Upper Market Corridor Safety Improvements Project

Project Description

The Upper Market Street Safety Project was a multi-phased effort to improve the safety and comfort of Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and Castro Street for all roadway users. 

The project was based on a data-driven approach to identifying collision hot spots and factors, and included engineering recommendations for the corridor's complex 6-legged intersections, dedicated bike lane upgrades, and public realm improvements to enhance safety and comfort for people walking, driving, and bicycling. 

Project goals were to improve safety and comfort for all users by reducing the potential for conflict and by making travel along the corridor more predictable and intuitive. The project reflected years of robust outreach and evaluation, as well as prior neighborhood planning efforts - stretching back well over a decade – that included the Upper Market Street 2009 Community Vision and Recommendations and the Market-Octavia Area Plan.

Between 2015 and 2019, nearly $1 million in ‘near-term’ safety improvements were added to the corridor as a down payment on a larger set of traffic and sidewalk changes. The project’s final $10 million construction phase began in 2021 and was completed in early 2023. This project was funded with Market Octavia developer impact fees, SFCTA Prop K sales tax revenues, a state grant and other local sources.

In November 2020, the Upper Market Street Safety Project secured $2.8 million in local Prop K sales tax revenue - including discretionary funds from the District 8 Supervisor's Office - to complete the project's $9.6 million construction phase budget. 

Construction Details:

The project will be completed in two segments:

- Market Street, between Octavia Blvd. and 14th Street
- Market Street, between 14th Street and Castro Street

Construction on the first project segment, from 14th Street to Octavia Boulevard, began July 2021. The overall project reached substantial completion in late 2022 and was completed in early 2023.