Businesses and residents continue to debate a proposal that would swap street parking for protected bike lanes in North Park.
Proposed bike lanes would run along 30th Street, which some say would help bicyclists stay safe, but others argue parking is already too limited in the area.
Councilmember Chris Ward issued a memo to Mayor Kevin Faulconer proposing a compromise, which would include dedicated bike lanes along 30th Street while preserving some street parking in the business district between Howard Avenue and Upas Street.
But some people, like Andrew Jasso, who works at Sicilian Thing Pizza, believe removing any parking spaces will hurt business.
“I don’t think their some-parking [proposal] is going to end up working,” Jasso told NBC 7.
Some of Jasso’s customers agree, including Kahlil McWhite, who said motorists and cyclists already share the road well.
“Look, there’s a biker right there. He’s riding perfectly fine. I don’t think we need a bike lane,” said McWhite.
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However, cyclists, like John Anderson, believe the protected bike lanes are necessary.
“There is no space that is secure for you. You’re in front of a car, you’re behind a car,” Anderson said as he pointed at a stretch on 30th Street.
He called the proposed plan a step back for the safety of cyclists.
“The concern is that it’s not going to happen or that it will cause a time delay. We want to make sure that we’re getting a good option put on the street in a timely fashion,” said McWhite.
Ward also included several requests on behalf of the North Park Planning Committee, like evaluating impact on businesses and taking annual reports of bicycle counts, among other considerations.
