FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 21, 2025
CONTACT: Luke Bornheimer, Executive Director, Luke@StreetsForward.org, 617-899-4487 (cell)

Streets Forward’s Statement on Private Cars Being Allowed on Market Street

Mayor Lurie’s decision to allow cars on Market Street is a significant step backwards for Market Street and San Francisco, threatening the safety of all people on Market Street, the speed and reliability of Muni, and the economic recovery of Market Street and Downtown. Furthermore, transportation network companies (TNCs) and private cars doing passenger loading—like Uber, Lyft, and Waymo—were explicitly prohibited in the Better Market Street Project and this change violates the spirit of the Project and may violate the law.1234 Given the well-documented improvements to Muni speed and reliability and safety for all people and the negative environmental impacts of cars, this change will undo improvements and goes against data-driven best practices. Streets Forward shares Mayor Lurie’s desire to revitalize Market Street and Downtown—and there are effective ways to accomplish that—but allowing cars on Market Street is a step backwards that fails to meet the moment we face as a city.

“Allowing cars on Market Street is a step backwards that will undo significant improvements to safety for all people and Muni’s speed and reliability,” said Luke Bornheimer, Executive Director of Streets Forward. "Market Street and Downtown need more people visiting them—and getting there safely and reliably— and this change will have the opposite effect, decreasing the number of people who can safely and reliably there while increasing car traffic, noise, and air pollution and decreasing safety, foot traffic, and vibrancy.”

Since private cars were prohibited from driving on Market Street between 10th Street and Embarcadero (also known as “Car-Free Market Street”), the speed and reliability of Muni has significantly increased—by up to 14%—and the number of roadway crashes have decreased by 40%. Allowing cars on Market Street, following the City’s choice to cut Muni service on Market Street and throughout the city will undercut improvements to Muni’s speed and reliability and the safety improvements for all people on and near the street. Furthermore, given the lack of traffic enforcement by the San Francisco Police Department—including of Better Market Street’s restriction on cars—and the inability to distinguish a ride-hail car from any other car, this change risks opening the floodgates for all cars on Market Street, which will create even more issues.

“Maintaining reliable Muni service and installing protected bike lanes on Market Street while encouraging the use of taxis—which have been legally permitted on Market for decades—would increase the number of people going downtown, visiting businesses on Market, and increasing vibrancy on the corridor.” said Bornheimer of Streets Forward. “Instead, the City under Mayor Lurie’s leadership has cut Muni service—including on Market Street—and now plans to allow cars on Market Street, which will increase car traffic and noise, slow down Muni, and make it more difficult for people to get downtown. This is a significant step backwards for Market Street, Downtown, and our city. The City should be transforming Market Street using proven solutions that encourage people to visit Market Street and spend time there, rather than using tried-and-failed strategies that are shown to decrease safety, vibrancy, and economic vitality.”

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1 Better Market Street Project webpage: https://bettermarketstreetsf.org/index.html
2 Better Market Street Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Volume 1: https://sfmea.sfplanning.org/Better%20Market%20Street%20Draft%20EIR%20-%20Vol%20I.pdf
3 Better Market Street Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Volume 2: https://sfmea.sfplanning.org/Better%20Market%20Street%20Draft%20EIR%20-%20Vol%20II.pdf
4 Final Environmental Assessment with Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation: https://bettermarketstreetsf.org/docs/BMS_Final_EA_exclApp_091520.pdf

Streets Forward is a nonprofit organization making it safer and faster for people to walk, bike, and take public transit in San Francisco. It does this through grassroots organizing, public policy research and education, and advocacy for policies and infrastructure improvements that are proven to help people shift trips to walking, biking, and transit—which increases roadway safety, among other benefits. Streets Forward was founded by its Executive Director, Luke Bornheimer, who successfully organized and advocated to make Car-Free JFK Promenade permanent, convert Upper Great Highway into a full-time, oceanfront park (Sunset Dunes), get curbside protected bike lanes installed on Valencia Street, have the e-bike incentive fund approved, and get the Board of Supervisors to unanimously support a citywide No Turn on Red policy, among other successes. Learn more about Streets Forward at StreetsForward.org.