Month: July 2013
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Commuting Tips for the Incrementalist: Small Changes, Big Savings
Rob Perks couldn’t understand why his friend, Megan, drove to work every day instead of taking public transportation. She said driving was cheaper and more convenient, but Perks had almost an identical commute and he was pretty confident he was saving a lot by taking transit. A quick back-of-the-envelope calculation of all Megan’s driving costs showed that even paying $6.00 for the park-and-ride was cheaper than driving all the way in to the office. (Just imagine how much she could save if, like Perks, she could walk to the metro!)
July 18, 2013
DC Road Lobbyist: Since Most People Drive, We Shouldn’t Invest in Transit
Last week, the Washington Post ran an editorial calling for a "balanced" approach to transportation investments. That rather mundane stance was enough to set off alarm bells for an advocate of suburban highway expansion in Virginia.
July 18, 2013
Today’s Headlines
Hit-and-Run Driver Hospitalizes 59-Year-Old Woman Walking in Bayview (SF Weekly, SF Appeal) SF Examiner Makes a Strong Case for Re-Orienting San Francisco’s Streets Around People, Not Cars More on the Watered-Down Plan to Preserve Parking on Polk Street (SF Examiner) Supervisor Eric Mar to Hold Committee Hearing on Bike Theft Today (Cyclelicious) City Officials Cut Ribbon on New Brannan Street Wharf … Continued
July 18, 2013
SFMTA, Chiu Stand By Unprotected Bike Lane Proposal for Polk Street
Updated 5:16 p.m. with corrections on the number of blocks.
July 17, 2013
For Monique Porsandeh, Life Brought to a Halt by a Reckless Driver
On an average day in San Francisco, three people are injured by drivers. But only a small portion of these crashes are reported in the media. Of those that do get ink, most reports are just a blurb of very basic information -- whether the person suffered "life-threatening" or "non-life threatening" injuries, whether the driver "cooperated" with police. Rarely are stories told about the victims whose lives were left shattered in the wake of the crash.
July 17, 2013
Atlanta Beltline, Still in Its Infancy, Already Boosting Business
It's working. The Atlanta Beltline, still in its most formative stages, is already boosting business and promoting development, according to this report from a local news station.
July 17, 2013
How “Buy America” Restrictions Can Cost America Jobs
Proponents of Buy America restrictions -- regulations that require American-made sourcing for transportation projects supported by the federal government -- may be well-meaning, but when applied to rail expansion, these rules can be pretty pernicious. There isn't a large domestic passenger rail market in the United States, so there isn't much of a domestic traincar manufacturing industry. When you throw Buy America into the mix, that can end up being a real problem for passenger rail projects.
July 17, 2013
City’s First “Play Streets” Event Kicks Off in the Western Addition
Two blocks in the Western Addition were closed to cars and turned into a neighborhood gathering space Saturday for the city's first "Play Streets" event. The program is an effort to build on the success of Sunday Streets and provide smaller-scale car-free spaces where people can play and socialize on a more frequent basis.
July 16, 2013
Study: Wealthier Motorists More Likely to Drive Like Reckless Jerks
You know the stereotype of the arrogant Porsche driver? Well, science says there's some truth to it.
July 16, 2013