BOS Hail Mary to Save Muni by Rejecting its Budget

As promised, here's more from Paul Hogarth about another attempt by the Board of Supervisors to reject Muni's badly flawed budget.

David Chiu may have cut a deal with the Mayor’s Office on the MTA budget, but the Full Board never actually voted to accept it. All they did at the May 12th meeting – by a 6-5 vote – was to “table” Chiu’s motion to reject the MTA budget, but the City Charter still gives them until May 31st to act. -Paul Hogarth (via Beyond Chron)

Yesterday the Budget Committee (John Avalos, Ross Mirkarimi, Carmen Chu, David Campos, Bevan Dufty - B Duft and C Chu dissenting) voted to send the Muni budget to the full Board with a recommendation to reject it. Bryan Goebel of Streetsblog reports that the Board will take the matter up at its next meeting on Tuesday.

Similar results can be expected from repeating this process unless David Chiu and Sophie Maxwell see the error of their ways. One wonders how feasible it would be to plaster Muni buses and shelters with posters saying "Fares will go up to $2 unless you call David Chiu (554-7450) and Sophie Maxwell (554-7670)"

Castro Pedestrian Plaza is Go!

Just caught this photo on Streetsblog SF's Flickr pool.

More than just planters and chairs, the temporary pedestrian plaza at 17th and Market Streets will be (or is now, I should say) defined by yellow paint. Color and texture differences on the asphalt in similar trial plazas in New York - on which this space is modeled - have proven surprisingly successful in delineating the plazas as safe pedestrian space.

Streetsblog reports that the plaza will officially open on Wednesday morning with a press conference with our Spokesmayor. It's on our Important Dates in the sidebar in case you want to attend.

Sunday Streets, April 2009

After walking over seven highly enjoyable miles along a street crowded with pedestrians, joggers, bi-, tri- and multi-cyclists (where my unicyclists at?), skateboarders and scooter-ers, parents and children, I'd be shocked if anyone tried to describe Sunday Streets as anything but a huge success.



Running this year's first installment of SF's version of the ciclovia down the Embarcadero from the ballpark to Fisherman's Wharf was a smart move. I heard many people, particularly along the more crowded stretch North of the Ferry Building, remark with pleasant surprise on the event, which they clearly hadn't yet heard of. These folks are in luck - there are five more Sunday Streets events left, one per month until September.

Before leaving my house I was worried that the chilly air would dampen turnout for the event. When I arrived at 3rd and King there was a fairly small crowd entering the closed Northbound lanes from this endpoint. But as I walked along the sun-soaked boulevard toward the Ferry building the crowd grew denser.

It was a bit of a trip to walk lazily in the center of San Francisco's breathtaking waterfront boulevard. One certainly doesn't get many chances to pass under those Canary Island Date Palms, right up against the demonstration runs of the proposed E-Embarcadero line.

By the time I passed under the Bay Bridge (an amazing public space in its own outsized way) the street was full of everything-but-cars. And once I passed the Ferry Building the crowd was noticeably thick with BART riders, tourists and farmers market-goers.

It was remarkable how many kids were out with their parents. Most of these kids were on big wheels, trikes, and tiny bikes with training wheels. These kids were using this new civic resource to learn how to ride their bikes, a rite of passage that cul-de-sac dwellers take for granted.

Once I got to the wharf the crowd of San Franciscans speaking at least three different languages was impressive. I'll let the wharf businesses' receipts speak for themselves, but if I was a business owner I would be thrilled to have such a parade of recreators at my doorstep.

There was the Dolores Park boombox-bike guy (who I learned today through Streetsblog SF is SF Bicycle Coalition Board Member Amandeep Jawa). As he progressed through the route this betricycled pied piper attracted quite a crowd of cyclists behnd him.

There was also the FunCycle, a ring of pedalers who also had a speaker setup complete with disco ball. When I passed them at the Ferry Building on my return trip, they were stopped, singing karaoke-style along with the song that was playing - they tweaked the words to match a Sunday Streets theme (see photo in the slideshow above).

