Summer workshops are underway to engage residents and businesses of Duboce Triangle and adjacent neighborhoods on their ideas for a Slow Triangle. It has been great meeting some of you at our recent workshops and at the Farmers’ Market, and we look forward to hearing from you at a future meet- ing. In the meantime, we also invite you to fill out our survey, to help us understand your thoughts on what a Slow Triangle could mean.

This concept of designing an improved Duboce Triangle began at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Noe Street was converted into a “Slow Street.” Throughout San Francisco, and in cities across the country, these “Slow Streets” were implemented to limit through traffic and open the road to more accessible and wider uses for pedestrians and cyclists. These modes of street design and usage are not necessarily new. Temporary street closures make way for block parties, street festivals, and farmers’ markets. Examples of permanent pedestrianized streets can be found all around the world in cities like Barcelona, Copenhagen, and Paris, along both major thoroughfares and in more intimate neighborhood settings. While there are some universal approaches to redesigning streets to create safer and more open public spaces, Duboce Triangle is unique in its history and relationship to the rest of the City. A tailored approach to understanding the neighborhood is necessary before diving into a Slow Triangle design proposal.

Initial research was done on the current and potential implementation of Vision Slow Triangle here in Duboce Triangle by 3 groups of graduate students from UC Berkeley on the topics of Walkability & Mobility, Sustainability, and Activation.

Some of the proposed ideas included improving existing corner bulb-outs as mini-plazas, adjusting parking orientation in key areas to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and pedestrian improvements on 14th Street to support movement and access to businesses. After hearing feedback on these ideas from residents at a December 2021 presentation, we have remained open to any and all of your ideas. This summer, we are conducting community workshops to add to these initial ideas and we are inviting everyone to play a part in this process. As stakeholders in this community, your wants, dreams, and lived experiences are essential ingredients in how a potential vision for a Slow Triangle can be articulated, planned for, and implemented.

So far, we have completed two workshops: in the first one, we collected ideas on potential Design Values that resonated with community members and shared precedent examples that could be applicable in Duboce Triangle. Participants in the second workshop took part in a design charrette, giving people an opportunity to articulate their ideas through creative brainstorming and interactive activities. As a result of these workshops, we are planning to present concept designs and refined recommendations to seek additional neighbor input before connecting with City departments and other community partners to make what the neighborhood wants a reality.

To stay informed about the Slow Triangle workshops, please RSVP here: https://forms.gle/JtLKRZ- jAcn8VC18B7, or email us at slow- triangle@dtna.org with any and all ideas. You can also learn more at dtna.org (under “Initiatives”). We will be sending out more detailed information about each event to those interested.