In response to the tragic death of a 4-year-old girl in a collision last week, San Francisco Mayor London Breed is advocating for pedestrian safety improvements to the intersection where the incident occurred. The accident happened at 4th and King streets, where a man pushing his daughter in a stroller was struck by a car.
As a result of this tragic incident, Mayor Breed has instructed the San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Agency (SFMTA) to draft plans for enhancing safety at this intersection and others deemed perilous in the city. The proposed measures include updating crosswalks, removing visual obstructions at intersections and turns, prolonging crossing timers, and incorporating features to slow down turning vehicles.
Specifically for the 4th and King intersection, the mayor has urged the SFMTA to eliminate southbound right-turn lanes to reduce the volume of turning vehicles. She also suggested altering the traffic signal for drivers turning right onto King Street to display a yellow arrow instead of a green light as a reminder to yield to pedestrians.
SFMTA has until the end of 2024 to present their pedestrian safety improvement plans for the city’s dangerous intersections.
With 39 traffic-related fatalities in 2022 marking the highest level since 2007, this initiative underscores the city’s commitment to making its streets safer. It also serves as a clear response to the heartbreaking accident that prompted it, reinforcing the need for improved safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.