Day: May 14, 2009

San Francisco's annual Bike to Work Day drew a record 200,000 bicyclists this morning, according to early estimates, making it the most successful bike to work day since it began 15 years ago. Crowds of cyclists took advantage of the SFBC Energizer Stations to get food and coffee and make new friends in what has become the most exciting and politically important year for bicycle improvements in the city.

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) is proposing today to make a small but crucial change in federal transit policy by requiring the nation's Highway Trust Fund to keep the interest money it accrues, rather than give it up for the government's general use.

I'll add a few more impressions to Bobby Cuza's report on yesterday's ABNY breakfast with federal transportation secretary Ray LaHood.

Oh walk light, you change way too fast. Your pedestrian green doesn’t last. You force me to run Cross the street, which ain’t fun. So thanks for this cumbersome cast.

The Board of Supervisors Budget and Finance Committee voted for a second time Wednesday to reject the MTA budget and send it back to the full Board. It followed a narrow vote by the full Board Tuesday to table BOS Prez David Chiu's original rejection motion, following a "compromise" reached at the last minute to put $10.3 million in revenue and cost savings back into Muni's budget.

Today we've got a disturbing story from Missouri about the influence exerted by the Missouri Department of Transportation on the legislative process in that state. From Missouri Bicycle News:

Castro Pedestrian Plaza Opening Coverage is Pretty Positive (SF Examiner, SF Gate, BCN) 21st Century Urban Solutions: Caltrain Metro East Would Be Better Than BART to San Jose Press Democrat: “SMART Considers Heavy-Rail Cars”  Preliminary Hearing Monday for Ex-BART Cop Charged in Shooting (SF Gate, CBS5) Caltrans Accused of Favoritism in Awarding of Contract for … Continued