SFMTA delays vote on banning right turns at red lights anywhere in SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco transit leaders are tabling a vote that could change just about any road in the city.

SFMTA already approved banning drivers from making right turns during red lights at 200 intersections across Downtown neighborhoods including South of Market, Union Square, Chinatown, North Beach and the Financial District.

However, one big sticking point - whether to make this a citywide ban.

The SFMTA Board of Directors will wait to decide whether to ban right turns at red lights anywhere in San Francisco.

RELATED: SF transportation agency wants to expand 'No Turn On Red' restrictions in city

The city has already given the green light for Downtown and SoMa to move forward with the new restrictions and new signs will go up in areas that has seen the most accidents involving pedestrians.

San Francisco's traffic engineer approved all these locations for "no turn on red" signs.

"No turn on red" signs went up in the Tenderloin in 2021 and the SFMTA says that helped cut down on the number of people being hit by cars.

There have been plenty of close calls on San Francisco city streets involving cars and pedestrians.

"I literally treat cars like they don't see me because that's for my own safety," said Carl Compton of San Francisco.

MORE: Why do we have right-on-red, and is it time to get rid of it?

The SFMTA is still expected to expand the policy to more neighborhoods, but it's unclear if it will be the whole city.

The expansion is part of San Francisco Mayor London Breed's plans to curb traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets.

Advocates for pedestrians say the policy prevents drivers from driving into crosswalks.

Jodie Medeiros is with Walk San Francisco.

"Pedestrian number one capsulitis in all of our traffic violence. More than 50% of our annual fatalities are people crossing, walking in the crosswalk," said Medeiros.

People who walk and bike in the city are mixed about the new policy.

MORE: To catch a speeder: 33 new speed cameras to be installed in SF

"It doesn't work. I'm sorry. It doesn't work," said Carl Compton of San Francisco. "To put up a policy to make up for bad drivers seems like bad policy."

"I think it's a good idea. I think it's more like an educational thing. People need to know it's for their own good," said Alvin Wong of San Francisco.

Many critics question how the new policy will be enforced given the number of.

"It is something we will be asked to be sure that it is enforced. And again, start with education before penalty," said Medeiros.

ABC7 News asked SFPD, the mayor's office, and SFMTA if the city has the capacity to enforce this policy but we haven't gotten a response.

Traffic safety experts believe this "no turn on red policy" will keep people who walk or bike safe.

To be clear, this is not a citywide ban, as some advocates have hoped for. Seattle, Boston, and Washington, D.C. are also considering similar "no turn on red" policies.