This Week: Public Planning, Traffic Skills, Convincing Decision Makers

Here are this week’s highlights from the Streetsblog calendar:

Tuesday Putting the “Public” in Public Planning. If public agencies are going to spend millions of dollars on projects, it’s worthwhile to have an early sense of what’s going to be accepted by voters. By incorporating public affairs tools to conduct research and better explain ideas, planners can be ready for the public process. Come learn how. Tuesday, August 22, 12:30, SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, S.F.
Tuesday Traffic Skills 101. Looking to get comfortable riding in San Francisco? Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for a two-hour course covering all you need to know about urban biking in the Bay Area. This is the perfect class for anyone who is already riding to up their skill level, or for people who are interested in riding but intimidated by urban traffic. This comprehensive course uses the curriculum of the League of American Bicyclists and completion of this classroom session will allow you to take part in a future On-Road class. Tuesday, August 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m., The Hamilton, 631 O’Farrell, S.F.
Wednesday Convincing Decision Makers: How and When to Speak Up. Have you ever wondered how a bike lane comes to be and where you fit in? Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition at this workshop on the public process for changing our streets and crafting strong comments to help make sure your input is noted. You’ll learn how to convince decision-makers at hearings or board meetings. Wednesday, August 23, 6-7:30 p.m., SF Bicycle Coalition, 1720 Market St., S.F.
Wednesday 11th Street Improvement Project Open House. To enhance pedestrian and bicycle experience and improve loading conditions, the SFMTA is assessing potential changes along 11th St. such as pedestrian upgrades, roadway reconfiguration, and improvements to current loading zones. Please join this public open house to provide your feedback on these design elements. Wednesday, August 23, 6-8 p.m., SoMa StrEat Food Park, 428 11th Street, SF.
Thursday The Persistence of the Past. San Francisco’s modern land-use battles echo those fought in the 1970s and 1980s. An understanding of this background is essential for making sense of the challenges of development in today’s charged political environment. What were the real arguments behind Proposition M, the anti-highrise proposition? What did “Manhattanization” represent? How did ballot-box planning become so popular? Come learn about how San Francisco’s past continues to affect its future. Thursday, August 24, 12:30, SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission Street, San Francisco.
Thursday The Divided States of America The U.S. Secure Fence Act of 2006 funded the single-largest domestic building project in the twenty-first century and financed approximately 700 miles of fortification, dividing the U.S. from Mexico at a cost of up to $16 million per mile. Today, approximately one third of the 1,954-mile-long border between the U.S. and Mexico has been walled off. Join SPUR for a panel of academics, authors, and artists for an evening of provocations, presentations, and discussion about art and design as important vehicles for activism in the face of the increasing militarization of our southern border. Thursday, August 24, 6 p.m., SPUR Oakland, 1544 Broadway, Oakland.
Saturday Drake’s Brewing 28th Anniversary Ride. Ride together to the 28th Anniversary Party at Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro. This flat, ten-mile, slow-paced ride starts at Fruitvale BART and will proceed through Alameda on mostly low-traffic streets, then along the Oakland Airport bikeway and the Bay Trail. A route map is available online here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/23877368. Saturday, August 26, 3:45 p.m., Fruitvale BART Station, 3401 E 12th St, (meet in plaza outside fare gates), Oakland.