Rather than enact some clear plan that does not confuse longtime residents and tourists alike, the SFTMA is continuing in their piecemeal approach to banning vehicle traffic on Market Street with yet another proposed change. As SF Streets Blog reports, as of last week, a new set of plans dubbed Safer Market Street was presented that includes a new rule that would forbid all turns by private vehicles onto Market Street between 3rd and 8th Streets. Currently, you can still turn on and off Market Street from 5th, 6th, and 7th Streets, even though you're supposed to turn immediately back off of it.

It is already technically illegal to drive past 8th Street if you're heading down Market Street and you are not a taxi or bus, however as Stanley Roberts recently showed us, even with the addition of extremely obvious, bright red, transit-only lanes, cars still drive down there anyway, and the people turning onto Market from the side streets remain perpetually confused. Because it's confusing!!

The plan states that they have an overall "goal of eliminating all traffic-related fatalities by 2024" and, these new changes are all with a view of getting everyone used to not driving on mid-Market Street in preparation for the Better Market Street makeover that's happening in 2017, after which pretty much all vehicle traffic will be banned on the entire lower stretch of Market. This makeover is also supposed to include raised "cycle tracks" modeled on European designs that will increase bicycle safety.

Previously: Police Worry Bike Lane Confusion Is Causing More Accidents
New Market Street Changes Will Banish Even More Cars