Bicyclists on Market Street wearing face masks due to smoky air

Photo: Sergio Ruiz, flickr

Pursuing a Clean Transportation Future 

Replacing car travel with more sustainable modes will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a healthier environment for San Francisco residents, workers, and visitors. 

Emissions from cars and trucks are responsible for 46% of San Francisco’s carbon footprint. Transportation emissions also raise major health concerns: exhaust from cars and trucks can exacerbate asthma in children and is linked to other respiratory and heart diseases. Residents who live in San Francisco’s Equity Priority Communities are especially vulnerable to health impacts from transportation emissions as they are located near many of our busiest roads and freeways. 

The Transportation Authority is committed to helping San Francisco reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. We are working at local, regional, and state levels to shape a clean, affordable, and efficient transportation future.

San Francisco’s Goal: 80% Sustainable Trips

San Francisco has set the goal of achieving 80% of trips by transit, biking, walking, and carpooling by 2030.

Reaching this goal is crucial: The California Air Resources Board reported in 2018 that California is failing to meet its climate goals because emissions from vehicle travel are increasing. The agency stated that California will not achieve our emissions reduction goals without significant changes to how communities and transportation systems are planned, funded, and built.

The Transportation Authority is working to reduce San Francisco's transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions by:

Leveraging San Francisco’s half-cent sales tax and other funding sources to green and expand San Francisco's transit fleet, support Transit-First projects, and increase street safety for people walking and biking. Our Transportation Fund for Clean Air program also funds electric vehicle chargers and bike racks throughout the city. 

Partnering with local agencies like the SFMTA and SF Environment to help residents, workers, and visitors make more sustainable transportation choices through efforts like Safe Routes to School and Emergency Ride Home. In response to pandemic-related transit reductions, we supported SFMTA’s creation of the Essential Trip Card to help transit-dependent seniors and people with disabilities access services. 

Using pricing and incentive tools to reduce congestion and fund transit. Examples of this include our work on downtown congestion pricing and the Treasure Island Transportation Program.

Coordinating with policymakers to shape San Francisco’s transportation future through efforts like the San Francisco Transportation Task Force 2045 and Assembly Bill 1184, which would tax ride-hail trips in San Francisco and use revenues to fund transit.

Supporting long-range planning efforts at the state and regional levels, including ConnectSF and Plan Bay Area.

Working with new mobility providers to support cleaner, more sustainable trip making.

Working with employers and developers to support cleaner, more sustainable trip making through the Transportation Sustainability Program. 

Our Choices Matter 

It will take all of us to reach San Francisco’s transportation goals. Are you taking at least 80% of your trips on public transit or by carpooling, biking or walking? Learn more about how to travel sustainably in San Francisco.

Resources 

SF Environment: San Francisco Climate Action Plan

SFMTA: Transportation Climate Action Strategy

SFMTA: Climate Goals, Targets, and Trends

SFMTA Mobility Trends Report, 2018 (PDF)

California Air Resources Board: 2018 Progress Report: California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act (PDF)

Climate: Main image

Related Project & Studies

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Taxis, an Uber, other cars, and people walking in congested downtown San Francisco

Downtown Congestion Pricing

Congestion pricing would involve charging drivers a fee to drive in specific congested areas of downtown to keep traffic and transit moving.
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A bus in a red bus-only lane on Market Street, surrounded by green bike lanes.

Transit-First Policy

San Francisco's voter-approved Transit-First Policy states that decisions regarding the use of our public streets and sidewalks shall prioritize public rights of way for pedestrians, bicyclists, and public transit.
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Two streetcars with a gap in between

Closing the Transportation Funding Gap

There is a $22 billion funding gap for San Francisco's transportation systems from 2019 – 2045.
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A rendering of the Treasure Island development

Treasure Island Transportation Program

The Treasure Island Transportation Program will address the island's growing transportation needs with a goal to have at least 50 percent of trips made by transit instead of private vehicles.
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Bicyclists and transit vehicles on Market Street

Transportation Demand Management

Transportation Demand Management seeks to break down barriers to taking trips by transit, bicycling, walking, or carpooling and discourage drive-alone trips.
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A new Caltrain vehicle headed to San Francisco

Caltrain Modernization

The Caltrain Electrification project will bring fully electrified service to Caltrain.
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A rendering of the Better Market Street project, with people socializing on a wide sidewalk with people biking and several Muni buses traveling on the street

Better Market Street

The Better Market Street project will deliver transformative transportation, street, and safety improvements along 2.2 miles of Market Street between Octavia Boulevard and the Embarcadero.