Presidio Slow Streets
Low-speed, low-vehicle-traffic streets make it easier to explore the Presidio without a car.
Slow Streets have innovative design treatments that limit cut-through vehicle traffic, lower vehicle speeds and provide more shared roadway space for people walking and biking.
Why We Love Presidio Slow Streets
Exploring the Presidio on foot or bike allows for an enriched experience. Stop to take in views you didn’t notice before, listen for the sounds of the park’s wildlife, and take in the aroma of the forest and flora. Closed roadway segments are a great place to teach your toddler to ride a bike.
Insider Tip
Walking or biking through the Presidio provides access to some hidden gems. The National Cemetery Overlook is a peaceful spot with dramatic views of the military cemetery with the backdrop of the Golden Gate.
See below for a map of Presidio Slow Streets
Washington Boulevard
Washington Boulevard winds through the forest and provides access to several overlooks, including the National Cemetery Overlook, Immigrant Point Overlook and Pacific Overlook. Stop to appreciate the World War II West Coast Memorial. It is a local street providing access to many Presidio homes, with vehicle traffic largely limited to residents, park workers and the Presidio GO shuttle. It’s relatively flat and a popular route to/from the Golden Gate Bridge for cyclists.
The segment of Washington Boulevard between Lincoln and Kobbe Avenue is closed to all cars and has beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean.
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Barnard Avenue
Barnard Avenue is closed to all car traffic. This ¼-mile roadway segment is surrounded by forest and MacArthur Meadow. It’s a short walk from parking areas in the Main Post, and connects with Lovers Lane and the Ecology Trail.
West Pacific Avenue
A portion of West Pacific Avenue between Arguello and Presidio is closed to all car traffic, limiting car traffic to those traveling to/from the Presidio Wall Playground via Arguello Boulevard. West Pacific Avenue continues by the golf course to Mountain Lake, providing a long, continuous route with very little car traffic. It is near the southern boundary and is easy to access via the Arguello gate or pedestrian gates near Spruce Street and 5th Avenue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Presidio Slow Streets provide additional space along popular routes for recreation, including walking, biking, and rolling.
Residents who live on a Presidio Slow Street (and their guests), delivery drivers, service vehicles and the Presidio GO shuttle are all examples of permitted vehicles. The posted speed limit is 15 MPH. Vehicle traffic is prohibited on some Presidio Slow Streets, including Barnard Avenue, portions of West Pacific, and a small segment of Washington Boulevard.
The pinch points are effectively one-lane, two-way segments intended to channel car traffic to the middle of the road and leave more space at the roadway edges for people walking and biking. With the lower volumes and lower vehicle speeds on Presidio Slow Streets, both directions of vehicle traffic can be accommodated through these pinch points while also providing space at the roadway edge for pedestrians and cyclists.
Cars and faster cyclists can both use the center lane on Presidio Slow Streets as they’ll be traveling at similar speeds. The edge of the roadway can accommodate pedestrians and slow cyclists. People traveling on foot are encouraged to accommodate the neighborhood residents and the Presidio GO shuttle, as well as other park maintenance vehicles, by avoiding the center of the street.
A project to repave Washington Boulevard and West Pacific Avenue and several other park roads and parking areas is currently being designed. The project will begin construction in 2024, significantly improving the pavement condition for all Slow Streets users.
In response to community feedback, some minor adjustments to the intersections of Washington / Battery Caulfield and Washington / Park will be made in late 2023. We also plan to test some street art on roadway edges in late 2023. If successful, these changes will be formalized with the 2024 paving project.
We’re Here to Help
Have a question about Presidio Slow Streets? We’ve got you covered.
Reach out today to transportation@presidiotrust.gov.