According to sf.streetsblog.org, the eastern portion of John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park could have a newly designed bicycle lane by the end of the year. Instead of the conventional bicycle lane that allows cyclists to bike alongside cars on San Francisco streets, the new design ideally provides more safety for cyclists.

The easiest way to describe these new lanes is to imagine 6 “lanes,” 3 lanes each traveling eastbound and westbound. For both directions, the farthest left lane will be a 10-foot wide road that automobiles will use on John F. Kennedy Drive. The 7-8 foot middle “lane” will be for people to parallel park their cars along the street.  There will be a “buffer” between the middle lane and the right lane. Finally, the right “lane” will serve as a bicycle path. For an illustration of this new lane, click here.

The parked cars and the buffer will allow cyclists to safely navigate the roads in Golden Gate Park. Critics worry that the proposed plan might affect the number of parking spaces, but the San Francisco MTA claims it will only affect 5% of the 1900 spaces that line the streets within Golden Gate Park. Final voting on this proposed plan takes places October 20th, 2011.

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