The future of Market Street: what’s on the table this Tuesday

This fall, many of you joined Walk SF in speaking out and attending public meetings about the City’s scaled-back Better Market Street plan.

Because of our voices, the City proposed some important improvements this week. These include:

• Speed tables. These are now being proposed at transit boarding islands to slow vehicles at a known conflict point between people walking and driving, and should make crossings safer.
• Additional vehicle turn restrictions. Commercial vehicles and taxis would be required to turn off of Market at 6th and 8th Streets (eastbound) and at Kearny/Geary and Turk (westbound).
• Traffic cameras. The City will explore using cameras to enforcing the ban on private vehicles.
• 20 MPH speed limit. The limit would be reduced from the current 25 MPH, reducing the likelihood and severity of crashes.

These proposed improvements show that the City project managers are listening. The SFMTA Board will vote on these improvements this Tuesday, January 19 at 1:00PM. Walk SF will be at the meeting to support the proposed improvements, plus urge the City to continue to refine and strengthen the Better Market Street plan. I encourage you to attend (virtually), too.

Please let me know if you plan to attend and if you plan to speak during agenda item #11. The meeting starts at 1:00pm, but we don’t expect this agenda item to be heard before 2:00PM (here’s the agenda and call-in info).

Thank you for continuing to join Walk SF as we push for a plan that prioritizes safety and creates a people-first promenade. After all, it’s Market Street: where half a million people walk each day – and home to five of the city’s top ten most dangerous intersections.

Banner image: Kristen Gerencher