The only downside to the morning came after leaving the closed-off route. As I walked through South Beach/SoMa I encountered three bicyclists on the sidewalk (one per block). I happen to work in the area and I can attest that this is a fairly common occurrence along SoMa's narrow sidewalks. As a pedestrian I recognize the natural alliance between bicyclists and pedestrians, but it's unfortunate that so many (any is too many, IMHO) cyclists choose to alienate the most vulnerable road users by speeding through the only protected pedestrian space.

It was a regrettable ending to an incredibly encouraging day.

The next Sunday Streets event will be through the Bayview neighborhood. The route has yet to be announced, but it will likely follow a similar path to last year's alignment.

What is a Liveable Street?

Carly Clark and Aaron Naparstek of the Liveable Sreets Initiative (the folks behind Streetsblog) have a great piece in Good magazine that eloquently explains the concept of a complete street.

SF's First Shared Street

Streetsblog SF reports that the Planning Department's City Design Group has released its draft plan for a shared street, or woonerf along Jefferson Street at Fisherman's Wharf. I look forward to seeing this work.

The price tag of $10-12 million sounds steep, and I'm right there with the rest of the SB commenters dreaming about what that money could do in my hood. But I'm hoping that price tag means that they're investing in doing it right.

Successful pedestrian spaces can (and should) be created on the cheap, but you very often get what you pay for when it comes to investing in infrastructure. Concrete pavers and plastic planters cost less that stone and steel, but they don't last as long. We can still appreciate the investments in quality materials that were made a century ago and if the high price of this project goes toward that end, I'm cool with that.

Go To the Geary BRT Meeting Next Thursday!

Streetsblog SF commenter "chinagirl" alerts us to the next Citizens Advisory meeting for Geary BRT on Thursday, February 26 at 6 pm at the Transit Authority's HQ, 100 Van Ness Floor 26.

A second critical item that may come up is considering making Geary a two-way street downtown, reverting to the pre-1970 layout with 2-way Geary and Sutter Streets --chinagirl

Since this increases transit access, improves the corridor, and makes a one-way speedway back into a two way street, I say get out there and make it happen! Chinagirl says

Please come to the Geary BRT meeting next Thursday to show support for the TA and encourage their talented staff to create a true Great Street, from Market to the Ocean, one that will be a pleasure for bus riders, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Word.

Update on Velib bike sharing

Following up on the BBC article that struck fear in the hearts of bike-share supporters everywhere, Streetsblog has a piece today aimed at countering the bad press.

The BBC's portrayal of a mortal threat, they say, is best understood as a negotiating ploy on the part of JCDecaux. (Note that the JCDecaux representative is the only source quoted in that story.) -Streetsblog.org

Duly noted. The article sure was a shocking departure from the normally rosy picture of Vélib we tend to see. And it's the oldest play in the book for a company involved in a "public-private partnership" to manipulate the media in order to squeeze more blood from the government turnip. So it's refreshing to hear that even though the road bike lane is a little bumpy, the city of Paris and the public as a whole still support the system (which was labeled a "scheme" by the BBC).

"Vélib has been totally embraced by Mayor Bertrand Delanoe himself," said Nadal. What politician wouldn't jump at the chance to be identified with a program that enjoys 94 percent satisfaction among constituents? -Streetsblog.org

But I doubt this media battle is over. An anonymous commenter identifying him- or herself only as J wants SB to know that, if I may paraphrase, 'Nah-ah!'

And I remain worried that this "negotiating ploy" will taint the political environment here in San Francisco. Lord knows our current administration never met a public-private partnership it didn't like. And past experience makes me doubt Newsom and the Comical will have the backbone (or the inclination) to look past the "help, the sky will fall unless you give ClearChannel more money" message that we'll likely hear if JCDecaux's message sticks.

San Franciscans who want to see bike sharing succeed here need to make sure everybody knows that it is succeeding in Paris (80,000 daily users show that there's a demand for such programs). And we need to make sure that our program isn't doomed from the start by ignoring the lessons of Vélib.

