dispelled by the facts.”

The study can be viewed in its entirety at www.goldengatepark.org The study findings include the following:

The number of people using the Park increases by an average of 116% on Sundays compared to Saturdays, and more than triple (from 856 to 2, 712) in the busiest areas.
Pedestrian and bicycle usage also increases in the neighborhoods bordering the Park on Sundays, compared to Saturdays, by 24%.
Traffic volumes around the Park do not increase significantly. No major intersection bordering the Park sees a significant delay in travel time, and residential streets measured were “virtually identical” on Saturday and Sunday.
Car-free space encourages greater customer traffic to local businesses near the Park, based on figures showing half the people in the Park visit, or intend to visit, nearby businesses.
Surveyed visitors state they were able to find parking “relatively quickly on both Saturday and Sunday, although visitors reported finding parking on Sunday somewhat faster.” On average, half of drivers to the Park find a parking spot within five minutes.
More park users visit the de Young Museum on Sundays than on Saturdays (37% vs. 23% respectively).

Since Newsom’s veto, Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg expanded car-free space in Manhattan’s Central Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Cities as diverse as Bogotå, Columbia; Guadalajara, Mexico; London and Paris have created major car-free spaces to encourage healthy outdoor activity and greater recreational opportunities for families.

“Now that we have the facts, Mayor Newsom should join the ranks of the world’s most environmentally friendly cities and fulfill the promise he made when he hosted World Environment Day two years ago and finally make San Francisco into a model sustainable and livable city,” says Tom Radulovich, Executive Director of Livable City.

Healthy Saturdays supporters are planning a rally this Sunday, 2/18/07, in Golden Gate Park to celebrate the study’s positive findings and to call for action on the trial of carfree Saturday space.

Contacts:

Rick Galbreath, 415-307-0321
David Miles, 415-412-9686
Leah Shahum, 415-269-4170

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Healthy Saturdays Study Released

Healthy Saturdays January 14th, 2007

San Francisco, Feb. 14, 2007 — Neighbors, environmentalists, and park advocates are calling on Mayor Newsom to support a six-month trial of Healthy Saturdays based on a comprehensive study released today showing that car-free space in Golden Gate Park more than doubles visitors’ usage of the Park, as well as increases attendance at the deYoung Museum and local businesses. The study also shows that car-free space has no significant negative impact on neighborhood traffic surrounding the Park or parking availability.

The study, which was managed by the SF County Transportation Authority and the Municipal Transportation Agency, was commissioned by the Mayor’s Office and Supervisor Jake McGoldrick. It follows Mayor Newsom’s veto last May of the Healthy Saturdays legislation sponsored by McGoldrick and passed by a majority of the Board of Supervisors. The legislation would have extended the popular car-free space on Sundays to Saturdays on a six-month trial basis. In his veto message, Newsom claimed that he did not have enough factual data about traffic and parking impacts to support the initiative.

Click here to download a pdf of the study (2.7MB Adobe Acrobat File)

HOT! Healthy Saturdays Hearing Monday (April 9)

Healthy Saturdays January 6th, 2007

This Monday the Board of Supervisors’ Land Use committee hears public testimony on the proposal for a six-month trial of car-free space in Golden Gate Park (April 9th, 1:00 pm at City Hall, Room 263). We need to turn out as many supporters as possible ? this is our big chance to influence decisionmakers to do the right thing and to test the expansion of more car-free space in the Park. Is it a Park or a parking lot? Before the hearing, please keep your letters of support coming, especially to Mayor Newsom and Supervisors Dufty, Peskin, and Maxwell (see contact info here).

And if you can take a late lunch and come to City Hall on a sharper time, we can put you on phone tree standby for Monday’s hearing ? give us a phone number (email Andy) and we’ll let you know when the item comes up.

Contact Mayor Newsom and urge him to support car free space:	Please contact Supervisor Bevan Dufty who disappointingly voted against this measure:	Also call Supervisor Sophie Maxwell and urge her to support this trial period:
1. Call the Mayor: 415/554-7111	1. Phone: 415/554-6968	1. Phone: 415/554-7670
2. Fax: 415/554-6160	2. Fax: 415/554-6909	2. Fax: 415/554-7674
3. Email: gavin.newsom@sfgov.org	3. Email: bevan.dufty@sfgov.org	3. Email: sophie.maxwell@sfgov.org

Healthy Saturdays

Promoting Car Free Space in Golden Gate Park