@SFMTrA spotted! pic.twitter.com/SwwmS9ViXn
— RadioChert (@ChertRadio) October 12, 2016
As promised, the anonymous individuals behind the vigilante pedestrian and bicycle safety group SFMTrA installed more bike-lane safety posts around the city last night under the cover of darkness. This move follows shortly on the heels of an official SFMTA announcement that the city would not remove similar posts installed near the east entrance to Golden Gate Park.
According to the group, the newest posts, which are meant to separate bike lanes and crosswalks from vehicle traffic, can be found at "The Crossover Drive crosswalk in Golden Gate Park, the dedicated bike lane on the Wiggle at Scott and Fell, that pesky stretch of Folsom at Division, [and] Geary and Leavenworth crosswalks."
The completed work, done without city approval, was showcased in late-night and early morning SFMTrA tweets.
We've been active tonight.
— SF Transformation (@SFMTrA) October 12, 2016
Take photos of any new installations you see tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/wrARvjSUM2
Posts on Geary and Leavenworth in action: slow turn, far from the curb. The posts served their purpose.
— SF Transformation (@SFMTrA) October 12, 2016
h/t @girl_on_bike pic.twitter.com/AjuuXTFvEq
A map, provided to SFist by SFMTrA, shows where are the completed bike-lane post installations are located (they are represented by the green markers). The posts are installed with butyl pads — essentially gluing them to the road.
SFist reached out to SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose to determine if the city intends to leave these posts in place, or to remove them, and it sounds like these might be left in place as well. Maybe.
"We don’t encourage these types of installations because, despite their good intentions, the posts or cones could actually pose a risk to people bicycling if they become dislodged," Rose explained. "If such a hazard is created we will remove them," he continued, suggesting the posts will be removed if they get knocked loose or sideways.
"We tend not to put posts on single stripes along bikeways, as that puts the posts immediately adjacent to motor traffic, making them more likely to get hit and potentially lean into the bikeway," Rose continued. "We place posts when we have a wider painted buffer and where there is no parking, because the posts would get hit by people parking and start to lean into the bikeway."
SFMTrA is continuing to raise money for more posts, which cost just shy of $30 each, and has expressed interest in installing them along Market Street.
This post has been updated to include Paul Rose's statement.
Previously: Bike Lane Posts Installed By Safety Vigilantes Can Stay, Says SFMTA