Santa Clara OKs Road Diet, Bike Lanes on “Ludicrously Overbuilt” Tasman Dr.
Santa Clara's City Council unanimously approved a road diet last week on the city's 1.5-mile section of Tasman Drive. Tasman, east of Great America Parkway, will have two of its six traffic lanes re-purposed for wide buffered bike lanes and permanent median fences to protect Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)'s light-rail tracks. West of Great American Parkway, where Tasman was has four lanes, only striped bike lanes would be added.
April 29, 2015
Belmont Police Blame Cyclist for Getting in the Way of Driver’s Left Turn
When a 90-year-old driver turned left into the path of a man bicycling on Ralston Avenue, the Belmont Police Department blamed the victim for talking on a cell phone and not wearing a helmet. The department also warned people on bikes against "carrying packages and bags" in its press release.
April 23, 2015
Menlo Park’s Plan to Ruin Downtown With Parking Garages
Building new parking garages in downtown Menlo Park will cost tens of millions of dollars while clogging streets with more traffic. But that's what municipal leaders are seriously considering in an attempt to boost business, apparently oblivious to modern parking policies that have paid off for other Peninsula cities.
April 20, 2015
Better Bike Parking Options Can Alleviate Crowding On-Board Caltrain
Facing a continuing surge of nearly 5,000 additional weekday passengers each year, Caltrain is looking into better bike parking to alleviate overcrowding on the trains while improving access to its stations. The agency was awarded a $150,000 state grant in early April to write a bicycle parking management plan that aims to prioritize the next phase of bike improvements at stations.
April 9, 2015
To Expand Bike-Share on the Peninsula, Cities Will Have to Support It
Bay Area Bike Share's ten-fold expansion announced last Thursday will vastly increase the usefulness of bike-share in SF, the East Bay, and San Jose at no cost to the public. Peninsula cities, however, won't be sharing in the bounty unless they chip in some of their own funds. Without public support, the 20 existing stations in Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Redwood City are in jeopardy of being relocated.
April 7, 2015
Facebook Expansions Could Spur Dumbarton Rail in Menlo Park
Long-delayed efforts to restore train service on the Dumbarton Rail Corridor, which links the mid-Peninsula to the East Bay, could get a boost as Facebook looks to add housing and offices along the tracks in Menlo Park.
March 20, 2015
Fantasizing About Self-Driving Cars, Sunnyvale Opposes El Camino Bus Lanes
The Sunnyvale City Council voted 4-3 last month to oppose dedicated bus lanes that could cut transit riders' trips nearly in half along the length of El Camino Real, making bus trips almost as quick as driving. More than one council member said the city shouldn't invest in transit because self-driving cars are going to make it irrelevant.
March 10, 2015
Widening El Camino Real in Menlo Park Won’t Cut Traffic, But Bike Lanes Will
Redesigning El Camino Real to squeeze in more cars will cause more cars to squeeze into El Camino Real, warned the consultant working on a redesign of the street in downtown Menlo Park last week. But creating a safe street for people to get around without a car can actually cut traffic.
February 25, 2015
San Mateo Adopts Vision Zero and LOS Reform With Sustainable Streets Plan
With the adoption of its Sustainable Streets Plan on Tuesday, San Mateo's City Council has embraced several major transportation policy reforms, including Vision Zero and reforming car-oriented street design and development practices.
February 20, 2015
Daly City Votes to Continue Subsidizing Residential Parking Permits
Daly City’s City Council shot down a proposal last month to charge $40 a year for residential parking permits near the city's BART station. The permits, which give resident car owners privileged access to on-street parking, are currently free.
February 19, 2015