Mayor Lee Announces First Series of Workshops to Transform Market Street
Better Market Street Project Launches Workshops and Webinars for Greater Public Input
05/02/11— Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the first series of community outreach workshops for the Better Market Street Project, an effort that aims to reinvigorate the streetscape and transportation options along Market Street, from the Embarcadero to Octavia Boulevard, to provide residents and visitors an enhanced and improved overall experience.
“Market Street is our City’s most iconic street, a hub for commerce, culture and transportation that connects San Francisco’s businesses and neighborhoods,” said Mayor Lee. “We want to ensure that Market Street continues to support San Francisco’s vibrant economy by showcasing what this incredible city has to offer, while moving more people along the corridor, efficiently and reliably. These workshops will allow the public the opportunity to envision the greatness of the street in order to create a space that will make it truly, San Francisco.”
The visioning process will begin in May with a series of public meetings and webinars to provide the community with project information and gather feedback on how to improve and reinvigorate Market Street. Urban designers and bike, transit, and pedestrian experts will be on hand to contribute their insight and answer questions. With support from community partners, a first round of public meetings will be held Tuesday, May 17 at the Warfield, 982 Market Street, from 6:00-8:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 24 at Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market Street, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. To accommodate busy schedules, lunchtime webinars are scheduled for Thursday, May 19 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and Wednesday, May 25 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. People can sign up for the webinars at www.bettermarketstreetsf.org.
“The Better Market Street Project will design a signature street that encourages more social, cultural, and economic activities, while enhancing the experience for pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit riders, and other vehicles” said Department of Public Works Director Ed Reiskin. “Through these outreach forums, we will inform a plan for a safe and inviting street that will accommodate the many uses of this corridor for the near and the long-term and honor the critical role Market Street plays in San Francisco.”
The visioning process intends to collect broad input from stakeholders and local communities. The process will also include coordinated input from the Community Advisory Committee comprised of various stakeholder representatives, a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of agency staff from numerous disciplines, and a Civic Design Advisory Committee comprised of leading urban design professionals from around the Bay Area. The resulting consensus will inform a number of strategic and significant public space improvements that may include: landscaping, lighting, transit enhancements, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, traffic circulation improvements, outdoor seating, repaving, and many other features.
About the Better Market Street Project
For more than century, Market Street has been a central spine in San Francisco. The street was built in the late 1800’s with the vision of Market Street as a grand boulevard. Its diagonal design made it a unique and central city connector for residents and visitors. On an average weekday, more than a quarter of a million people travel along Market Street to and from their destinations Market Street was last significantly upgraded in the early 1970s when the current street configuration was built.
The Better Market Street Project complements existing citywide plans including the Better Streets Plan, the San Francisco Countywide Transportation Plan, the Muni Transit Effectiveness Project, and the San Francisco Bicycle Plan. The current Better Market Street visioning and planning process is funded through a Safe Routes to Transit grant, Caltrans Planning Grant, Prop K transportation sales tax grant, and the General Fund.
Better Market Street Project is led by the Department of Public Works, Planning Department, SF Municipal Transportation Agency, SF County Transportation Authority, and the SF Public Utilities Commission in coordination with the Mayor’s Office and other city departments. The Project will result in a more vibrant, beautiful and exciting street that provides enhanced mobility for bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transit riders.
For more information on the Better Market Street Project, including how to register for the webinars, visit www.bettermarketstreetsf.org.
05/02/11— Mayor Edwin M. Lee today announced the first series of community outreach workshops for the Better Market Street Project, an effort that aims to reinvigorate the streetscape and transportation options along Market Street, from the Embarcadero to Octavia Boulevard, to provide residents and visitors an enhanced and improved overall experience.
“Market Street is our City’s most iconic street, a hub for commerce, culture and transportation that connects San Francisco’s businesses and neighborhoods,” said Mayor Lee. “We want to ensure that Market Street continues to support San Francisco’s vibrant economy by showcasing what this incredible city has to offer, while moving more people along the corridor, efficiently and reliably. These workshops will allow the public the opportunity to envision the greatness of the street in order to create a space that will make it truly, San Francisco.”
The visioning process will begin in May with a series of public meetings and webinars to provide the community with project information and gather feedback on how to improve and reinvigorate Market Street. Urban designers and bike, transit, and pedestrian experts will be on hand to contribute their insight and answer questions. With support from community partners, a first round of public meetings will be held Tuesday, May 17 at the Warfield, 982 Market Street, from 6:00-8:30 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 24 at Hotel Whitcomb, 1231 Market Street, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. To accommodate busy schedules, lunchtime webinars are scheduled for Thursday, May 19 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. and Wednesday, May 25 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. People can sign up for the webinars at www.bettermarketstreetsf.org.
“The Better Market Street Project will design a signature street that encourages more social, cultural, and economic activities, while enhancing the experience for pedestrians, bicyclists, public transit riders, and other vehicles” said Department of Public Works Director Ed Reiskin. “Through these outreach forums, we will inform a plan for a safe and inviting street that will accommodate the many uses of this corridor for the near and the long-term and honor the critical role Market Street plays in San Francisco.”
The visioning process intends to collect broad input from stakeholders and local communities. The process will also include coordinated input from the Community Advisory Committee comprised of various stakeholder representatives, a Technical Advisory Committee comprised of agency staff from numerous disciplines, and a Civic Design Advisory Committee comprised of leading urban design professionals from around the Bay Area. The resulting consensus will inform a number of strategic and significant public space improvements that may include: landscaping, lighting, transit enhancements, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, traffic circulation improvements, outdoor seating, repaving, and many other features.
About the Better Market Street Project
For more than century, Market Street has been a central spine in San Francisco. The street was built in the late 1800’s with the vision of Market Street as a grand boulevard. Its diagonal design made it a unique and central city connector for residents and visitors. On an average weekday, more than a quarter of a million people travel along Market Street to and from their destinations Market Street was last significantly upgraded in the early 1970s when the current street configuration was built.
The Better Market Street Project complements existing citywide plans including the Better Streets Plan, the San Francisco Countywide Transportation Plan, the Muni Transit Effectiveness Project, and the San Francisco Bicycle Plan. The current Better Market Street visioning and planning process is funded through a Safe Routes to Transit grant, Caltrans Planning Grant, Prop K transportation sales tax grant, and the General Fund.
Better Market Street Project is led by the Department of Public Works, Planning Department, SF Municipal Transportation Agency, SF County Transportation Authority, and the SF Public Utilities Commission in coordination with the Mayor’s Office and other city departments. The Project will result in a more vibrant, beautiful and exciting street that provides enhanced mobility for bicyclists, pedestrians, and public transit riders.
For more information on the Better Market Street Project, including how to register for the webinars, visit www.bettermarketstreetsf.org.