Month: July 2010
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FTA: American Transit Systems Need $77.7 Billion in Repairs
Americans
who ride trains and buses are suffering the effects of a huge
maintenance backlog, according to a new study by the Federal Transit
Administration [PDF].
It would take a down payment of $77.7 billion to bring the nation's
transit systems up to a state of good repair and another $14.4 billion
per year, on average, to keep transit running smoothly, safely, and
comfortably for riders.
July 22, 2010
SFPark Trial Poised to Begin as City Installs New “Coin and Card” Meters
San Francisco's parking and traffic managers know the public is going to love or hate the new SFPark demand-based parking management trial depending on how it delivers on the fundamental promises made from the beginning: The trial will make parking more convenient and efficient.
July 22, 2010
First Mission Community Market Today
The newest repurposing of street space in San Francisco, the Mission Community Market (MCM), will formally launch today with its first weekly market and street closure on Bartlett Street between 22nd and 21st Streets from 4-8 pm. After holding a successful fundraiser in June, the MCM's organizers are hopeful the event has already gained a foothold in the community and will continue to improve and draw new participants.
July 22, 2010
Sympathy for the Careless Driver
One
of the stories that's been percolating all week on the Streetsblog
Network stars Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in a new role:
urban cyclist. On Saturday, Villaraigosa was riding in a bike lane on
Venice Boulevard (his first bike trip as mayor), when a cab driver cut
him off, forcing him to brake suddenly and fall off his bike. Many
advocates for better cycling conditions, including Streetsblog
LA's Damien Newton, wondered whether the broken elbow Villaraigosa
suffered might prompt the mayor to tackle street safety problems with
more urgency.
July 22, 2010
Today’s Headlines
Listen to this In-Depth Crosscurrents Report on High Speed Rail (KALW) Newsom Conducts 5th Doyle Drive/Presidio Parkway Groundbreaking (SF Gate, Marin IJ, Examiner) Target Could Come to Geary and Masonic and to Metreon (Examiner, ABC) CPMC Long-Range Development Plans Released (SocketSite) More on BART Vote for Fare Reduction Riders Don’t Want (CoCo Times) AC Transit … Continued
July 22, 2010
Mission Community Market
"The Mission Community Market begins this week and will only grow from here.
July 22, 2010
Campaign to Protect AB 32 Gains Steam and Endorsements
As if the Campaign to Stop the Dirty Energy Proposition weren't already on the right side of history, now they've got Edward James Olmos stumping to defeat Proposition 23 and uphold AB 32, California's ground-breaking greenhouse gas legislation. I think ever since Stand and Deliver, if Edward James Olmos told me to do something, I wouldn't hesitate to trust his authority.
July 21, 2010
Surprise Vote by Pro-Transit Supes Against Vehicle License Fee Measure
The Board of Supervisors, acting as directors of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA), voted 8-3 yesterday to put a $10 vehicle registration fee increase on the November ballot, a measure that would raise $5 million yearly for congestion mitigation, street and road resurfacing, pedestrian safety and improved transit.
July 21, 2010
The Soft Innovations of London’s “Cycle Superhighways”
Earlier this week, London launched its first two "cycle superhighways" to decidedly mixed reviews. First announced
by then-mayor Ken Livingstone in 2008, the cycle superhighways haven't
quite lived up to the expectations for safe and fast bike travel implied
by their name, as you can see in this BBC News video.
July 21, 2010
Finding the Buses That Need a Speed Boost
A fresh look at old information
can sometimes be all you need to better understand a knotty problem. And
a fresh look is exactly what the Washington Metropolitan Area
Transportation Authority provided with a new set of bus maps released
this week. Using GPS data gathered last year, these maps show the
average speed of the transit system's buses, painting a picture of where
bus riders could use faster service.
July 21, 2010