Better Market Street: Car-Free Quick-Build

In January 2020, the SFMTA used its Quick-Build program to make Market Street safer and make transit more reliable, in preparation for the start of the Better Market Street project. The hallmark of the Quick-Build is that its elements were installed relatively quickly and provided immediate improvements the street ahead of project construction, which will be phased over the coming years.

Quick-Build Elements Included:

• Making Market Street a car-free zone westbound from Steuart to Van Ness and eastbound from 10th to Main – Completed January 2020
• 100 new cross-street passenger and commercial loading zones to accommodate safe loading
• Peak hour loading restrictions on Market Street to reduce conflicts between people on bicycles, transit and commercial vehicles – Completed January 2020
• Extending the existing transit-only lane east from Third to Main Street - the segment of Market with the most transit service - and making it Muni-only (taxis and non-Muni buses will no longer be allowed)
• Installing painted safety zones at eight intersections to make crossing the street safer – Completed, January 2020
• Adding bicycle intersection improvements at Eighth, Page, Battery, and Valencia streets – Completed, January 2020
• Changes to sections of Ellis (completed March 2020), Jones (completed in 2021), 2nd and Steuart (completed January 2020) streets to improve safety and vehicle movement. See map below for details.

Traffic Changes and Impacts of Quick-Build:

• People riding bicycles increased by over 25% before shelter-in-place, and transit times improved by up to 12%.
• Private vehicles – including rideshares like Uber and Lyft – are now prohibited from turning onto or using Market Street in the car-free area.
• Paratransit, taxis and commercial vehicles can continue to use Market Street but may not use the Muni-only transit-only red lanes.
• All traffic can still cross Market on cross streets.

Private vehicles are prohibited from turning onto or using Market Street in the car-free area. All traffic is still able to cross Market on cross street.