Open Forum: Demand the City of San Francisco immediately and permanently halt the red lane project on Ocean Avenue

We, the residents, business owners, families, and community supporters of Ocean Avenue, write to demand one thing: immediately and permanently stop the proposed red lane (bus-only lane) on Ocean Avenue.

Not a review. Not a study. Not a pilot. Stop it now.

We have already watched San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) implement red lanes on other streets across this city. The result? Businesses killed. Traffic slowed. Chaos created.

● Mission Street? Businesses suffered.

● Geary Boulevard? Congestion got worse, not better.

● Other corridors? Same story – empty storefronts, frustrated drivers, delayed emergency vehicles.

SFMTA has no credibility left. It uses unreliable, sometimes deliberately faulty data and biased studies to fool the public. Then it claims “safety” and “transit efficiency” while real-world evidence shows the opposite.

Why we demand a complete stop – no excuses

1. Take back our right to drive safely and efficiently: The proposed red lane would remove driving lanes on a major corridor, pushing thousands of cars onto narrow side streets. That is dangerous and unfair. We demand our driving rights be fully protected.

2. Stop the lies – SFMTA’s data is not trustworthy: SFMTA has repeatedly used flawed data to push red lanes elsewhere. We reject any further “studies” or “data collection.” The proposal itself is a fraud. Cancel it.

3. Stop creating traffic chaos: Red lanes do not smooth traffic – they create gridlock, cut-through traffic, pollution, and slower emergency response. We have seen it happen again and again. Ocean Avenue will be no different.

4. Stop killing our businesses: Other San Francisco streets lost customers, deliveries, and revenue after red lanes were installed. Our Ocean Avenue merchants and families will not be the next sacrifice. Enough.

5. Stop wasting our tax dollars and bullying the community: SFMTA wastes millions on administration, fare hikes, and failed experiments – then bullies neighborhoods into accepting them. No more. Stop the proposed red lane now and spend our money on real solutions: synchronized lights, targeted enforcement, dedicated turn lanes, and curb management.

Our Demand Is Clear:

● Immediately cancel the proposed Ocean Avenue red lane.

● No pilot phase. No “community outreach.” No “adjustments.” Stop. Now.

● Permanently keep full driving lanes on Ocean Avenue for residents, businesses, emergency vehicles, and visitors.

We have seen the damage red lanes cause on other streets. We will not let SFMTA do the same to Ocean Avenue.

Stop the proposed red lane. No more lies. No more faulty data. No more chaos.