Connecting the Dots

Streetsblog SF continued today to earn its developing reputation as a leading champion of livable streets and catalyst for change in the city. Three articles on pedestrian issues in a row illustrate the problems we deal with and offer opportunities to make change for the better.

San Francisco Increasingly Dangerous for Pedestrians:
First in a series of stories focusing on ped safety in SF. Author Janel Sterbentz draws the connection between our most poorly-designed streets and a higher level of vehicle-pedestrian collisions. The map at right shows that pedestrians are more at risk along wide, multi-lane streets, especially one-way streets. Anybody who is in the habit of walking around this town can attest to the vulnerability of pedestrians along streets, like those South of Market, that have been designed to act like freeways.

MTA Board Agrees to Consider Studying Central Freeway Alternatives:
Hallelujah! This thing should never have been allowed to survive the turn-of-this-century demolition of its Northern segment. News that there is the world's slightest chance it may come down in my lifetime is exciting and unexpected. According to SB the MTA has agreed to consider studying alternatives to the godawful monstrosity as part of it's upcoming Eastern Neighborhoods Transportation Implementation Planning Study. It's far from a done deal, but thanks to Livable City executive director, elected BART board member and apparent superman Tom Radulovich it's one step closer.

The Great Streets Campaign Needs a Leader:
Wanted: SF's version of NYC DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan; someone who will aggressively push for more complete streets and full compliance with City Charter Section 8A.115, our "Transit First" policy. Specifically, there's a job in it for you heading the SF Bicycle Coalition's new initiative, "The Great Streets Campaign."

Strong leadership from this campaign director and our elected officials, with even stronger support from the community and livable streets activists everywhere could bring about the removal of those elements of our streetscape that make SF the 4th most dangerous major city in the US for pedestrians, per capita. Yes we can!

I'm Not 100% Sure This Isn't Science Fiction

Streetsblog LA has this post featuring what I can only assume is technology from the future that fell through a black hole and landed in Japan.



Wow! This gigantic bike vending machine/locker can apparently store up to 144 bikes underground, then give you access to yours within 10 seconds! I can see new high rises adding these to their basements for a relatively minor cost, as they're excavating the foundation anyway.

I'd also love to see BART stations incorporate something like this into new development on their parking lots, such as at Ashby and MacArthur stations.

Visit Streetsblog LA to see a diagram of the whole contraption.

Excellent Feature on LOS Reform

LOS stands for Level Of Service. It's a metric that transportation and environmental planners use to evaluate the impact of new construction under CEQA (the California Environmental Quality Act). But it's a bad one, and LOS reform has become a buzzword among local transportation equity activists. I first heard about it from the SF Bay Guardian's Stephen T. Jones, and it's been gaining visibility as the transit advocacy community has diversified and become more robust in the Bay Area.

Well, Streetsblog has a great three-part feature post summarizing the history of this 'tool,' its faults, and options for abolishing it in the future. Check it out:

Paradise LOSt (Part I): How Long Will the City Keep Us Stuck in Our Cars?
Paradise LOSt (Part II): Turning Automobility on Its Head
Paradise LOSt (Part III): California’s Revolutionary Plan to Overhaul Transportation Analysis

OMG Transit Porn!

Say hello to Miss January 2009: Bombardier’s new PRIMOVE Catenary-Free Technology. Look! Her induction coils are showing!

This innovation uses the magnetic field of an underground power line to send power to an electric streetcar. Seriously, wireless streetcars! Maybe this is destined to fit a rare niche in places where overhead wires can't be excused, but even if so it means more places where good rail transit can be added. Which is great.

Streesblog SF wonders if we'll ever see new technology like this with a Muni worm on the side, but I'm optimistic. If for no other reason, our Breda cars won't last forever and something will have to replace them. Assuming no change in the status quo, however, whatever that is will very likely have most of the same drawbacks as the current rolling stock. The JKLMN (Jack Lemmon?) lines all run through the Market Street Tunnel, which has high boarding platforms, and then later on surface streets with curb-height stops. That means Muni needs cars that can do that screechy stair-lowering thing to run on thos lines. That's custom, and custom is expensive.

