San Francisco delays parking tickets over "daylighting" law; sets 18 month goal to paint curbs red
Transportation officials in San Francisco announced that warnings will continue to be issued for drivers who park in unmarked curbs near crosswalks, as it seeks to implement the state's new "daylighting" traffic safety law.
Acting SFMTA director Julie Kirschbaum said Monday that a plan that would have ticketed drivers parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk, regardless if it's marked or not, has been dropped. At the same time, the city has set out a goal to paint red curbs throughout the city within 18 months.
Tickets would have been issued beginning in March under the old plan.
In a statement, Kirschbaum said she has heard "repeated concerns" from the community and from supervisors Connie Chan and Shamann Walton. City officials also noted instances where people illegally painted red "no parking" zones.
"Our highest priority is keeping people safe—not issuing citations," said Kirschbaum. "Daylighting is an incredibly important tool for street safety, but I want to make sure when we roll it out citywide, we do it fairly. I'm thankful to Supervisors Chan and Walton for urging us to find a solution that is both swift and fair."
Chan said, "We appreciate the balanced approach of advancing pedestrian safety and fairly implementing enforcement."
WalkSF, which advocates for pedestrian safety, said on social media, "The new commitment by the SFMTA to paint all intersections for daylighting in 18 months is exactly what's needed right now given the fact that 2024 was the deadliest year in a decade for traffic crashes."
Jodie Medeiros, the group's executive director said, "Daylighting saves lives, it's that simple."
The new law, which went into effect statewide on Jan. 1, prohibits parking within 20 feet of marked or unmarked crosswalks. The process seeks to improve traffic safety and save lives by making crosswalks more visible for drivers and for pedestrians.
According to the SFMTA, studies have found daylighting can reduce collisions by 30%. At least 43 other states have similar regulations.
Over the next 18 months, the city said it would prioritize painting red curbs in and around school zones, saying the program would benefit children the most.
In the meantime, drivers who park in unmarked daylighting zones would continue to receive warnings. Once the curb is painted red, drivers would face the same parking tickets and fines as in other red zones.
