Introduction
There are many intersections in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood where freeway on- or off-ramps intersect city streets. Many of these ramps are located close to public schools, single room occupancy hotels, and senior centers, which are frequented by populations at high risk of injury from traffic collisions.
The Transportation Authority studied how to improve safety at 15 of these intersections with support from Caltrans and the SFMTA. We conducted two studies between 2016 and 2019. The goal of these studies is to improve safety for all travelers, especially the most vulnerable populations, and to support progress towards the City's Vision Zero goal to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2024.
Freeway Ramp Intersections in SoMa
There are 22 intersections in SoMa where freeway on- or off-ramps intersect city streets. This map shows all of the projects and plans that are underway at each of these intersections. The Transportation Authority worked to improve safety at 15 of these intersections. The remaining seven intersections are part of planning efforts led by other local agencies.
Timeline
Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study 1
The Transportation Authority and the SFMTA developed recommendations for improving safety at five initial intersections. The study was initiated in May 2016 and was completed in early 2018. The SFMTA is including improvements at these intersections in its latest five-year Capital Improvement Program update.
Recommended design improvements (PDF)
Final Report: Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 1, 2018 (PDF) and Appendices (PDF)
Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study 2
The Transportation Authority and the SFMTA developed recommendations for improving safety at 10 additional SoMa intersections. This study was initiated in 2018 and was completed in mid-2019.
Recommended design improvements (PDF)
Final Report: SoMa Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study 2, 2019 (PDF) and Appendices (PDF)
Some of these upgrades, such as improved striping and signage, can be implemented within the next two years. Meanwhile, we will work with partner agencies to secure funding and Caltrans design approvals for the more significant infrastructure upgrades we’ve recommended.
Progress
Study 1 and Study 2 have resulted in many intersections’ recommended improvements.
As of January 2023 improvements have been installed at:
- 5th / Harrison
- 5th / Bryant
- 7th / Harrison
- 8th btwn. Bryant / Harrison
- 8th / Bryant
Additional improvements are expected in 2023 at:
- Essex / Harrison
- Bryant / Harrison
- 9th / Bryant
- 10th / Bryant
- 13th / Mission / Otis
- 13th / South Van Ness
SFMTA continues to seek funding to implement additional recommendations.
Funding
Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 1
The study was funded in part by the Transportation Authority's Neighborhood Program.
Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 2
This study was funded by a Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant and San Francisco’s half-cent sales tax for transportation.
Contact
Intersection Selection
We selected 15 intersections where freeway on- or off-ramps intersect city streets based on three key factors.
Emphasis on safety: We prioritized intersections with high collision rates.
Coordination with other agencies: We focused on intersections that are not already being addressed by other city plans and projects.
Proactive approach: Some intersections did not have reported collisions, but were selected because they have opportunities for proactive safety improvements (e.g. new or upgraded crosswalks).
Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 1
The Transportation Authority and the SFMTA have developed recommendations for improving safety at the following five freeway ramp intersections in SoMa.
- 5th Street and Harrison Street (I-80 westbound off-ramp)
- 5th Street and Bryant Street (I-80 westbound on-ramp)
- 8th Street and Harrison Street (I-80 westbound off-ramp)
- 9th Street and Bryant Street (U.S. 101 northbound off-ramp)
- 10th Street and Bryant Street (U.S. 101 southbound on-ramp)
Recommended design improvements (PDF)
Final Report: Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study 1, 2018 (PDF) and Appendices (PDF)
Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 2
The Transportation Authority received Caltrans grant funding to evaluate 10 additional ramp intersections in SoMa in partnership with the SFMTA.
- Mission, Otis, Duboce, & 13th streets (U.S. 101 northbound off-ramp)
- South Van Ness Avenue & 13th Street (U.S. 101 southbound on-ramp)
- 8th Street between Bryant & Harrison streets (I-80 westbound off-ramp)
- 8th Street & Bryant Street (I-80 eastbound on-ramp)
- 7th Street & Harrison Street (I-80 westbound on-ramp)
- 7th Street between Bryant & Harrison streets (I-80 eastbound off-ramp)
- 7th Street & Bryant Street (I-80 eastbound off-ramp)
- 6th Street & Brannan Street (I-280 northbound off-ramp, I-280 southbound on-ramp)
- Fremont Street between Howard & Folsom streets (I-80 westbound off-ramp)
- Harrison Street & Essex Street (I-80 eastbound on-ramp)
Recommended design improvements (PDF)
Final Report: SoMa Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Study 2, 2019 (PDF) and Appendices (PDF)
The SoMa Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Studies follow previous Transportation Authority involvement in efforts to improve safety at SoMa freeway ramps.
Before Freeway Ramp Intersection Safety Studies 1 and 2, the Transportation Authority led design and construction of the Folsom Street Off-Ramp project to realign the I-80 off-ramp to Folsom Street in collaboration with Caltrans, the SFMTA, and SF Public Works. The Transportation Authority led design and construction of the Folsom Street Off-Ramp project to realign the I-80 off-ramp to Folsom Street.
The new off-ramp created safer conditions for pedestrians while creating a significantly more valuable parcel of land that allowed for development of new retail space and housing, more than one-quarter of which is affordable.
The realigned Folsom Street off-ramp allowed for the creation of a new crosswalk, designed to help the flow of pedestrians in an increasingly residential area of downtown. The new crosswalk, which allows pedestrians to cross the off-ramp where it meets Fremont Street, has an actuated pedestrian crossing phase. A pedestrian seeking to cross the off-ramp uses a push-button to activate the pedestrian crossing signal while the off-ramp traffic has a red signal. At all other times, the off-ramp traffic will have a green signal.
The new off-ramp reopened to traffic in 2015. Freeway Ramp Intersection Study 2 has since recommended the addition of further treatments to the new off-ramp intersection to further improve safety and pedestrian access.
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