After street bollards and barriers chased the sex work scene off of Capp Street, but merely moved that activity over to Shotwell Street, the SFMTA has voted to bring the barriers to Shotwell Street too.

There’s been a street-level sex work scene on Capp Street for many decades, but things got so out of control in early 2024 that street barriers were placed on Capp Street. These went through a few designs, until the city finally settled on barriers they felt worked, and made them permanent. But wouldn’t you know, that just drove all the sex workers, pimps, and johns over to Shotwell Street, and now Shotwell residents are suing the city for allowing such a booming sex trade on their street.

So on Tuesday, KRON4 reports that the SF Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA) board of directors voted to put up street barriers on Shotwell Street too, to combat what SFMTA senior traffic engineer Bryant Woo diplomatically called “sex worker illegal activity and quality of life issues.”

Shotwell residents describe it a little differently. “It’s not safe to leave your place after dark around here,” resident Ira Woodhead told KRON4, complaining of “the altercations, the cackling, the screaming, the stabbings, the shootings. The noise is every night.”

Shotwell's Bar co-owner David Hall spoke at the SFMTA meeting. “On a nightly basis, I watch the craziness that takes place on that corner,” Hall told the board. “I shut down at midnight now. I have a 2 am [permit], but I shut down at midnight because of the craziness.”

The above map shows the locations of the current Capp Street barriers, which are bollards, plus the locations of the new barriers that will be coming to Shotwell Street. On Shotwell, there will be “midblock dead ends” in the middle of two blocks, and “temporary intersection diverters” at two Shotwell Street intersections.

These are the “midblock dead ends,” which are coming to the middle of the street on Shotwell between 19th and 20th streets, and between 20th and 21st streets. They’re meant to allow local driver access, but discourage through-traffic, while allowing free movement for bicycles and emergency vehicles.

And here are the “intersection diverters” coming to the intersections of Shotwell and 19th and at 21st streets. These are meant to prohibit left-hand turns onto Shotwell from those two streets.

SFPD says they will also enhance the use of surveillance cameras, “Dear John” letters, and undercover officers posing as sex workers.

So will this work? The Shotwell Street barriers were approved for an 18-month duration, so the SFMTA (and law enforcement) are clearly determined to tinker in hopes of finding effective solutions. But considering they’re trying to deter “the world’s oldest profession,” they’re up against sex workers and sex customers who’ve always found ways around deterrents.    

Related: Prankster Adds Sex Workers to Slow Streets Signs on Shotwell [SFist]

Image via SFMTA