Mayor, supervisors mark Vision Zero steps after two street deaths; city to paint prominent crosswalks and consider speed reductions

San Francisco leaders on June 3 used a public briefing to highlight immediate steps under the city’s Vision Zero initiative after two recent street deaths, announcing enhanced crosswalk striping, enforcement and targeted speed reductions.

City officials described two recent fatalities — an 87‑year‑old pedestrian in the Richmond and a motorcycle crash the same day — and framed the incidents as preventable rather than inevitable. A senior city official said the city has adopted a policy ‘‘to eliminate traffic deaths in San Francisco’’ and is moving quickly on treatments that can be implemented before larger redesign projects are complete.

Officials said crews will install more prominent zebra‑style striping on Geary Boulevard and other corridors, explain that the treatments have been shown to raise driver awareness and commit to pairing engineering with enforcement and public education. The city emphasized joint action among the San Francisco Police Department, Municipal Transportation Agency and public‑works crews to coordinate paint, signage and enforcement.

Supervisor Eric Mar, whose Richmond District includes some of the recent crashes, called for faster action on engineering, enforcement and education and urged applying safe‑route and slow‑zone models used elsewhere. City staff noted that lowering the speed limit on parts of Fulton to 30 mph had already been implemented and that more streets under direct city jurisdiction will be assessed for speed reductions.

Officials framed striping and signage as interim measures to improve visibility while larger redesigns and transit projects (including the Geary Boulevard corridor and related bus improvements) proceed. They said the city will continue to engage community groups, the MTA and police to prioritize high‑injury corridors.