The T-Third, however, will eventually run through its own tunnel below 4th and Stockton Streets. It could have been built to run modern low-floor trains, but instead it was built with high platforms on the street. I (and people who are smarter and cooler than I) think this was a mistake, but what's done is done.

But I'm a dreamer, and I think we will lay down new rail someday. When we do, I hope all technology options are considered. There's a benefit of flexibility to having all of your LRVs be able to run on any of your track, but there can be costs for that flexibility. On the other hand, it might make sense to build new rail lines down Geary, Van Ness, 19th Ave or what have you with technology that makes sense for those lines, even if it can never run through the Market Street Tunnel. With the growing transit advocacy community here in the Bay Area, I think there's a good chance that might just happen.

</polyanna>

Brilliant Idea to Memorialize Fallen Pedestrians and Improve Safety Through Visibility

Streetsblog LA tips us off to the work of activists in Portugal who, frustrated by the number of deaths-by-car, have come up with a brilliant way to leave a memorial to the victims, raise awareness of the issue and improve crosswalk visibility on Lisbon streets:


Spray paint on the street is likely all too impermanent, but I love this idea and would be happy to see it spread to San Francisco and other cities! Perhaps in conjunction with memorial signs like these.

Sidewalks Are For Everyone

News from Streetsblog SF about the LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired's current campaign against sidewalk parking, Sidewalks are for Everyone (SAFE).

The aim of SAFE is to discourage sidewalk parking not punishing them through enforcement measures, but by gently but pointedly reminding drivers of the consequences of their actions. I hope it works, and I commend them for making the effort.

As I type this, however, my freaking jaw is on the floor:

SFPD Sergeant Steve Quon of the Taraval Station said he's not inclined to enforce sidewalk parking, except in instances where there are significant complaints. "There are so many cars on the sidewalk on 19th Avenue, if we cited one, we'd have to cite all of them. That's a lot of citations. There's not a lot of pedestrian traffic on 19th. As you can see, there's nobody on it right now."

When it was suggested he's missing out on a lot of fine revenue, he replied: "We don't look at it that way. We can't look at it from a money factor, because it doesn't really go into our pockets. We don't get a percentage or anything." (Streetsblog SF)

My first thought is that nobody walks on 19th Avenue because there's no enforcement of parking and traffic violations. I'd have to be insane to walk on a sidewalk dotted with parked cars, along a street with one of the highest pedestrian injury and death rates in the city! Any talk of improving the situation along 19th Ave is useless if we won't even make the most bare minimum effort to enforce violations.

And the inference that PCOs have no interest in enforcing the law because they don't get a cut of the fines... what?! I'm speechless.

SFMTA spokesman Judson True assured Streetsblog San Francisco managers at the Department of Parking and Traffic (DPT) have told their employees to enforce any instance of sidewalk parking they encounter. (Streetsblog SF)

This runs counter to both Sgt Quon's statement above and to my own experience. More that once I have called the DPT hotline and reported a sidewalk parker, only to have nobody show up to cite the offender. I can go onto everyblock.com to see the resolution of my report, and read with my own eyes that no action was taken. If you like, you can stand on the sidewalk in front of your house on street sweeping day and watch the PCOs ticket cars parked on the street and ignore those on the sidewalk. They are clearlty not enforcing "any instance of sidewalk parking they encounter." Not even the low-hanging ones.

One more reason to look forward to January

One of the best sources of livable streets news out there, NYC-based Streetsblog, is adding a third outlet to its expanding network - one I personally could not be happier about.

Streetsblog San Francisco will join the New York and LA chapters next month. This will give the Bay Area some of the best progressive transportation journalism in the world. Other well-renown local blogs include The Overhead Wire and Transbay Blog.