Will a Car-Free Market St. Make Muni More than Mediocre?


Photo by: Kevin on Flickr

Can it be?

Streetsblog SF wrote about growing momentum for a car-free Market Street, once the planned repaving is redone in 2015. People are very much into the idea and some wonder if we can’t have it sooner than that, even.

Whenever it happens — and we’re crossing our fingers that it does — will this make our Market Street Muni run more efficiently? Perhaps there will still be late starts, downed power lines, and pedestrians/bicyclists/transit vehicles moving out of turn. But private cars sharing lanes with transit vehicles is a major piece of the puzzle, from where I stand (and sit, crawling on Van Ness heading home or Market Street on the way to work).

Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.

6 comments

  • I would LOVE to see a car-free Market Street!

  • Alai

    Doesn’t explain why the tunnels are slow. But it could be good.

    Appropriate Captcha: icmuni (I see Muni).

  • Deseray

    Yes, I want to know why the trains in the tunnel suddenly have heavy traffic or have down lines and slows down or stops completely. I want that to improve much more than I care about the F line, the tunnel lines make up the majority of MUNI transportation. The cars from Market St. will be on other streets, that is something to consider too, this means more problems with buses.

  • Rick Hauptman

    We’ve been talking about a car-free Market Street since the 70s. It’s another example of progressives (and environmentalists) being on the cutting edge of public policy.

    Let’s do it!

    Rick Hauptman

  • Jim

    Adding to the problem are the numerous Muni lines that run down Market. If only Muni could run more of a hub and spoke system like Toronto’s subway and bus system. This may add strain to the Market subway, but if Muni can bolster the F by adding an additional Market St-only line, then it can probably relieve some stress. Perhaps making the J a surface route with historic streetcars? All-in-all, Market St does not need so many vehicles, whether it be private or public, running on it. Better seeing pedestrians and bicyclists.

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