Bryan Goebel

MTA Moves to Exert Control Over SFPD’s Traffic Company (SF Gate) New CEQA Guidelines Create Worrisome Loopholes (Ca. Progress Report) Design Plan Threatens Historic Integrity of Presidio’s Main Post (SF Gate)  Plan for South San Francisco Caltrain Station Delayed (SF Examiner) Condo Tower Near Transamerica Building Faces “Significant Challenges” (SF Gate) LA Controller Probes Supes … Continued

MTA Executive Director Nat Ford sat down with Streetsblog San Francisco last week for an hour-long interview. In today's segment, he addresses the funding crisis facing California transit agencies, the long-awaited implementation of the Bike Plan and the internal MTA battle over how to balance the different modes.

Obama’s Vision for High-Speed Rail in the U.S. (WSJ, NYT, Infrastructurist, Yglesias) Lots of Competition for HSR Funding But Calif. Has Advantage (SF Gate, CHSRB) Interior Sec Hears a “Resounding No” To Drilling for Oil Off Calif. Coast (SF Gate, LAT) EPA Takes First Step Toward Regulating CO2 Emissions (Sac Bee) SF Examiner: Muni’s T-Third … Continued

The California Transit Association has submitted a list of recommendations (PDF) to the Commission of the 21st Century Economy, a "bipartisan" panel mostly appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger, that call for establishing a "stable, predictable source of long-term funding" for the state's public transit agencies. 

The Mayor's Director of Climate Change Initiatives, Wade Crowfoot, joined MTA Executive Director Nat Ford, Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, SFBC Executive Director Leah Shahum and many others this morning to formally announce this year's six Sunday Streets events.

Berkeley School District Looks to Improve Ped Safety Around Schools (East Bay Express) Chino Man Getting His Mail Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in Socal (LAist) Injured Cyclist Airlifted Out of Tilden Park (BCN via Merc) Mayor’s Office Releases More Details on This Year’s Sunday Streets (Fog City Journal) Rec and Park Commission to Hold Hearing … Continued

Don't get me wrong, I love San Francisco's historic streetcars. I have ridden them often and can appreciate the nostalgic bumpy rides, even more so if I don't have to stand, and can grab a seat and peer outside the small windows.  But when I saw Rachel Gordon's story in the Chronicle this week about how Muni plans to renovate Streetcar Number One for $1.9 million it really got me thinking: In these tight budgetary times, is that really where we want to be investing our precious transit dollars?

SPUR Transpo Director, Dave Snyder, Appointed to GG Bridge Commish (Fog City Journal) Muni Overtime Budget Runneth Way Over (SF Gate) BART Police Oversight Bill in Committee Limbo (SFBG) One Potential Vision for Removing the Remaining Central Freeway (Transbay Blog) Tufts Researchers Study Health Risks of Living Near Freeways (Globe via Planetizen) San Diego Public … Continued

A five-foot tall median fence that some advocates fear will actually make the area more dangerous for pedestrians is now being installed on Potrero Avenue between 25th Street and Cesar Chavez. As my colleague Matthew Roth has reported, DPW and MTA are erecting the fence to to prevent people from making "illegal and unsafe crossings" in the middle of the block between Rolph Playground and Potrero del Sol Park. Some neighbors and advocates pointed out the city reopened the park, which has become wildly popular, without any consideration for pedestrians who want to cross back and forth. The fence idea was initiated after the Mayor noticed people were crossing in the middle of the block.

Muni’s Streetcar #1 to Undergo $1.9 Million Renovation (SF Gate) Oakland Planning Commission to Consider Changing Zoning Rules (SF Gate) What Makes People Afraid of Urbanism? (TOW via Streetsblog.net) Fog City Journal: “Newsom Allies Maneuver to Appoint Mazzola to GG Bridge Commish” Public Meeting on Presidio Main Post Canceled (SF Gate, SF Citizen) BAAQMD Offers … Continued