kirkham was a slow street for two years, but in 2022 that status was reversed.ots of people said, even if it's not a slow street, we want to see something making cars go slower. >> okay. so it's really like forcing that little section to become a one lane road instead of two lanes, you know, one in each direction. okay. wait, how long has this been up? >> so it was actually completed october 30th. >> okay. so it's been a while. what are neighbors saying about it so far? >> yeah, there's a real diversity of opinions. i went out last week to talk to folks. some people said it's straightforward. it makes sense. it's doing the job. it's making drivers pay attention. but other people are concerned. they're worried about the potential for a head on collision. and even while i was out there, i saw a car swerve into the bike lane to avoid the neck down. so there's concern for the safety of cyclists as well. >> i wonder if people know how to use it. if you know, awareness is part of the issue? >> yeah. so if you're approaching it heading east, you'll see a sign that says

. >> reporter: kirkham is one of the streets often reported for speeding. solution was to install this, forcing traffic in either direction to slow down or yield. a spokesperson said past attempts to manage traffic with designated slow streets didn't stick. they wrote, "we sought to find a balance between calming speeds and insuring kirkham is still a valuable and viable thorough fare for cars, bicyclists, and emergency vehicles." anna benson who rides her bike isn't a fan. >> cars will drive in this lane in between the parked cars and the like new traffic thing and that's really annoying, especially for when i'm biking and trying to get through here. >> reporter: benson says confused cars make the area more dangerous. >> they think it's a two-lane and they're like look how close that was. nobody honked, but that was very close. i just feel like this happens all the time. >> reporter: but janelle wong, a cycling activist and former executive director of the bicycle coalition in san francisco, says people are overlooking the benefits the change could have fo

so the there's a new installation here on kirkham street between ninth and 10th avenues.this is what it is. it is called the neck down. it is designed to squeeze opposing directions of traffic down to one lane to force them to slow down. you can see that's kind of what's happening here. t these cars are having to go through the middle there, and it kind of forces them to stop sometimes in the middle of the street so that they can figure out who's going to go first. now, this was installed back in october, but it's now starting to get more attention because more people are starting to talk about it, because they've been having to drive through it, i'm told. and actually, the sfmta also says that the reason why they installed it is because when this street was reopened to traffic through the pandemic, it was a slow street, but it was reopened to traffic. a lot of the neighbors say that there was just vehicles driving through here too fast. they thought it was very dangerous. so the sfmta engineered something to be able to try to slow that traffic down. i did ask the sfmta w

don houston says he misses when kirkham street was designated a slow street, and he understands the need to slow people down since it's been reopened to cars. but he doesn't like the design of the neck down and says he never saw any notice before it was installed in october. and he's not alone. as we've been putting together our story today, we've had several drivers roll down their windows, shout out their window at us, telling us how much they don't like this thing. neighbor lorraine carroll has seen and heard even worse. they become very upset and kind of irate and screaming and yelling and horn honking and knocking the signs over. so. but i don't see it as a problem. i see it as a benefit. she says even though drivers tend to scream and honk, they do slow down, which she says is good because drivers used to speed through here, making the street dangerous. i'm not a fan. i'm not exactly excited by it, but i understand why they're doing it. by narrowing the roadway, it slows everybodyown. this is san franciscsco's first neck down. it's a pilot project through the summer, so transportat

it's called the neck down and it is located on kirkham street between 9th and 10th avenues. first, rob nesbitt was there today is talking to residents about how they feel about the road changes. >> the traffic installation behind me is what's called a neck down. now it's meant to slow down traffic, protect bicyclists and pedestrians. but those who live in this area say it does not work. drivers on street in san francisco were confused when they came across traffic installation that funds the two-way street into a one way. and then back to a two-way again. when i drove by. and then as i said, >> while haven't. >> it's it's a it's a sub. one become one lane is so it will be become a problem. that's how see it. it's called a neck down and even the name stumped residents in the area like lisa mcnay, we were good delaying like what is happening at this intersection according to sfmta. the purpose of the neck down is to slow vehicle speeds and address traffic volumes in the neighborhood that is often treated as a cut through for traffic. >> the stretch of road has had many traffic

