Valencia Street Shines

As San Francisco’s Bike Plan goes on hold, one thoroughfare shows how bike friendly engineering and a focus on community can lead the way for the rest of the city. History was made as a scrappy group of DIY activists reclaimed bike space from cars and four car lanes gave way to two and a generous bike lane.

We look at the history of Valencia, both past and future to get an idea about how simple changes can make a place people go to rather than drive through. A vibrant, flourishing neighborhood has risen and daily proves the critics of bike and ped based planning wrong.

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Mary Brown (scroll down) led the first efforts at change.

Here's the one year report (pdf) on the Valencia "road diet" that showed a 144% increase in cycle traffic and 10% less car traffic that only added 3% additional traffic to each of three other streets.

Latter day activists are working now for a Better Valencia.

Livable City is involved in the process.

The Ritual Coffee shop is the home of the Ritual Coffee Club Bike Posse.

The Therapy furniture and clothing stores and Aquarius Records have thrived with the bike lanes.

Andy from Aquarius recommended the Portland Bicycle Ensemble.