(San Francisco, California, April 21, 2024) – Merchants on San Francisco’s West Portal
Avenue were shocked to hear news of a proposed shutdown of their street. The plan,
released by the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) to the public on Thursday, April 18,
calls for drastically limiting private vehicles in the popular commercial corridor, a move that
would impact the small restaurants, shops, and services that are already struggling.
“If it were up to me, it [the plan] would take all of the cars off West Portal,” Supervisor
Myrna Melgar said in a quote to the SF Standard. Supervisor Melgar and Mayor London
Breed are behind the proposal. Local merchants and residents responded with a
passionate call to “Keep West Portal Open!”
While the plan is being promoted as a safety improvement in response to the single car
accident that happened in the Lenox Way/Ulloa Street intersection (next to the West Portal
Muni Station) in March and resulted in the deaths of four family members, the West Portal
Merchants Association (WPMA), in an April 18 statement, deemed the plan “an
opportunistic and arbitrary response.” The tragic accident, they reminded readers, was
caused by a single driver. Furthermore, when questioned about that intersection’s injury
incident history, “the MTA supplied no data to support the proposed changes” and, a week
after the incident, announced that the intersection was safe and did not contribute to the
accident. Instead, the statement continues, “they [MTA] confirmed they were directed by
Melgar and Breed to make this happen, and to make it fast.”
“This proposal will worsen traffic on West Portal, decimate the businesses of local
merchants, and frustrate the countless elderly, young family, disabled, and commuter
residents who rely on the use of cars,” says WPMA President Deidre Von Rock. “We have
repeatedly offered more sensible and cost-effective measures for traffic calming, and none
have ever seriously been considered,” said Von Rock.
Given only 10 days to respond to the proposal, community members have rallied to get the
word out and express their opposition to Melgar and Breed’s “outrageous effort” to close
the West Portal/Ulloa intersection. They encourage concerned parties to complete the
SFMTA’s “West Portal Station Safety and Community Space Improvements
Project—Community Survey” online or at one of three in-person polls along the street
(Monday, April 22, 11:30–1:00 at Vicente Street; Tuesday, April 23, 8:00–9:30 at West
Portal Station; and Wednesday, April 24, 4:00–5:45 outside West Portal Branch Library at
190 Lenox Way).
“We need to voice our opposition to this ridiculous, selfish, and politically motivated plan,”
said Von Rock. “This plan is intended to capitalize on a recent tragedy and is being done
for political purposes at the behest of advocacy groups that have no connection with or
understanding of our neighborhood.”
“We have all seen the negative impact SFMTA policies have had on the once-vibrant
Valencia St. shopping area. The lack of access to our block through these proposed
changes threatens the viability of all the small businesses in West Portal,” says Anna
Bullard, owner of Bookshop West Portal, the neighborhood’s longstanding independent
bookstore known for hosting community events. “Everyone needs to understand that this
isn’t an either-or situation–we can easily prioritize the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists
through simple measures that won’t restrict access to West Portal.”
The West Portal Merchants Association is working with the Greater West Portal
Neighborhood Association, the Forest Hill Neighborhood Association, as well as various
volunteers and other organizations to raise awareness and provide the city with local
feedback before the April 28th deadline. They’re compiling statements and calling the
neighborhood to action here.
In a statement from the Greater West Portal Neighborhood Association, its president Karen
Tarentola states, “We encourage SFMTA to slow the process, consult with the people who
live here and seriously consider our suggestions and concerns.”
About West Portal Merchants Association: West Portal is a delightful village within the
city of San Francisco that features great restaurants, shops, and services. The Merchants
Association advocates on behalf of the commercial corridor and surrounding neighborhood
by providing opportunities to share ideas, as well as sponsoring wonderful events, art fairs,
and celebrations. Their goal is to create a place where visitors feel welcomed and residents
feel cherished. Learn more at http://www.westportalsf.com/.
