Market Street opening to robotaxis and rideshares
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A Waymo cruises through downtown. Photo: Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
San Francisco will begin allowing robotaxis and limited rideshare services on Market Street on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The pilot program represents a significant departure from past policy, reopening a major thoroughfare to ride-hail services after years of restrictions, underscoring a turning point in how the city balances downtown recovery with street safety goals.
State of play: The car-free stretch of Market Street — between 10th Street and the Embarcadero — is reopening to select vehicles as part of Mayor Daniel Lurie's push to revitalize downtown.
Starting Aug. 26, Waymo, Uber Black and Lyft Black will offer limited trips during off-peak hours at seven pickup and drop-off zones:
- Market at Mason Street, in front of IKEA
- Market at Sixth Street, in front of Blick
- Market at Taylor Street, in front of the Warfield
- Market east of Jones Street, in front of Urban Alchemy
- Market east of Jones Street, in front of Prism apartments
- Market at Seventh Street, across from Proper Hotel
- Market at Eighth Street, near Trinity Place and Lighthouse for the Blind
What they're saying: "By thoughtfully expanding transportation options, we are going to bring residents and visitors back to enjoy everything Market Street has to offer," Lurie said in a statement.
- Small business owners and executives from Waymo, Lyft and Uber applauded the move, saying that the expanded transportation options will help encourage foot traffic.
- "This is great news and a welcome change for Market Street small businesses, which have weathered significant challenges in the past few years and could really use a boost," Jeannie Kim, who owns SAMS American Eatery, Haru and Fermentation Lab on Market, said.
The other side: Safety advocates criticized the decision, warning that recent Muni service cuts and reintroducing cars could roll back hard-won safety gains.
- The 10-block corridor on Market Street has been car-free since 2020, a policy credited with cutting traffic collisions by 40% and speeding up Muni by 14%, per the nonprofit Streets Forward.
- Luke Bornheimer, executive director of Streets Forward, called the move "a significant step backwards" that will increase traffic, noise and pollution while reducing safety.
- He said it will be nearly impossible for police to distinguish many of the legal rideshare vehicles from private cars — risking a broader flood of traffic onto Market.
Between the lines: Julie Kirschbaum, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's director of transportation, said balancing the needs of downtown revitalization with advocates' concerns will be key as the pilot launches.
- "Keeping cyclists and pedestrians safe and ensuring Muni and emergency services run efficiently without disruption as we expand into this next phase is our priority," she said in a statement.
What's next: Waymo can operate 9am-4pm and 7pm-6am, while Uber Black and Lyft Black are limited to 7pm-6am. SFMTA officials say service hours could expand in the coming months as the rollout is evaluated.