Newsom announces Saturday Golden Gate Park
road closure pact

Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

By Emmett Berg, Bay City News Service

April 14, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Mayor Gavin Newsom announced an agreement Friday on a five-year plan to close John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park to motor traffic on Saturdays from April through September during the daytime.

JFK Drive already is closed to motor vehicles on Sundays and a plan to extend the closure to Saturdays was met with sustained opposition.

Negotiations resulted tonight in a plan for a conditional summertime closure on Saturdays.

As now envisioned, JFK Drive would be closed to vehicles during the daytime on Saturdays, but delivery trucks would still be allowed to access the DeYoung Museum loading dock.

The plan specifies that ensuring park access for persons with disabilities is a condition of implementation. Enhancing recreational opportunities for bicyclists, walkers and skaters were also part of the plan.

"Today was a victory for our shared values," said Newsom. "Golden Gate Park is our city's treasure, and this proposal allows everyone to enjoy it with minimal disruption."

The City Attorney will draft legislation codifying the plan, which sets the closure as in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of April through the last week of September each year.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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