Good news for anyone who enjoys walking down the middle of a road without getting honked at: Sunday Streets is back, hitting its goal of hosting a half-season of neighborhood festivals across San Francisco.

For the uninitiated, Sunday Streets temporarily closes roads to car traffic and opens them up to pedestrians, cyclists, dancers, food vendors, and the general vibes economy. It's a beloved tradition that draws thousands of San Franciscans out of their apartments and into actual community engagement — something this city desperately needs more of.

And on its face, it's great. People connecting with their neighborhoods, local businesses getting foot traffic, kids playing in the streets. What's not to love?

Well, let's talk about the money.

Every time the city shuts down corridors of streets, there are real costs — traffic management, permits, cleanup, city staff overtime, and SFMTA coordination. The question isn't whether Sunday Streets is fun (it obviously is), but whether taxpayers are subsidizing a feel-good event that could and should be sustained by private sponsorship, vendor fees, and community fundraising.

San Francisco has a habit of treating public dollars like confetti at a parade. We spend lavishly on programs that sound wonderful in press releases while basic city services — clean streets, functioning transit, public safety — continue to underwhelm. If Sunday Streets can stand on its own financially, fantastic. If it's quietly draining the general fund while the city can't keep its escalators running at Civic Center BART, we have a prioritization problem.

The half-season milestone is worth celebrating. Community events that actually bring neighborhoods together are rare and valuable. But let's make sure the financial model is as sustainable as the feel-good headlines suggest. San Franciscans deserve both vibrant streets and a city government that spends responsibly.

Enjoy the festivals. Just don't forget to ask who's picking up the tab.