Health

Sunday Streets season kicked off last weekend and runs through October 23. These events, which are sponsored by the City of San Francisco, create a large, temporary, public space by closing off a portion of a neighborhood’s streets to automobile traffic, and opening them to pedestrians, bicyclists, and activities for several hours on a Sunday.

Sunday Streets 2011 Season Schedule (subject to change):

• March 20: kick off event along the Embarcadero from Fisherman’s Wharf to Mission Bay;
• April 10: Great Highway and Golden Gate Park;
• May 8: Mission route, including the popular route along 24th and Valencia Streets;
• June 12: Bayview route, 3rd Street from Mission Bay, Dogpatch to the Bayview Opera House;
• July 10: Great Highway route #2;
• August 14: Civic Center/Tenderloin route;
• September 11: Western Addition route, including North of Panhandle, Alamo Square and Fillmore and Japantown neighborhoods;
• October 23: Mission route #2

What’s New in 2011:

Event Hours: 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. This change is in response to the chorus of requests for the event to go later each day.  The later schedule allows participants to attend their regular Sunday morning activities or linger over breakfast and still have time to enjoy a full day of Sunday Streets.

Emphasis on local programming and spontaneous activities: We are looking to community leaders, merchant associations and neighborhood groups to play a larger role in creating activities along each route. Sunday Streets will still offer free bike rentals (one hour, credit card and ID required) and repairs, bike education, outdoor roller rink, kids and pet programs and have areas set aside for specific activities and community outreach. The rest of Sunday Streets programs will be community-driven and produced events and activities.  Go to www.SundayStreetsSF.com to find a downloadable version of Sunday Streets 2011 Program Guidelines.

Zero waste: Large banners with maps and program areas will replace printed schedules, and we are asking our program partners to minimize hand outs and engage participants through interactive activities instead.

Improvements to established routes: We are working to improve routes, focusing on using merchant corridors and routes that connect to new neighborhoods.

• Bayview: Connect via Lower Portrero Hill and Mission.
• Mission:  24^th Valencia Streets (dropping Harrison and adding another commercial street).
• Western Addition: Includes North of Panhandle, Alamo Square, Fillmore neighborhoods.
• Civic Center/Tenderloin: New route in Tenderloin/Civic Center area that creates a connected route through the area.

For more information, please visit www.SundayStreetsSF.com.