Weekend Roundup: Advocates Push for K Ingleside Transit Lanes, RSR Bridge Bike Path Hours Extended for Bike to Work Day…
Here are three Streetsblog news nuggets to start your weekend.
Call to Action: help move transit forward on the Ocean Avenue corridor
Drivers are once again holding up Muni improvements, objecting to transit-only lanes for the K Ingleside train on Ocean Avenue between Junipero Serra Boulevard and the Balboa Park BART Station. Over 13,000 riders board the K Ingleside daily, but, of course, individuals in private autos seem to always have more clout despite all the claims of ‘transit priority’ and the city’s supposed dedication to equity. That’s why a coalition of transit advocates set up an email campaign to demand the promised red, transit-only lanes. And they ask advocates in the area to come make their voices’ heard at a public forum on proposed improvements on May 4, 6 p.m. at SF City College Harry Britt Building, Room 140. From the coalition of advocates:
Our position remains the same, put the red-lanes on Ocean avenue because it will provide another layer of safety for pedestrians while making the K faster and more reliable.
RSVP here. This meeting will be focused on potential solutions to issues that have been brought up. For coverage of the last meeting, you can read this from Ingleside Light. Thank you so much to community members and/or transit and pedestrian safety supporters who came out last time!
If you can’t make the meeting, be sure to at least send an email.
MTC promises to open the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge bike lane early for ‘Bike to Wherever Day.‘
It’s a serious bummer that the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) took away the bike trail on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on weekedays, giving commuters on the route no alternative to sitting in traffic. It is, of course, still open on weekends, thanks to a movable barrier.
A tiny if not ironic concession was recently achieved: thanks to the work of Bike East Bay, Caltrans and MTC will open the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge trail early on the week of Bike to Wherever Day (formerly ‘Bike to Work Day’), to ensure that folks can ride across for this annual celebration. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve coordinated with Caltrans, BCDC, and our contractor operators regarding this request,” wrote Lisa Klein, Deputy Executive Director, Mobility at the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. “Caltrans has approved and … BCDC confirmed it has no objections to opening the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Trail on Wednesday, May 13 by 2:00 p.m., which will allow full-day access on Thursday, May 14 for Bike to Wherever Day,”
The trail will then remain open through 11 p.m. on that Sunday, as usual. Check out Bike East Bay’s post for updates and details.
Presidio gets battery electric buses
Lately, if the Presidio Trust is in the news, it’s something to do with Trump. But on a different note, the Presidio recently announced that it’s rolling out new buses for its convenient ‘Presidio GO’ routes. From their statement:
The Presidio Trust is swapping out aging buses in its free Presidio GO Shuttle fleet with five comfortable and efficient battery-electric buses, promising a smoother and more accessible ride for park visitors, residents, and employees. The new shuttles are part of a wave of improvements to the park’s infrastructure, collectively called Presidio Forward.
The new buses are low-floor design. And of course, the buses are quieter than the internal-combustion powered buses they are replacing. The upgrade makes the national park site’s fleet more than 50 percent electric.
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