Board approves package to speed pedestrian-safety projects, streamline interdepartmental review

The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved on first reading a package of ordinances to expedite pedestrian-safety projects, improve interdepartmental coordination and make it easier for developers to gift street improvements for dedication to public use.

Supervisor Scott Wiener, sponsor of the package (items 30-34), said San Francisco recorded nearly 1,000 pedestrian accidents last year and that delays caused by overlapping departmental sign-offs and out-of-date codes have impeded safety work. The ordinances create a street-design review committee, amend public-works code to accept certain public gifts with clarified procedures, update the fire code definitions of obstructions and urge state flexibility on local fire-code street-width standards.

Why it matters: City officials say physical street changes (shorter crossings, curb and sidewalk improvements, streetscaping) reduce pedestrian injuries; supervisors said the new laws will improve coordination among the Public Utilities Commission, Department of Public Works, Municipal Transportation Agency and Planning Department.

Vote The package (items 30 through 34) passed on first reading with a roll-call vote of 11 ayes.

Next steps The measures proceed through the city's ordinance process for subsequent readings and implementation. Supervisors said they expected the changes to remove bureaucratic delays and to streamline approvals for safety projects and privately-funded gifts to the public right-of-way.

Provenance: Discussion and unanimous first-reading votes are recorded in the transcript under items 30-34 (see around transcript marks 3600-3890).