But that wasn't good enough for Wilsey and others who insist on unfettered car-access everywhere in the city. Wilsey bankrolled a signature-gathering campaign to get the J.F.K. Promenade decision overturned via plebiscite. Not only was she gunning for the J.F.K. Promenade, but she wanted to put cars back on the Great Highway, 24/7. To hell with the consequences; cars everywhere all the time.
At the time, Streetsblog predicted that Measure "I", as her ballot measure would be named, was an overreach and a terrible misread of the popularity of both of these spaces. Nevertheless, if "I" succeeded and "J" failed, the measure put on the ballot by the Board of Supervisors to enshrine the J.F.K. Promenade into the city charter, it would have been a disaster for safe-and-livable streets advocates.
So advocates returned to the ramparts and re-fought the battle as if their lives depended on it--because they did.
A Vision Zero vigil in San Francisco sought to remind drivers of the damage they do. Photo: Safe Street Rebel via Streetsblog SF
As editor of Streetsblog, 2022 has been exhausting and sometimes painful--as I'm sure it was for all of our friends at the various advocacy groups.
Streetsblog San Francisco will be taking a hiatus for the remainder of 2022. My hope is Streetsblog will have more resources next year to cover and highlight the next big fights--getting protected bike lanes around the rest of Lake Merritt in Oakland, Seamless Bay Area will continue its push to get better transit services, the push will continue against Caltrans's constant excuses for widening roads, and, one hopes, advocates can finally make San Francisco fulfill its broken promises on Valencia. There are so many fights it's impossible to mention them all here. But right now, as 2022 winds down, let's celebrate the J.F.K. Promenade victory as a beacon of hope and accomplishment and a guide to what's possible moving forward.
And please consider giving to Streetsblog to help us expand our abilities to cover these issues.
Have a great, safe, holiday. All the best from Roger Rudick, editor, Streetsblog San Francisco, Melanie Curry, editor, Streetsblog California, Publisher Damien Newton, and the rest of the Streetsblog team in California and throughout the U.S.