In a special joint meeting Thursday, the SFMTA Board of Directors and the Rec and Parks Commission voted to endorse making the J.F.K. Promenade a permanent feature of Golden Gate Park. The SFMTA Board voted unanimously 7-0. The Rec and Parks Commission vote was 5-2, with commissioners Laurence Griffin and Larry Mazzola voting against.
Meanwhile, the de Young Museum made a last-ditch attempt to sway that vote with a banner ad in the San Francisco Chronicle that apparently went up sometime Wednesday. Prices for banner ads depend on a variety of factors, but an account manager at the Chronicle told Streetsblog that they run between $4,000 and $8,000 a day.
"I hate seeing $17 million in annual San Francisco taxpayer funding used by the de Young directors and lobbyists in an AstroTurf ad campaign all with the goal of making the center of Golden Gate Park unsafe for kids," wrote People Protected Bike Lane advocate Matt Brezina in an email to Streetsblog. "Is this how our hard-earned tax dollars should be spent?"
The ad continues the museum's favorite gaslighting approach of trying to frame the move to put cars back on J.F.K as a disability rights issue. Except, of course, that there's an 800-space, underutilized, multistory garage right under the museum (which, obviously, is far closer to the museum entrance than J.F.K is), and it has disabled parking spaces right at the door:
There is already ADA access via car (or shuttle) to the entrance to the museum, with ramps under J.F.K. drive. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick
At Thursday's meeting, staff reminded the boards that paratransit vehicles and shuttles are and will continue to be permitted on all of J.F.K. Rec and Park officials also pointed out that they provided more free on-street disability parking on adjoining streets than was taken from J.F.K. to create the promenade.
I support the proposed closure to car traffic on JFK Drive. This has been an essential space for our residents and families during this pandemic, and I believe it can be a long-term benefit to this city.
We have a lot of work to do to address a number of issues we've heard.
Today's special SFMTA meeting on the J.F.K Promenade. Image: SFGovTV
Most of the handful of public speakers who wanted J.F.K available for driving complained that they can no longer use the park as a through-way to destinations in the Sunset. Of the over 100 people, including many seniors, who were in support of keeping the promenade car-free, most spoke about feeling safe when they walk, bike, and skate in the park.
David Miles at the morning meeting. Screenshot from SFGovTV
David Miles, who runs a roller-skating school in the park and who has been lobbying for a car-free J.F.K. for decades, said he feels like he's in "Groundhog Day" with the same issues coming up about parking and access over and over. "The people want this. This is something that enhances quality of life," he said of the new promenade.
Walk San Francisco's Jodie Medeiros told the boards that "...turning the 1.4 miles back into a dangerous, cut-through space would be a step back from Vision Zero."
Now the vote will move on to the S.F. Board of Supervisors. Walk San Francisco has set up a form for people to urge the Supes to support the J.F.K. Promenade forever.
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