In April, Mayor Daniel Lurie unilaterally invited autonomous vehicle company Waymo to drive and make pick-ups and drop-offs on Market Street, in direct contradiction to the Better Market Street plan, which passed in 2019 after decades of work and community input and made Market Street car-free from Steuart Street to 8th Street. The pilot began in August, and includes Uber and Lyft Black commercial vehicles. While the Better Market Street plan required approval by the Board, the Mayor sidestepped the Board’s authority by authorizing these ride-hail services to drive on Market Street by taking advantage of a loophole that permits commercially-plated vehicles to drive on the street, an exception originally intended for commercial delivery vehicles serving businesses on the street.
For several months, your San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, along with our many partners in the Keep Market Street Moving alliance, have been demanding that the SFMTA Board of Directors agendize this item at their bi-weekly meetings to allow a public debate about the pilot.
In a surprise move, the SFMTA announced during Thanksgiving week that the Market Street pilot would be on the agenda on Tuesday, December 2 — immediately after the holiday. However, the item only included a report on data gathered in the first two months of the program, during which the ride-hail services were allowed to make pick-ups and drop-offs at seven loading bays on Market during limited hours; the SFMTA Board would not have the opportunity to vote on anything.
The presentation reported that, during the two months of data collection, transit service was not noticeably impacted, and that biking and rolling on Market increased by 10% during that time. However, SFMTA staff also acknowledged that the ride-hail services have not actually been using the street for pick-ups and drop-offs, with fewer than seven stops made on the corridor per day. Therefore, the data reported is not measuring any real changes. It also severely undermines the notion that there is a need to increase access for the most expensive transportation modes in San Francisco.
Nonetheless, SFMTA staff recommended that access be allowed for the ride-hail companies at the same seven loading bays, with no time restrictions. This next phase could begin as early as December 15.
In public comments at the hearing, our Executive Director Christopher White said, “What other impacts are staff studying — or not? For example, we have consistently heard about and witnessed more private vehicles illegally driving on Market since the experiment began — and who can blame them, when to all appearances, cars are now allowed back on Market? Is SFMTA staff adequately studying changes to private vehicle encroachment?”
He continued, “And most importantly, please ask your staff why the Board is not voting on anything today? Our alliance of advocates, nonprofits, and businesses asked for a real hearing about this project. Over 2,500 people have signed a petition opposing this experiment; your Citizens’ Advisory Council asked as well. Instead, you are being told again, ‘here’s a report on Market Street, but you don’t have any role to play.’ This is false. Better Market Street required the approval of this body, and this body can and should weigh in again.”
Advocates who spoke at yesterday’s hearing demanded that the SFMTA Board close the commercial passenger vehicle loophole to again remove ride-hail services from Market Street. However, while the Board acknowledged discomfort with having been put in a very difficult position by the Mayor’s unilateral move, all Board members expressed a willingness to allow the ride-hail companies 24-7 access to the street and to collect data during the next three to six months.
SFBike will continue to fight alongside our alliance partners to not only return Market Street to its car-free state, but to improve the biking and rolling experience on this vital thoroughfare in the future. Sign up to our campaign to continue being involved in this fight.
