A few of your comments about Market Street...

I just wanted to let you know how excited I was to see a plan that would take all MUNI service off Mission Street and put it on Market. While doing this all bike traffic would leave Market and go onto Mission Street. To me and many others this will solve many transportation problems that we see today in the downtown area. But most of all it will vastly improve the safety of MUNI riders, bikers and pedestrians while improving MUNI service. This safety issue makes any delay in the improvements of this area well worth the wait. We need to implement the right changes not just a fast fix that won't work in the long run...

MNZiman

An Improved Market Street: Illuminate the buildings. Give tax credits for returning the sorely missed theater marquees or for illuminating buildings. Encourage use of the brighter laser lighting. Lighting the Hibernia Bank Building, the Golden Gate Theater tower, 1021 Market and the Warwick Building--among others--would serve as beacons.

Roger from 94109

Please consider permeable pavers instead of asphalt. They are better for the environment, last longer, are traffic calming, and are beautiful.

Betty from 94705

It has been my observation that when there is a physical barrier between the bike lane and both cars and pedestrians, it seems much safer for all concerned. As someone who avoids Market biking when possible because of the crush of cars and buses, I would very much appreciate a physically separate lane for bikes only.

Gwynne from 94110

I think that Market Street could make better use of its public spaces. Halladie Plaza, and the Civic Center area are nice open spaces that are not inviting. We should make them warm, and welcoming places for people to use. Benches, more trees, perhaps some shelter from the occasional rain would go a long way towards this. Wide, vast expanses of concrete aren't inviting. Let's break up the space into smaller, more livable chunks!

Andrew from 94117

Remove graffiti. Make pedestrian and bicycle only from 9-3pm everyday . Sponsor another opera star to come sing again.

Brent from 94116

Visiting other cities around the world, the one thing that stands out is how pedestrian-friendly they are. One common feature is pedestrian only zones, where cars and trucks are excluded during normal business hours and evenings. (Business deliveries are made early in the morning before 7 a.m. when most people are not up and about.) It makes for an extremely pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. It's time to make Market Street a pedestrian zone.

Michael from 94121

Put the bike lanes in the middle of the street. Bikers can ride unimpeded except for street lights. They can stop and walk to exit to side streets - they are basically pedestrians at that point. Then return to riding once they reach the corner. A center divide bike lane the length of Market Street or Mission Street. Whichever street is chosen the other street ( Market or Mission) can have busses down the middle with no turns until the terminus at Embarcadero. People can walk or catch spur lines from any stop on Market. This will dramatically speed up traffic and make travel much safer.

Sal from 94109

I think there's a lot of potential on Market St. and I'm excited to see it turn into a car-free, bike friendly, place for community, vitality, and local businesses.

Kaitlin from 94709

I seem to recall that many years ago when discussing beautifying Market Street someone suggested bringing some of the statues from golden gate park to Market. John McLaren hated statues in his park. Perhaps?

johnj from 94109

I've worked in the mid-Market area for 8 years . and seen some improvements, but what I think the area really needs is: --a more feasible, vibrant night life, with restaurants, especially ones for people who want to catch an event in the area (at the Asian Art Museum, the 2 theaters, the Warfield, the library, 50 Mason Social House, etc.). Right now, the area becomes relatively deserted after dark, when businesses close up and office workers go home, which creates a desolate, unsafe feeling .. For that to happen, I think businesses need: private seed money and/or govt tax breaks or startup assistance (I believe that Oakland waives the rent for the first "x" months of a new business' operations .; cleaner, safer streets; more policing; better lighting; more greenery; more "critical mass" of paying customers and others who see the area as an attractive destination where they'll linger and spend money.

Paula from 94102

Just visited Chicago where Michigan Ave. was lined with amazing planter boxes for great visual appeal. Also had solar trash compacters on CLEAN city streets.

Sue from 94111

Almost all bikers on Market are commuters who are just zooming through; they should be diverted to Mission or Howard to make the experience of those who actually use Market St. safer and more pleasant.

Paul from 94111

I attended the public meeting today (Saturday, 7/21/12) and wanted to thank everyone involved in putting it on! I am tremendously excited about the plans for Market street and liked what I heard about potential for a dedicated cycle-track, strategic nodes for gathering, "big, healthy trees," and revitalization of the plazas. I work near 10th and Market, bike commute every day, and will be following along closely as this process unfolds. Thank you again for all your hard work thus far!

Clara from 94110

I would like to see an annual Dance Down Market (with preferably a better name) in which people dance down Market Street, from Castro to Embarcadero, but it could start with Van Ness to Embarcadero. Keep emergency lane(s) open but otherwise have a band or two on each block playing dance music and street food vendors where there are no restaurants in the block that want to sell to the dancers. There could be prizes for costumes, dance groups, etc. It could be a joint project with the Arts Commission.

Barrie from 94114

Would love to see unbroken string of healthy street life with outdoor cafes, flowershops, retail. Can encourage ground floor retail and pedestrian friendly businesses with and incentive program i.e. incentivize building owners to create this ground floor space in buildings where it does not exist to avoid sterile , deserted spaces on Market that will attract nefarious activity and encourage very active street life from buildings, not just sterile office building lobbies dead space.

Andrea from 94107

We have to do more to speed up transit on Market. Less auto traffic is a good first step. Better coordination of bus stops and traffic lights is important. NextBus should be more available. Have fewer bus stops but locate them so that a rider can easily select between center running or curb running buses.

Howard from 94116

I like that your outreach includes a Webinar since getting to a public meeting conflicts with family time.

Corina from 94102

I always take transit to get downtown and then spend my time there as a pedestrian. I have not noticed problems on Market Street with traffic (the streets that cross Market to/from the freeway are the ones clogged with traffic). I think it would be a mistake to close Market to cars because it would leave a large void of activity. Cars add to the energy/dynamism. A street with no traffic feels empty.

John from 94080

As a wheelchair user and a resident of SoMa, I am pleased to see improvements to Market Street, and hope that accessibility is being kept in mind. The brick sidewalks of Market are a wretched experience for wheelchairs, and should be replaced with something less painful and bumpy. Much of Market lacks proper ADA crosswalks and indicators, and very often the ramps are not spaced directly opposite each other, making it difficult to find the exit ramp from a busy intersection. I am glad to see that the proposed removal of a few transit islands includes removing the inaccessible ones first, as I have been trapped in these islands by forgetful drivers. I hope that proposals for sidewalk cafes and bike racks will not overly impede sidewalk passage. Some of us like broad, wide avenues, especially when we need to get past tourists.

Anne from 94103

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