<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28"><b>SAN FRANCISCO</b> – Mayor Daniel Lurie [photo] took a major step in San Francisco’s downtown revitalization efforts, announcing that autonomous vehicles will soon begin operating on Market Street, the city’s main thoroughfare. Waymo will begin mapping the corridor in the coming days, with passenger service expected to launch as soon as this summer.</p>
<p>Market Street has been closed to automotive traffic since 2020.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">Waymo’s arrival on Market Street will complement the city’s existing transportation options, including Muni, biking, and taxis, and will make it easier for residents, workers, and visitors to access the shops, theaters, hotels, and restaurants that anchor San Francisco’s downtown economy. Waymo vehicles on Market Street will also advance San Francisco’s longstanding legacy as a hub of transportation innovation and support the evolution of Market Street, which is central to downtown and the city’s recovery.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">“Market Street runs through the heart of our city, and we’re making sure it continues to evolve with the times,” said <b>Mayor Lurie</b>. “By welcoming Waymo, we’re adding another safe and sustainable way to access shopping, theaters, hotels, and restaurants. This is about revitalizing downtown and making it easier for everyone, locals and visitors alike, to enjoy everything our city has to offer.”</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">Mayor Lurie and the Board of Supervisors are taking major steps to revitalize the city’s downtown and support local businesses. This week, the mayor joined partners on the board to introduce legislation to <a class="text-primary500 cursor-pointer" href="https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-supervisors-announce-legislation-to-support-neighborhoods-small-businesses-with-five-new-entertainment-zones">create five new entertainment zones</a> across the city. Last month, he and Supervisor Stephen Sherrill announced <a class="text-primary500 cursor-pointer" href="https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-announces-legislation-to-help-small-businesses-open-grow">legislation to renew the First Year Free Program</a>, which has helped thousands of small businesses open their doors by waiving fees in their first year. In February, <a class="text-primary500 cursor-pointer" href="https://www.sf.gov/mayor-lurie-launches-permit-reform-effort-with-focus-on-housing-and-small-business">Mayor Lurie launched PermitSF</a> to reform and streamline the city’s permitting processes, cutting red tape for small businesses and housing development. He also partnered with State Senator Scott Wiener to introduce <a class="text-primary500 cursor-pointer" href="https://www.sf.gov/mayor-lurie-senator-wiener-introduce-legislation-to-boost-nightlife-economic-recovery-in-downtown-sf">state legislation to create new, more affordable liquor licenses</a> and bring new restaurants and bars to downtown San Francisco.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">Dating back to the 1800s and throughout San Francisco’s history, Market Street has served as a main route to and from the city’s downtown economic core. The corridor has undergone transformative changes since it was originally surveyed in 1843, including the introduction of cable cars, reconstruction following the great 1906 earthquake, and the addition of underground service.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">“We are thrilled that San Franciscans have embraced Waymo in their daily lives since our commercial launch in the city in 2023, and we’re encouraged that the Waymo Driver is already making roads safer where we operate. Every week residents and visitors alike take tens of thousands of trips across the city to work, to shop, to the doctor’s office, or even for date night—often in combination with one of the many other modes of transportation available in San Francisco,” said <b>Tekedra Mawakana, co-CEO, Waymo</b>. “We’re honored that Mayor Lurie has invited us to serve as a mobility option on San Francisco’s historic Market Street.”</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28"><a class="text-primary500 cursor-pointer" href="https://www.sf.gov/news-san-franciscos-muni-hits-75-in-ridership-recovery-making-significant-milestone-in-the-citys-recovery">Muni ridership continued to grow significantly in 2024</a> with 158 million total passenger trips, reflecting an increase of 13.5 million trips compared to 2023. In 2024, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) saw the largest increase in ridership since 2019, reaching 75% of 2019 levels with monthly recovery peaking at 78% in September. Muni also received the highest customer ratings since 2021.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">Waymo will begin mapping the Market Street corridor in the coming days with human autonomous vehicle specialists behind the wheel. Fully autonomous passenger service is expected to launch as early as this summer. Throughout the process, the city and Waymo will work collaboratively to maintain safety and accessibility, while maintaining reliable and efficient Muni service along Market Street.</p>
<p class="md:w-[90%] lg:w-3/4 my-28">“Our number one goal is to ensure all transportation options continue to move safely, reliably, and efficiently along the Market Street corridor,” said <b>SFMTA Director of Transportation Julie Kirschbaum</b>. “We are continuously trying new things and making adjustments where we need to, and because of this, Muni is seeing significant improvements to service reliability, customer satisfaction at its highest, and a continued surge in growth for ridership recovery. We look forward to working with Mayor Lurie and Waymo as a collaborative partner to build on the mayor’s vision to revitalize our city and to strengthen Muni’s momentum.”</p>

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