SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The city of San Diego is limiting rideshare pickups on Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter in an effort to help ease congestion.
“Crazy. Crazy, yeah, and also there’s people walking on the street as well, which makes it pretty difficult too,” said Aryana Kaypour, an employee at Whiskey Girl.
She knows the scene all too well—the rush to find a ride home after a night out in the Gaslamp Quarter. “On weekends, especially 2 a.m. when once the bars close you know there’s nowhere else to go people are going to go home so they’re all going to leave at the same time,” she said.
Whiskey Girl is located on Fifth Avenue. From now on, Kaypour’s customers will not be able to get picked up by rideshare drivers Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. However, drop-offs are allowed during those hours.
San Diego is limiting pickups along Fifth Ave. between Market and E streets to ease congestion and keep pedestrians and vehicles moving.
A representative from Uber sent FOX5/KUSI a statement that reads, “The Uber app uses location-based geofencing to recognize when a pickup request originates from a restricted area. Rather than allowing a pickup where it’s prohibited, the app prompts the rider to walk to an approved nearby pickup location before a trip can be requested.”
Lyft has not responded to our inquiry seeking additional information.
“I understand why they’re doing it, but I think it’s also going to create a lot of challenges for people as well. I don’t think anybody knows that that’s going to happen,” said Kaypour.
Working with Uber and Lyft, the city has set up 14 pickup spots outside a geofenced area where rideshare users will be sent.
Geofence restricted rideshare pickup zone around Fifth Avenue in the Gaslamp Quarter (City of San Diego).
Those curbs have fresh white paint and are labeled three-minute passenger loading zones. That includes the 600 block of F St. on the north side.
“But your over right next to the Salvation Army which has turned into a relative encampment in the last few weeks,” said Brandon Ruckdashel, who manages one of the many businesses in the area of Sixth and F streets.
He also thinks the change will have a ripple effect on nearby streets, especially during major events like Comic-Con.
“Are you really easing congestion or will there just be more congestion after its eased?” said Ruckdashel.
Some also worry about safety and point out that moving pickups farther from busy Fifth Avenue could create new concerns.
“For me, I don’t like walking home late at night. I seldom do it. This is probably the only street I’d feel comfortable because there’s the most people,” said Kaypour.
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