>>> IT IS A MAJOR CHANGE TO MAKE ONE OF SAN FRANCISCO'S STREETS SAFER FOR CYCLISTS, BUT EVER SINCE A TWO-WAY BIKE LANE WAS PUT IN THE CENTER OF VALENCIA STREET THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION AND EVEN CRASHES. KELSEY THORNE IS LIVE WITH AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PILOT PROGRAM IS GOING. HI, KELSEY! >> Reporter: HEY, JULIETTE. WE WERE OUT HERE A FEW MONTHS AGO WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THEY WOULD MAKE THE CENTER BIKE LANES BETWEEN 15th AND 23rd ARE THEY SAID THAT JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO THEY OFFICIALLY OPENED THIS ENTIRE SECTION, SO THE ENTIRE SECTION IS DONE. CYCLISTS ARE NOW USING THE LANES. I SPOKE WITH ONE MAN WHO LIVES OFF VALENCIA AND HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO USE THE LANES EVERY DAY. BRUCE HALBERT DOES NOT OWN A CAR. HIS MAIN FORM OF TRANSPORTATION FOR BOTH HIM AND HIS DOG IS HIS BICYCLE. >> I DO ALL MY SHOPPING, I PATRONIZE RESTAURANTS AND WHATNOT ON VALENCIA STREET. IT IS MY MAIN ROUTE TO WORK. >> Reporter: BRUCE SAYS VALENCIA HAS LONG BEEN AN ISSUE FOR CYCLISTS WITH BUSY ROADS, NARROW LANES AND BUSY PARKING CREATING SAFETY CONCERNS. THAT IS WHY EARLIER THIS YEAR THE CITY ANNOUNCED THAT IT WAS LAUNCHING A PILOT PROGRAM, TESTING OUT A NEW CENTER-RUNNING BIKE LANE ON VALENCIA BETWEEN 15th AND 23rd STREET. IT IS A DESIGN THEY BELIEVE WILL MAKE THE STREETS SAFER FOR EVERYONE. >> SO BANNING LEFT TURNS AND SEPARATING THE TRAFFIC WITH THE CENTER BIKE WAY REDUCES THE RISK TO PEDESTRIANS. SOMEBODY WAS KILLED AT THIS INTERSECTION WALKING ACROSS THE STREET JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO. SECONDLY, WE PHYSICALLY SEPARATED THE CYCLISTS FROM THE MOVING TRAFFIC. >> Reporter: BRUCE SAID HE WAS NERVOUS ABOUT HOW WELL THE DESIGN WOULD WORK. EVEN SO, HE TRIED TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND. >> ONCE IT WAS APPROVED I WAS WILLING TO GIVE IT A CHANCE ON THE ROLLOUT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE DISASTER, I THINK. >> Reporter: BRUCE SAYS THAT IN THE FEW WEEKS HIS BIKE LANE HAS BEEN OPEN HE HAS ALREADY WITNESSED MULTIPLE CRASHES. >> ONE, THE WOMAN WAS INJURED. SHE HAD A GASH ON HER HEAD AND HAD TO BE TAKEN AWAY BY AMBULANCE. >> Reporter: BRUCE SAYS THE CENTER LANES MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR CYCLISTS TO GET ON AND OFF THE ROAD. HE SAYS HE HAS ALREADY SEEN MULTIPLE CARS DRIVING OVER THE PROTECTIVE BARRIERS AND DOWN THE LANES, SO THE WORST PARTIES AS ARE THE TURN LANE BOXES THAT FOR CYCLISTS TO STAY WITHIN INCHES OF PASSING CARS. >> THE CAR TRAFFIC IS WHIZZING RIGHT BY YOU AND THERE IS NO PHYSICAL PROTECTION WHATSOEVER. IT IS REALLY SCARY. >> Reporter: STILL, OFFICIALS ARE STANDING BY THE DESIGN, SAYING THAT IN THE LONG RUN THEY BELIEVE THE DESIGN WILL BE A SAFER OPTION. >> WE THINK THIS IS A BIG STEP FORWARD FOR SAFETY IN VALENCIA. IT DOES NOT SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM AND IT IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT IS A BIG STEP FORWARD. >> Reporter: BRUCE SAYS HE DOESN'T AGREE AND HE HOPES THE CITY REMOVES THE CENTER LANES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND GOES BACK TO A MORE TRADITIONAL SIDE LANE DESIGN. INSTILL THAT DAY, THOUGH, HE SAYS HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO USE THE LANES SINCE THEY ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE HIS DOOR. >> I AM YOUNG AND RELATIVELY CONFIDENT AS A CYCLIST, BUT IT IS STILL SCARY. >> Reporter: THE PILOT PROGRAM IS EXPECTED TO LAST A YEAR. SFMTA SAYS THE FIRST REPORT ON HOW WELL THE LANES ARE WORKING WILL COME OUT IN THE FALL. NOW THIS IS WHAT BRUCE SAYS HE WANTS SF MTA TO CONTINUE IF THEY DO DECIDE TO TEAR OUT THE CENTER BIKE LANES. SF MTA SAYS THE REASON THEY HAVE THE CENTER BIKE LANES IS IT HELPS THE BUSINESSES. THEY CAN STILL HAVE PARKING PLACES
