Despite the outcome of the recent elections, the San Francisco Bay Area has reason to celebrate significant advancements in the safe-and-livable streets arena. Here are a few ways this weekend for advocates to enjoy the fruits of past and ongoing labors.
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Take a ride on Caltrain and celebrate the "Sparks Effect"
Caltrain electrification is a success! This represents the first significant fruits of California's high-speed rail project. And it clearly demonstrates that if money is invested in rail instead of freeways, the region gets better rail and more people ride. From a Caltrain release:
Caltrain had over 753,000 passengers last month, marking a 54 percent increase from October 2023. Average Weekday Ridership stood at nearly 27,000, a 38 percent increase from last October. Additionally, current weekend ridership has overtaken pre-COVID levels, with Saturdays seeing a 169 percent increase and Sundays a 142 percent increase from last October.
Comparing August to October—the last month of primarily diesel service vs. the first month of all-electric—total ridership increased by 17 percent, with average weekend ridership growing by 38 percent. In a typical year, monthly ridership begins to decline after August; this year, it’s increased by more than 100,000 riders.
"Sparks Effect" is the industry term for what's happening at Caltrain. When overhead wire is strung, trains can go faster. And they are cleaner, quieter, and just—in some ways intangibly—nicer to ride. That all translates to fewer cars on the road and safer, more inviting, more livable cities. Of course, that means it also cuts into oil consumption and car sales, which is why oil-company shills masquerading as "fellows" at so-called "think tanks" oppose rail and electrified rail in particular.
Take a ride on Muni or bike out to celebrate the passage of Prop. K and the soon-to-be Ocean Beach Park
Advocates in San Francisco proved, once again, that people want more car-free spaces. Following the great tradition of past advocates who secured the teardown of the Embarcadero Freeway and the establishment of the JFK Promenade, the passage of Prop. K means a new park will replace the Upper Great Highway. From a KidSafeSF statement:
Because of you, there will be a new oceanfront park for all to enjoy—a space to walk, roll, and experience the coast like never before.
This victory wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible efforts of all the volunteers, partners, and supporters who believed in this vision.
Like JFK Promenade, the victory for Ocean Beach Park is a testament to the power of community and broad support for our shared vision for safer, more accessible spaces for kids, families, and all San Franciscans.
And on Saturday, Nov. 16/tomorrow from 12 to 2 p.m. at Great Highway and Noriega Street, join advocates and others for a celebration of this important victory. Register here. Ride transit or combine it with a ride on the JFK Promenade.
Bike the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
It took literally decades of work by advocates to get a safe and protected path on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Rich City Rides, Bike East Bay, and the Marin County Bicycle Coalition are continuing the fight now to protect that lane in the face of efforts to turn it into another car lane (because induced demand and the reams of data to support it isn't a thing in some circles?).
On Saturday, Nov. 16/tomorrow advocates have organized a ride to celebrate the fifth anniversary of this long-sought lane and call attention to the need to protect it from retrograde politicians who want to turn it back over to drivers.
From Rich City Rides' event page:
The trail celebrates five years since it was opened, and now the trail's governing bodies seek to close it during the week. We challenge this idea, and encourage you all to wear your funniest, most clever attire to our bike ride in a show of support for all those who commute across every day. The ride will start at Richmond Bart station.
The escorted, round-trip ride will leave from the station in stages between 9:30 and 10:15 a.m.
Ride Woodstock the water shuttle
Apologies if it seems as if Woodstock, the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Water Shuttle, gets oversized coverage. However, this victory for advocates highlights just how simple it can be to solve mobility issues when cities look beyond the almighty automobile. For roughly one-fiftieth of the cost of a major ramp reconfiguration of the Webster tunnel, the region is moving more people than it ever thought possible without breaking the bank and increasing vehicle-miles traveled. Moreover, it's just incredibly fun to ride (and it's free!).
Bring the kids and let them play at Bohol Circle Immigrant Park at the Alameda-side landing. Ride BART or AC Transit to Oakland and bike or walk over to the ferry launch in Jack London Square at the foot of Broadway. And then bike around and check out some of the topnotch, concrete-protected bike lanes in Alameda.
