KQED – Waymo, Uber, Lyft to Expand on SF’s Market Street, Despite Pushback From Transit Groups
Editors note: at the bequest of Mayor Lurie, the SFMTA is planning on allowing Waymos, Ubers, and Lyft vehicles on “car-free” Market Street 24/7 based on there so far being no transit delays nor increase in injuries. But the SFMTA forgot to mention that during their test phase that virtually no Waymos, Ubers, or Lyft vehicles actually used Market Street due to 1) other cars blocking the pickup/dropoff zones; and 2) lack of demand.
See original article by Katie DeBenedetti at KQED
Ride-hailing companies will be allowed to serve riders on San Francisco’s Market Street 24 hours a day starting later this month, despite pleas from safe streets activists to return to a car-free roadway.
Waymo and select Uber and Lyft vehicles are set to enter the third and final phase of a pilot program to allow the companies to drop off and pick up passengers on the road that’s been shuttered to cars since 2020, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director Julie Kirschbaum told the organization’s Board of Directors Tuesday.
“So far, activity has been fairly limited, and importantly, there have been no detrimental outcomes to our key transportation metrics,” Kirschbaum said. “Based on their findings, I believe this is a good time to shift to the next stage.”
In August, the city allowed Waymo, Lyft and Uber Black cars to begin dropping off and picking up riders at seven loading bays along a two-mile stretch of Market Street during limited hours, in accordance with city policy.
The commercial vehicles have not been legally obligated to stay off the road under SFMTA traffic regulations, though Waymo confirmed in April that it had voluntarily refrained from operating there until the summer.
Market Street had been completely car-free since January 2020, after more than a decade of advocacy from biking, pedestrian and transit supporters. The move was part of the citywide “Better Market Street” proposal, which aimed to transform the city’s central roadway to “connect the City’s Civic Center with cultural, social, convention, tourism, and retail destinations.”
But Mayor Daniel Lurie has said that reopening Market Street to some ride-hailing cars was key to his plan for downtown revitalization.
“The Market Street corridor is key to our city’s recovery, and by thoughtfully expanding transportation options, we are going to bring residents and visitors back to enjoy everything Market Street has to offer,” he said in a statement when the pilot launched in August. “We are identifying the tools to get people back to our theaters, hotels, and restaurants, and drive San Francisco’s comeback.”
For the past three months, Waymo has been allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at seven locations between Fifth and Eighth streets between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., and overnight from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. They’ve had permission to drive on the strip between Van Ness Avenue and Steuart Street.
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Uber and Lyft Black — or premium line — cars have been allowed to operate at those same locations during the evening and night hours, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
So far, Jenny Delumo with SFMTA’s Streets Division said there’s been virtually no impact on travel time along Market, and no decrease in Muni ridership or bike use. She did note, however, that some bikers and pedestrians have raised concerns about the vehicles’ return.
Kirschbaum said that SFMTA will continue monitoring impacts as companies scale up their operations. The agency plans to return to the board of directors in mid-2026 with a full evaluation of the pilot program and recommendations for future vehicle access.
While the Mid Market Community Benefits District, a nonprofit that promotes local businesses, praised the rideshare expansion and asked SFMTA to reopen Market Street to all traffic, safe street advocacy groups are pushing for the city to reverse course.
San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Christopher White said the organization’s thousand members are feeling the impact of a more crowded roadway during public comment at SFMTA’s meeting on Tuesday. He also questioned the value of opening the road, claiming that the ride-hailing apps have continued to avoid drop-offs and pick-ups because the seven loading bays are often full.
At the same time, though, he said the expansion has led to “more private vehicles illegally driving on Market Street.
“And who can blame them, when to all appearances, Market Street is back open to cars?” White said.
Walk SF Executive Director Jodie Medeiros urged SFMTA to adopt its own community advisory committee’s motion, presented last month, to close the loophole in city policy that allows commercial vehicles to operate. The committee recommended limiting commercial operations to just goods deliveries to businesses.
“We can’t go back to a dangerous and chaotic Market Street,” she said. “More autonomous vehicle companies, including Tesla, are coming to San Francisco streets and will bring thousands more trips every day. And they’ll want, or just take, the access that Waymo is getting now.
“If it becomes a dangerous, congested mess again, it is going to seriously harm transit service and safety, and it certainly will not help the economic recovery of downtown,” she continued.
See original article by Katie DeBenedetti at KQED