configuration is causing a lot of confusion, as a two way street suddenly becomes a single lane on kirkham street between ninth and 10th avenues, cars must take turns, but drivers are never clear on whose turn it is. the answer is that vehicles traveling east away from the ocean are supposed to yield to those traveling west. the goal is to slow down drivers to make the streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians. >> i appreciate that we are attempting to do something to calm the street here. i think this particular iteration of it is confusing. the west side has to yield. east side doesn't know that. and so often there's a standoff and people don't know which way to go. so i think we tried something. i'm glad we tried something. i'd like to try something else. >> nobody wants a standoff. this is a trial as part of sfmta's slow streets program this summer, it will decide whether to keep the neck down in place. you got to really be paying attention. >> you do? that could fool you. >> and if you're not normally in that area, who goes first? >> should be a little confusing. all right, let's tal

it's a look at this two way traffic is squeezed down to just one lane on kirkham street between ninthvenues. drivers headed east have to yield to those traveling west. the sfmta says it will decide whether to keep the neck down after evaluating its effectiveness. it's been there since october and it's a pilot program. the idea is to mimic a narrower street, to slow it down, if you will, to try to curb traffic accidents and things like that. what do you think? i was looking at the video and i'm already confused. i mean, you see, when you approach, i'm assuming it's the same idea as a roundabout, right? it's for safety to slow people down and move through that street slower. so it makes sense safety wise. but i don't know if i were to approach that, would i know what to do? looking at it, i'm a little bit confused. yeah, because some people accidentally go into the bike lane and then veer to the right, the cyclist. >> what i was going to say, at the risk of getting the bike people upset at me, if they just minimize the bike lane or maybe, you know, one or the i don't know how you would

this is on kirkham street between ninth and 10th avenues. so do you see how the cars have to take turns? but it's not entirely clear to some drivers how you're supposed to navigate this. so the answer is that vehicles traveling east that is away from the ocean are supposed to yield to those traveling west, but, you know, we've never handled this before, so how would we innately know that? >> yeah. >> the goal here is to slow down drivers, to make the streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians. >> i appreciate that we are attempting to do something to calm the street here. i think this particular iteration of it is confusing. west side has to yield. east side doesn't know that. and so often there's a standoff and people don't know which way to go. so i think we tried something. i'm glad we tried something. i'd like to try something else. >> from the neck up. it's confusing, i know that. i don't know about neck down. this is a trial as part of sfmta's slow streets program this summer, it will decide whether to keep the neck down in place. okay

it's located at kirkham street right between 9th and 10th. it follows it to a street into a one-way street. and then back to a two-way street. take a look. the people on this side that are yielding don't know what to do. there's the bicyclist, but i worry about because i feel like people are trying to the neck down and it's just confusing. the sfmta says the purpose of the neck down is to slow the cars and traffic. >> rest of volume in the neighborhood, the neck down is a trial and it is subject to evaluation and they might change it. construction now underway to revamp sandwiches because you and skate plaza that's in the civic center neighborhood. the place is going to be expanding to bring in new skate elements, pavement, redesigning to make the space more accessible infantry skaters of all levels. so back in 2023, the area was via lies and is on the local skateboarders and iconic skaneboarding brands paying homage to legendary street skating spots in san francisco. once construction is done, it's going to you at the skate un plaza kickoff

configuration, is causing a lot of confusion, as a two way street suddenly becomes a single lane on kirkham street between ninth and 10th avenues, cars must take turns, but drivers are never clear on whose turn it is. the answer is that vehicles traveling east away from the ocean are supposed to yield to those traveling west. who? this is giving me anxiety just looking at it. the goal is to slow down drivers to make the streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians. >> i appreciate that we are attempting to do something to calm the street here. i think this particular iteration of it is confusing. west side has to yield. east side doesn't know that. and so often there's a standoff and people don't know which way to go. so i think we tried something. i'm glad we tried something. i'd like to try something else. >> that man is the most diplomatic person. you should invite him to thanksgiving. he will be able to solve any problems between your relatives. this is a trial as part of sfmta's slow streets program. this summer, it will decide whether to keep the so-called neck down in place. >> a lot,