More Bay Wheels Bike Rental Stations Proposed For Ingleside

The Lyft-owned Bay Wheels bike dock rental stations could be arriving in and around the Ingleside neighborhood pending approval by the city traffic engineer.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency held a public hearing for proposed bike docking stations in District 7, including one on Ocean Avenue and Lakewood Avenue beside the El Rey Theatre, and another on Ocean Avenue and Junipero Serra Boulevard, adjacent to the Lakeside Landing lot. Both stations are proposed to be 62 feet long and would accommodate 23 bikes.

Another proposed location for a smaller bike docking station includes the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Alemany Boulevard. The station would only be 35 feet long, allowing space for 13 bikes. Adrian Leung, the transportation agency’s bike share and bike parking program manager, said the station would be close to H MART.

Two other proposed locations, one at Vicente and West Portal avenues and another at 15th Avenue and Portola Drive, were taken off the agenda so the transportation agency staff could do more outreach to neighborhood stakeholders.

Tilly Chang, executive director of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority said Tuesday that the Bay Wheels expansion in District 7 is funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Climate Initiatives Program.

Traffic Operations Manager Eddie Tsui said there were a handful of letters in support and opposition of the proposed station. No public comment was given on the item. The SFMTA received one email in opposition to the station proposed at Lakewood and Ocean avenues.

Residents spoke against the proposed station at St. Charles Avenue and Alemany Boulevard in the Merced Heights neighborhood, adding that it would impact parking in the neighborhood.

Claire Sanchez, a resident in the area, said St. Charles Avenue is already congested with San Francisco State University shuttle buses and the 54 Felton bus route has a stop at the intersection. Sanchez said the bike docking station should go elsewhere.

Some residents who spoke suggested the intersection of Alemany Boulevard and Arch Street to install the docking station. Leung, the bike share and parking manager, said that the agency had not found any other workable locations and that staff found Alemany and Arch would provide an uncomfortable ride for bicyclists as the street speed limit is 35 mph.

The SFMTA will post the results of the hearing by 5 p.m. on Friday on its website.