Aaron Bialick
Aaron was the editor of Streetsblog San Francisco from January 2012 until October 2015. He joined Streetsblog in 2010 after studying rhetoric and political communication at SF State University and spending a semester in Denmark.
Recent Posts
North Beach Meeting on Sidewalk Bulbs Gets Tense; SFMTA to Paint Demos
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A public meeting in North Beach became tense yesterday as residents and firefighters opposed to basic street safety measures continued to assert that sidewalk bulb-outs are dangerous. To appease skeptics, the SFMTA announced that the bulb-outs planned at four intersections on Columbus Avenue will be tested first by installing painted “safety zones” in August. Construction of concrete […]
Lyft and Uber Won’t Release Data to Shed Light on How They Affect Traffic
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As ride-hail services like Lyft and Uber have boomed in San Francisco and other cities, proponents claim they help reduce demand for parking and road space by making it easier for people to own fewer cars. But very little data has been released by the ride-hail companies that would allow experts to assess their impact on […]
SF Firefighters Take Campaign Against Safe Street Design to North Beach
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At a community meeting about bulb-outs in North Beach tomorrow evening, some residents and firefighters are expected to speak against the curb extensions on the grounds that they make streets more dangerous. As Hoodline has reported, the leadership of the North Beach Neighbors and the SF Fire Fighters Union have drummed up opposition to bulb-outs proposed […]
North Beach Neighborhood Meeting on Bulb-Outs
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From Hoodline: As part of the Columbus Avenue Safety Project, the SFMTA is proposing bulb-outs at four intersections in North Beach, and some neighbors are concerned they’ll slow down response times for emergency vehicles. Others say the bulb-outs will help reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities, as they slow down traffic and improve pedestrian visibility. The North Beach Neighbors group […]
Safer Path Could Help Untangle the “Alemany Maze” Highway Interchange
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The “Alemany Maze,” the deadly Highway 101 and 280 interchange in the southeast city, could get a safer crossing for walking and biking. Funding to study a walking path and bike lanes through the junction was approved this week by the SF County Transportation Authority Board of Directors, comprised of the Board of Supervisors. The study, […]
SFMTA Plans to Install Painted “Safety Zones” at 40 Intersections This Year
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The SFMTA has ramped up its roll-out of painted curb extensions, which the agency calls “safety zones,” at some of the city’s most dangerous corners. Twenty-one have been installed at at least 11 intersections, and the tally should reach 40 intersections by the end of the year, said SFMTA spokesperson Ben Jose. Painted bulb-outs are a low-cost […]
Cars Will Remain on the Crooked Block of Lombard Street Until at Least 2016
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Cars will continue to fill the crooked block of Lombard Street until at least 2016. Although the trial car closures last summer were seen as a success, the gears of city bureaucracy appear to have slowed the momentum for going permanently car-free. It will take until December for the city to issue a report on the restrictions. No timeline […]
The Final Tally Is in From the 22-Day Muni Challenge
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The final score for the 22-Day Muni Challenge is in. Based on the ride tally, about half of SF’s elected officials took seriously their commitment to get the everyday experience of riding Muni. The supervisors who have a record of legislating to improve transit scored well. Tomorrow evening, you can join five of the top Muni-riding supervisors in a celebratory […]
SFMTA Retracts Report of 651% Jump in Bike Traffic on San Jose Avenue
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The SFMTA has retracted its report last week of a 651 percent jump in bicycling on northbound San Jose Avenue after a traffic lane was removed to widen the bike lane. The actual increase in morning peak-hour bike counts was 14 percent, said SFMTA spokesperson Ben Jose. In the evening peak hour, the reported 221 percent was actually […]
San Jose SPUR Forum: Parking Management for Smart Growth
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From SPUR SJ: Image courtesy of Flickr user jjsala. The space devoted to parking in urban and suburban areas is highly contested, with good reason: in the 300 square feet required for a parking space, you could hold 10 bicycles or even a studio apartment. The new book, Parking Management for Smart Growth, explores how […]
Rally to Fund the Downtown Rail Extension to SF’s Transbay Transit Center
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From Friends of Caltrain via Facebook: The “Downtown Extension to Transbay” will connect Caltrain to downtown SF with 3x the amount of jobs as the rest of the line combined. But the plan to fund this critical project is still up in the air. At 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday June 24th there will be a […]
Parking-Protected Bike Lanes, Ped Safety Upgrades Coming to Division at 9th
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Bike lanes on the block of Division Street between 9th and 10th Streets will get some much-needed protection this fall. Earlier this week the SFMTA Board of Directors approved a design that will put people on bikes between the curb and parked cars. The massive 9th and Division intersection will also get safety improvements like large painted curb […]