2y ago

There’s a push to let cars back on S.F.’s Market Street. It’s not a good idea

www.sfchronicle.com

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Cars haven’t been allowed on the corridor since 2020, but now some are saying that the car-free experiment should end.

7 comments

I don't completely agree that opening Market St so some new traffic is a bad idea. If the intent is to ensure public transit isn't impeded, why are Taxi Cabs allowed? If taxis can use it with a single rider, then why not ride shares like Uber/Lyft? Why is a dropff in a ride share different from a taxi?
- Seems they are aware of that problem, according to the article:
  Taxis can use Market Street but Uber and Lyft can’t — an aspect of the system that even planners say has problems, since so many people use those ride-booking options, but there’s no obvious way to let them cross 10th Street without allowing all other drivers, too.
They think allowing cars will revitalize their downtown area? Funny. Office real estate is fucked, letting cars on one more street won't do shit to help.
I will say that the current setup is very pointless.
Since the road isn't actually closed it can't be repurposed for pedestrian or business uses like they do when they close off Valencia.
It's just a few cyclists and some confused theater patrons jaywalking from time to time.
- Agreed. The problem was they had planned to redo the streetscape as part of the Better Market Street initiative, but the plans fell through because the Board of Supervisors spent so much time infighting that they lost the federal funds that would have funded it:
  https://www.planetizen.com/news/2022/11/119462-san-francisco-returns-15-million-federal-grant-market-street-improvements
  
  I'm shocked but not.gif
I love biking on car free market street. I wish there were more streets with limited car access, and notice a fair amount of cars still driving on market street.

7 comments