San Francisco, CA – The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) continues to focus on installing and upgrading traffic signals to enhance pedestrian safety, a stance that directly contradicts recent social media claims regarding the removal of stoplights. Despite a tweet alleging that SFMTA, alongside city officials Lux and Engardio, removed stoplights deemed "too expensive to replace," official records and public statements emphasize a commitment to improving signal infrastructure and pedestrian right-of-way.
California Vehicle Code 21950 affirms that pedestrians maintain the right-of-way in both marked and unmarked crosswalks at intersections, requiring drivers to yield. This legal framework ensures pedestrian priority, a principle reinforced by SFMTA's ongoing initiatives. The agency's Traffic Signals Program is dedicated to the design, construction, and maintenance of over 1,300 signalized intersections, with projects consistently aimed at increasing safety and mobility for all road users, including pedestrians. These efforts include the installation of new signals, upgrades to aging infrastructure, and the implementation of pedestrian-centric features like countdown signals and Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs), which give pedestrians a head start before vehicles receive a green light.
A recent tweet from user AT415 sparked discussion, stating, "Phew! So Lux, Engardio, and and SFMTA removed all those stoplights that they’re now calling too expensive to replace, so that pedestrians apparently no longer have the right of way in crosswalks?" The tweet further detailed a specific incident, noting, "the arrogance of the unicyclist’s description of the accident: the crossing pedestrian’s retractable dog leash 'blocked his path while he was traveling'. In a marked crosswalk." This account highlights a perceived disregard for pedestrian safety within a marked crosswalk.
However, comprehensive searches of SFMTA's official communications and local news sources reveal no policy or program for the removal of stoplights due to cost. Instead, the agency's focus remains on modernizing and expanding its signal network. While city supervisors like Dean Engardio and Connie Chan (not "Lux" in a relevant context) are actively involved in San Francisco's transportation discussions, particularly concerning the Great Highway, their roles do not extend to a policy of stoplight removal. The city's Vision Zero initiative, launched in 2014, also aims to eliminate all traffic-related deaths, further underscoring the commitment to pedestrian safety through infrastructure improvements and policy.
