Streetsblog San Francisco

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging for a quick pep talk. Thanks to our generous and supportive readers, Streetsblog and Streetfilms are almost halfway to our goal of raising $30,000 by June 1. We’ve got two weeks left to raise $17,000 — help us reach that target so we can keep making the case for designing cities around people, not cars.

Thanks to everyone who's stepped up and chipped in for our spring pledge drive. Your donations are helping us keep the lights on at Streetsblog and Streetfilms so we can deliver high-quality reporting, commentary, and videos covering the movement for safe streets, effective transit, and livable cities.

It's been a challenging and fulfilling privilege to be the editor of Streetsblog San Francisco these past few months, but to my mind, our work has only just begun. San Francisco's livable streets movement has more momentum than ever, and we're counting on readers like you to help us continue to bring high-impact coverage that informs people and influences policy decisions.

Editor's note: Happy New Year, everyone - I am elated to kick off 2012 as your new editor! There's a lot of ground for Streetsblog to cover this year, and I am thrilled to take it on and explore the issues that matter most to our readers.

After receiving applications from many fine journalists, I’m pleased to announce that OpenPlans is hiring a new editor to manage Streetsblog San Francisco. Aaron Bialick will be taking the reins full-time starting on January 3, 2012.

OpenPlans is pleased to officially launch our search for the next journalist to lead Streetsblog San Francisco. Thanks to the craigslist Charitable Fund, the Seed Fund, Mike’s Bikes, and the generous contributions of many, many readers for supporting our work in the Bay Area. (And thanks to Aaron Bialick for holding down the fort while we're in between full-time editors.)

Today was my last day as editor of Streetsblog San Francisco. Just like the day I published my first story, I spent the morning talking to bicyclists at a trouble spot. One of the great joys of this job has been interviewing people in the field. Some of my best moments have been spent talking to strangers. I've learned so much from those encounters.

When you take a step back and look at the evolution of San Francisco’s streets, it is truly impressive how much has improved for pedestrians, cyclists, and the public realm since Bryan launched Streetsblog SF in 2009. Progress seldom happens as rapidly as we might like, especially when you’re taking on something as deeply entrenched as car-centricity, but the pace of change in San Francisco undoubtedly quickened after Bryan came on the scene. Parklets, protected bike lanes, a citywide pedestrian safety directive – none of that existed a few short years ago. Without the reporting, watchdogging, and analysis from Bryan and his staff, the state of livable streets in the Bay Area would not be what it is today.

When I started my job at Streetsblog San Francisco I had no idea that it would turn out to be the best job I’ve ever had. I really mean that. I often tell people I’ve had more impact in the last two-and-a-half years at Streetsblog than I did in all my 20 years as a radio and TV journalist. That’s why it’s very difficult for me to announce today that I am stepping down as the editor San Francisco Streetsblog, effective September 30, to pursue other opportunities.