San Francisco’s popular street closure program returns for it’s third year this coming Sunday, March 14, on the Embarcadero between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
A large group of pedestrians and cyclists gathered during Sunday Streets when it expanded into the Mission District last year. Jamison Wieser photo.
Sunday Streets is a smaller version of Bogata, Columbia’s wildly popular Ciclovía program which closes over 70 miles of roadway every Sunday and holiday to allow the public to walk, run, bike, dance, or just mill about and enjoy the outdoors car-free.
In 2008 the program kicked off here in San Francisco with two sunday closures along The Embarcadero, in 2009 it expanded to 6 Sundays with several routes. At it’s conclusion last fall, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Sunday Streets would return in 2010 with even more dates and locations. It also becomes a permanent program run by the SFMTA.
This will mark the first Sunday Streets along the waterfront without E-Embarcadero historic streetcar service south of the Ferry Building to AT&T Park. Fans will be disappointed by their absence, but it’s an understandable decision given the SFMTA’s $12 million deficit.
The F-Market & Wharves line will be running though and this will be a good chance for those looking to submit photos for our 2011 calendar to catch exciting shots of historic streetcars on The Embarcadero while it’s car-free.
