Matthew Roth

While San Francisco's battle to implement its Bicycle Plan has generated national press attention, cities like Richmond in the East Bay have been quietly developing bicycle and pedestrian plans, hoping to reduce high rates of injury collisions between pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles.

The weather for Bike to Work Day couldn't have been more agreeable and huge numbers of cyclists took to the streets throughout the Bay Area, early indicators show. In San Francisco, cyclists set a new record for Bike to Work Day, accounting for 75 percent of the morning roadway traffic on Market Street, a one-third increase over last year. Our Streetsblog Flickr pool is seeing some great photos come in from Oakland and San Jose, as well as numerous energizer stations around San Francisco.

Before any of you hurt Streetsblog commenter Stuart Chuang Matthews for boasting of the lovely new on-street bike parking racks on Valencia Street without giving you pictorial evidence: How you like them apples?

Preparations began today for the installation of new on-street bicycle parking on Valencia Street in former bus zones, which were vacated when the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency terminated the 26-Valencia line.

Not to be outdone by Google Maps for bicycles or Ride the City, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, SF Environment and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) launched a new online bike map this week that they hope will be the most useful of the various mapping tools available to cyclists.

In honor of Bike Month this year, Mayor Gavin Newsom, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and local businesses have teamed up with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) to promote shopping by bicycle in various neighborhoods across the city. As part of the I Bike SF campaign, participating businesses in Hayes Valley are offering discounts throughout the month of May to cyclists who bring in their bicycle helmets or bike lock keys when they shop or eat out.

Cyclists who routinely ride on Market Street from Gough Street eastbound have no doubt noticed a steady stream of changes to the bicycle lanes as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has been adding safe-hit posts and creating the impression of greater safety and dignity for cyclists on the corridor. 

Most cities in the Bay Area are gearing up for Bike to Work Day this Thursday, with numerous activities to encourage people to make riding to work a more enjoyable and routine part of life. In San Jose, the city has planned a whole week of events.

TransForm's annual Car-Free Challenge is coming up in a few weeks and they've produced this video to get you in the spirit. If you'll remember last year we profiled several inspirational participants who demonstrated that you don't need a ride to raise a family and the mystique of a driver's license as personal ticket to freedom doesn't hold sway for some teenagers in the East Bay.