The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (CTA) initiated the Skateboard Citizens Advisory subcommittee's first meeting on Tuesday, marking a crucial step towards recognizing skateboarding as a legitimate form of urban transportation.
The endeavor is part of a comprehensive effort to overhaul regulations governing what might be the most straightforward and oldest manifestation of wheeled "micro-mobility."
Historically, skateboarding has faced neglect in San Francisco's transportation policies.
Stringent regulations, such as the prohibition of skateboarding on city streets and sidewalks during specific hours, have characterized the city's approach to this alternative mode of transportation.
Although the rules have seen updates over the years, a blanket ban on skateboarding persists in any business district within the city.
The city's attempts to discourage skateboarding include unconventional measures, such as placing ceramic dots in popular skateboarding locales, exemplified by the notorious Dolores Street Hill.
However, a significant shift is underway as the San Francisco Council endeavors to embrace recreational skating.
A recent dedication ceremony for a new skate park in U.N. Plaza is a testament to the city's evolving attitude towards skateboarding, indicating a growing recognition of its cultural and recreational significance.
The new laws are proposing that Skateboarding will finally be seen as a formal mode of transportation around the city. A law that should have been changed a long time ago.