San Francisco is reopening a 10-block stretch of Market Street to robo-taxis and premium rideshare services after closing it to all cars in 2020. The closure had cut traffic collisions and boosted pedestrian safety, but the city is now trying to balance those gains with reviving downtown's struggling economy.
This is huge news for car traffic in San Francisco. After closing Market Street to cars in 2020, a 10-block stretch of Market Street has been reopened to car traffic, but only robo-taxis and rideshare services, and only during limited times. According to the nonprofit Streets Forward, closing Market Street to traffic substantially reduced traffic collisions, improved pedestrian and biker safety, and sped up Muni service. But the city is balancing the need for safe streets with the simultaneous need of bolstering downtown's recovery, and in particular, the hard-hit stretch of Market Street. And that balance is creeping back toward bolstering the recovery. As of the end of August, Waymo, Uber Black, and Lyft Black will be available at certain pickup and drop-off zones on Market Street. I've listed them in the caption below. Personally, I think Market Street should reopen to car traffic. I think it'll help revitalize that part of the city, but let me know what you think in the comments and follow me for more Bay Area news.
