Editor's note: When I was asked to put together a list of ten "significant stories" to be used in an event program for our 10-year anniversary party for Streetsblog California and 15-year for Streetsblog S.F., I was slightly annoyed. Reporters don't generally like getting tasked with what seemed at first like nothing more than self-promotion. However, as I went through the thousands of posts and thought about which ones had moved the proverbial needle on safe and livable streets, I started to find the exercise inspirational. Whether you work professionally as an advocate or just volunteer your time, it can seem as if all the hard work is for naught, given the slow pace of change. However, looking back, together we've accomplished a lot over the years. And I'm proud to say that, even though we still have a very long way to go, Streetsblog San Francisco was part of that progress. That's why, for the sake of all the people who couldn't make last week's anniversary party, I decided to include that list of stories from our event program below.
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Notable stories over the years:
1) 2018, Feb. 14. A Q&A with an SF Firefighter about Vision Zero and Windshield Perspective. In this post, firefighter Michael Crehan discussed the hypocrisy of the department in blocking bike lanes and other Vision Zero infrastructure, ostensibly to leave room for ladder trucks.
Why is it notable: the fire department had blocked the installation of protected bike lanes on Upper Market. After the Q&A, a high-ranking SFMTA official reached out to Streetsblog for Michael’s contact info. By April, the installation of the Upper Market bike lanes began.
2) 2020, July 24. A Better Caltrain Is One that Exists. A last-minute political maneuver by Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Shamann Walton threatened to blow up a Caltrain funding measure. Streetsblog exposed the move as nothing more than a cynical power grab by two politicians who showed no concern for transit riders.
Why is it notable: the SFMTA board chair at the time, Cheryl Brinkman, said it was because of reporting by the SF Chron and Streetsblog that she decided to vote against the amended measure. That one vote changed everything. The measure survived to go on the ballot that year and passed. Caltrain now has the operational funding to run its electrified service. Without Streetsblog’s reporting, there’s a good chance Caltrain would be stuck running its old diesel schedule of once-hourly trains despite spending $2.4 billion electrifying.
3) 2022, July 12. Dede Wilsey Buys Ballot Measure to Return Cars to JFK. This post centered on billionaire Dede Wilsey, the real funding source of the “access for all” campaign to get cars back on JFK. In the San Francisco Chronicle and other publications, the “access for all” campaign was referred to as “grass roots,” when actually it was the product of a professional lobbying firm called Platinum Advisors, hired by Wilsey.
Why is it notable: this post (and others in the series) corrected the media narrative, followed the money, set the record straight, and–along with the hard work of many, many advocates–helped make the JFK Promenade permanent.
4) 2021, Aug. 23. The de Young’s Underappreciated Underground Attraction. This was an unusual post, but it made a big point. The anti-JFK promenade forces continued to claim it was going to take parking away from poor people. This was of course utter nonsense, since there’s an 800-space garage under the park.
Why is it notable: satire is a risky proposition. But this piece, the highest performing piece of that year, really hammered home the hypocrisy and nonsense of the museum by pretending the parking garage was actually a modern art display. It got the point across!
5) 2023, July 18. OakDOT Killing Grand Avenue Road Diet at AC Transit’s Request. This was a post leaked by Oakland DOT staff via advocates, about how AC Transit was standing in the way of protected bike lanes on Grand around Lake Merritt. This post had such an impact that Mike Hursh, the general manager of AC Transit, attacked it in his own post the next day.
Why is it notable: by exposing the internal politics/turf war between AC Transit and Oakland DOT, it helped advocates push back against AC Transit’s objections about bike lanes and bus speeds, which were unfounded. This war isn’t over, but it helped advocates for sure.
6) 2023, July 6. U.C. Berkeley Abandoning Bay Pass. In this post, Streetsblog exposed a move by an overzealous and misguided union local to harm its own members by torpedoing the BayPass pilot. The union, understandably, objected to only a subset of its members getting the free transit pass. However, since it was a pilot with limited resources, their not-well-thought-out response was to bar all members from getting it in the short term, instead of assuring that they all get it in the long term.
Why is it notable: after the post, members of the local who were getting their passes taken away were furious and called their leadership. Leadership relented, and the Bay Pass pilot was saved as a direct result. It’s now greatly expanded.
7) 2024, February 1. Cutting Through the Newest Misinformation on Valencia’s Center-Running Bike Lane. This post was basically the conclusion of a long series of reports and commentaries opposing the center-running bike lane on Valencia.
Why is this post in particular notable: After the center-running lane opened, SFMTA still tried to claim it prevented dooring crashes and was therefore safer. Streetsblog dug into the raw data and discovered that, yes, it prevented dooring crashes, but it increased the number of crashes overall. This post was the end of the argument: the center-running lane had undeniably failed on safety (and merchants hate it too). The result: it’s getting ripped out and replaced with curbside-protected bike lanes, which everyone agrees is the better option.
8) 2021, June 30. Editorial: Own it, L.A. Politicians–You’re Trying to Kill California’s Bullet Train. This was part of a series of investigative pieces and commentaries about then Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon and Assembly Transportation Committee Chair Laura Friedman’s attempts to tie up HSR funding and kill the program. It was hydrogen trains, battery trains, delays on electrification; both politicians came up with a stream of reasons why the project needed “re-thinking.”
Why was this series notable? Friedman responded directly to Streetsblog and complained that she was being treated unfairly. However, over time she relented and released the HSR funding they were holding up. Streetsblog also endeavored to set the record straight against the LA Times’s incessant and inaccurate attacks on the project. CaHSRA managers credit Streetsblog with keeping up morale at the agency, as the only real outlet countering the constant stream of anti-rail propaganda.
9) 2022, February 8. Milvia Safety Features Removed Over Bogus Truck Dimensions. Berkeley’s DOT removed a section of freshly installed protected bike lanes on Milvia Street after Alta Bates Hospital said their oxygen delivery trucks couldn’t maneuver past them. Streetsblog investigated, measured out the parking lot, and discovered that wasn’t the whole story. In fact, the problem could easily be solved by relocating some doctor’s parking.
Why is this story notable? Advocates lobbied hard too. Between their work and Streetsblog’s coverage, enough pressure was applied to get an albeit-imperfect solution installed tout suite.
10) 2018, January 3. City Lets Cargo Way Protected Bike Lane Fall Apart. San Francisco Public Works repaved Cargo Way but not the protected bike lane. The excuse was that they didn’t have the machines to do it, but Streetsblog called BS (sources at public works told the Bicycle Coalition and Streetsblog that it was because they didn’t want to spend money maintaining the bike lane). Well, of course that was it–it’s always about money and an unwillingness to spend on bike safety.
Why is this story notable? Embarrassed, a few months later, SF Public Works fixed the bike lane. Maybe they were going to do it regardless.
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Thanks again to all the Streetsie award winners, our backers, and to the readers for your support! If you weren't able to make the party but would still like to contribute, click HERE.
