SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- San Francisco's Market Street is experiencing an increase in illegal driving by vehicles, despite restrictions, following the city's decision to open the corridor to rideshare drivers last August. Pedestrians and cyclists say the rules regarding allowed vehicles have become l ess clear. Many drivers, some without rideshare company stickers, are reportedly ignoring the traffic regulations on the thoroughfare. This development comes after Mayor Daniel Lurie implemented a policy change last year, allowing rideshare companies access to Market Street. For five years prior, the street was largely car-free, with access strictly limited to public transportation, emergency vehicles and commercial traffic. A recent observation on Market Street recorded approximately 10 cars without rideshare stickers driving on the corridor within one hour. Video captured a truck speeding into a bicycle lane, an Audi closely following cyclists and a Tesla attempting a left turn off the restricted road, all despite clear signage on every block. Ollie Sears, who lives and works on Market Street, stated that she observes at least a dozen or more illegal drivers most days. Sears believes the policy adjustment for rideshares contributed to the current situation. "As soon as we they started letting the Ubers and the private contractors that work for Uber and Lyft," Sears said, "it kind of opened up the doors for it to be a little less clear for who is allowed." Car travels on Market Street in San Francisco (Photo: KRON4 News.) Cyclist Daniel Schier noted an increase in private cars, particularly during conferences. "Sometimes there's private cars particularly when there is a conference in town," Schier said. "So it's really bad during those times, otherwise it's not so bad." The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) presented a Market Street status report on Monday. The report indicated that there have been no impacts to safety since the street opened to rideshares. However, the agency did report a 30-second increase in wait times for MUNI and streetcar riders. Uber Black vehicles use the corridor about 200 times per day, primarily for passing through. Waymo, a self-driving car company, utilizes Market Street to help passengers reach downtown destinations. Waymo states it does not conduct pickups or drop-offs directly on the street, explaining that existing options would necessitate double-parking, potentially impeding public transit. Andrew Szeto, another cyclist on Market Street, has observed cars lacking the required Uber or Lyft markings. "There are some cars that don't have the markings for Uber or Lyft but what are you going to do about it?" Szeto said. While acknowledging the general safety of Market Street, Szeto expressed a preference for fewer private vehicles. "As far as things could go I'd say pretty safe," Szeto said. "You know I'm grateful for generally speaking there isn't too many cars on Market, but I would be happier if there was no cars...at the very least these private cars not being here." Sears also voiced support for a completely car-free street. "I find the car free Market Street to be much more peaceful," Sears said. "I think it's great for pedestrians. Especially with so many people coming on and off BART and MUNI get to experience that too...it's better all around." The Mayor's Office declined to comment for this report. The SFMTA referred inquiries regarding citation numbers for illegal driving to the Police Department, which did not provide the information in time for publication. In November, Mayor Lurie defended his decision to allow rideshares on Market Street, stating that he would continue to follow the data. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KRON4. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KRON4 staff before being published. ...read more read less