Transbay Blog
Archive for April 2009
Bridges Tame the Valley’s Freeway-Laden Landscape
Mary Avenue Bridge; courtesy of LERA. So many freeways and expressways crisscross the auto-oriented sprawl of Silicon Valley, and they contribute to a physical environment that is inhospitable, forming actual and pyschological barriers to those who attempt to get around on foot or a bicycle. But pedestrians and bicyclists alike will be able to enjoy … Continue reading
April 2009 BART Budget and Project Updates
UPDATE (24 April 2009): At its April 23 meeting, the BART board decided to postpone approval of the Oakland Airport Connector, but nonetheless approved the transfer of $50 million of seismic retrofit funding and $70 million of ARRA stimulus funding to the project. Meanwhile, the FEIR for eBART was approved 8-1, with Tom Radulovich dissenting. … Continue reading
In Search of a Stable Equilibrium
The elimination of State Transit Assistance (STA) funds in California has forced transit operators throughout California to scrape the bottom of the barrel, so to speak, in search of replacement money for operations; this has resulted in controversial proposals to raise fares while trimming service. But if there is any silver lining to be found … Continue reading
Obama Administration Unveils HSR Strategic Plan
Yesterday’s big news item (alas, I had not a scrap of free time to write about this yesterday, but better late than never) in the world of transportation was the Obama Administration’s unveiling of its strategic plan for a national high-speed rail system. The so-called “down payment” on this system is $13 billion: $8 billion … Continue reading
Bridging the Divide
When Octavia Boulevard opened in 2005, it became an urbanist case study, joining The Embarcadero as another shining example of how removing key segments of freeway can breathe new life into once-blighted urban neighborhoods. Empty lots along Octavia are still undeveloped, so Hayes Valley is a work in progress; and the intersection of Market & … Continue reading
Tweets from April 7 SMFTA Budget Hearing
In the spirit of Tom Prete’s reposted tweets from SPUR’s Central Subway talk, I collected the series of Twitter messages I posted during the April 7 SFMTA budget hearing. I missed the first part, so it’s not a complete transcript, but it gives a pretty good idea about how transit riders and the MTA Board … Continue reading
Where is the Transit Voice?
There is a lot that we might say about the fare hikes and service cuts that the SFMTA has proposed to close its $128.9 million budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. The 74X Culture Bus, which rarely carries more than a couple riders and largely duplicates the 5-Fulton, ought to be cut. But seeing … Continue reading
WETA Plans Changes for East Bay Ferries
Alameda Harbor Bay; courtesy of etthekid. Prior to the construction in the 1930s of the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Bay Area citizens crossed the Bay by using the once-thriving ferry service. The completion of those bridges and the rising popularity of the automobile greatly affected how people moved throughout the region. Since then, ferry … Continue reading
Commission Unveils Regional Plan for Transit
This morning, at a press conference held at the Lake Merritt BART station in Oakland, officials from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission revealed a regional transit plan for the Bay Area. Just days after announcing revisions to Transportation 2035, the current regional plan for the nine Bay Area counties, the Commission announced that it will now … Continue reading
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