GJEL

The SF Department of Public Works began making major pavement improvements along lower Market Street this week.

A car-free, 12-unit condo and retail development was approved unanimously yesterday by the SF Planning Commission, despite opposition from some residents. The project will include no car parking and 28 bike parking spaces.

If cities needed any more reason to curb handicap placard abuse, here it is. The authors of a new study out of Los Angeles point out that rampant placard abuse threatens to undermine performance parking programs like SFPark by skewing the data and the price of parking, the Atlantic Cities explains:

The California State Assembly passed a bill yesterday that would require motorists to provide three feet of space when passing bicyclists. SB 1464, which passed with a 50-16 vote, is expected to be signed by Governor Jerry Brown in September following a "largely procedural" approval by the State Senate, which already passed the bill in May, according to the California Bicycle Coalition.

A section of the post-separated bike lanes on Portola Drive was removed last week and replaced with a design which the SF Municipal Transportation Agency says should be safer and easier for people on bikes to navigate. But at least one commuter who uses the lanes said the change is anything but safe.

The SF Planning Commission unanimously approved a major housing development at 55 Laguna Street yesterday, despite an excessive amount of car parking that livable streets advocates say should be lowered under stricter parking maximums.

To help speed rush hour trips on the 5-Fulton line, Muni is proposing a limited-stop service during the morning and afternoon peaks. SFMTA staff and D1 Supervisor Eric Mar will hold a meeting on Tuesday in the inner Richmond District for the public to weigh in on the proposed route.

The San Francisco Civil Grand Jury released a report [PDF] today blasting Muni's regular practice of dumping riders and turning vehicles around early.

With bikes let loose on this morning's rush hour BART commute, all signs indicate that things went as smoothly -- if not better -- than usual. Our most recent search on the Twittersphere turns up not a single complaint, and reps from the East Bay and San Francisco Bicycle Coalitions, as well as BART, are reporting generally positive comments.