Starting Saturday, Lombard Street will take on a new identity, becoming a quieter, peaceful place that no longer welcomes cars on weekends this summer.
After much debate that pitted denizens of Lombard Street against people with out-of-town guests, the city decided it was time to close the famous street to cars between Hyde and Leavenworth from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays between June 21 and July 13. It's part of a pilot program -- just to see what happens.
See Also: #TBT: Cars Traverse Lombard Street Circa 1933 (VIDEO)
The intention was clear: throngs of awe-struck pedestrians and picture-taking tourists would clog the streets, creating a traffic jam that would back up into residential areas. The congestion was unbearable and in some cases created a safety issue, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
Pedestrians and permitted taxi cabs will still be allowed to access the roadway during the closures, which includes Fourth of July (that falls on a Friday).
Stop whining -- there's still Vermont Street, which, from what we hear, is a more twisted experience anyway.
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