Market Street is the most important multi-modal corridor in San Francisco. It integrates three levels of public transportation and carries almost 200,000 passengers a day on the surface alone. On a typical weekday, over 200,000 people walk along its length, getting to work, going shopping, visiting museums and enjoying the sites of the city. Finally, cycling is becoming an increasingly important way to get around, with bicycles outnumbering vehicles at various times during the day.

The current design accommodates the demands of the various modes, but it falls well short of its potential. Transit service moves slowly through the corridor; there are points of significant conflict between bicycles and vehicles; large volumes of fast-moving traffic crossing Market Street create barriers for pedestrians; and the odd angles of intersections on the north side result in unusually long and awkward places for people to cross. The City believes more can and should be done to dramatically improve the efficiency, comfort and ease of Transit First modes through the corridor.

Achieving this vision, however, will require changes to how the roadway is designed, which modes get priority in the limited roadway, and how vehicles circulate throughout the area. The trade-offs will not be simple and the need for community involvement is great. At the same time, the mobility demands placed on Market Street will need to be balanced against the need for greater placemaking.

The Better Market Street Project will engage the public in an exciting visioning process for the future of Market Street. Please visit this site frequently to learn of upcoming events, peruse visual studies of the world's great streets, and share your thoughts and ideas. By leaving a comment on this website, your email address will automatically be added to the mailing list annoucing open participation events.