Michael Rhodes
Michael Rhodes is a former reporter for Streetsblog San Francisco. He lives in the Mission Dolores neighborhood and is a graduate of UC Berkeley's Department of City and Regional Planning.
Recent Posts
Muni Operators: Union Didn’t Do Enough to Inform Members About Proposal
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Flickr photo: Anna L Conti In no uncertain terms, Muni operators rejected a proposal yesterday for a package of concessions that would have saved the MTA nearly $15 million over the next two years, while reducing operator layoffs by a third. But the conclusiveness of the vote – 857 in favor, 575 against – masks […]
Elsbernd: Muni Operator Salary Ballot Measure is Back On
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Supervisor Sean Elsbernd. Photo courtesy the City of San Francisco. With the Muni operators union rejecting a concessions proposal last night that would have helped the MTA balance its budget deficit, Supervisor Sean Elsbernd said he now plans to bring back a ballot measure that would end the practice of setting Muni operator wages at […]
Muni Operators Vote to Reject Concessions Proposal
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Muni drivers rejected a concessions proposal today that would have saved dozens of operator jobs while reducing Muni service cuts and fare increases. Members of the Transport Workers Union Local 250A voted down the proposal negotiated between TWU President Irwin Lum, MTA management, and the Mayor. Had the operators accepted the proposal, it would have […]
This Week in Livable Streets Events
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This week is packed with livable streets events: there are seven on Tuesday alone! Be sure to check the Streetsblog calendar for a full list. Here are the week’s highlights: Tuesday: TransForm TransForum: Is a ballot initiative the right way to protect state transit funds? Learn about a proposed statewide ballot initiative that would seek […]
Van Ness Avenue Pedestrian Crashes See Fourfold Increase in 2009
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The mess on Van Ness at California, scene of three pedestrian crashes last year. Photo: Bryan Goebel When the Examiner reported that a double-fine zone on part of Van Ness Avenue had not only failed to reduce crashes, but that crashes had actually increased by 40 percent there in the last year, it raised eyebrows. […]
MTA Board Vote on Service Cuts Pushed Back to February 26
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Heads up, concerned Muni riders: the MTA Board has rescheduled a key meeting from February 16 to Friday, February 26 at 9 a.m. The Board will vote on service cuts and various fare increases at the meeting, so it could be the last chance to speak your mind on Muni service before the MTA moves […]
Stop Spacing Plan on the Back Burner; Will Muni Let a Crisis go to Waste?
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Bringing Muni’s stop spacing in line with its stated policies could mean shorter travel times – and less service reduction. Flickr photo: frankfarm Consolidating Muni stops that are too close to meet the MTA’s own spacing standards could speed up travel times for riders and save the cash-strapped agency millions of dollars annually. But in […]
Campos Sets Sights on MTA Reform through Ballot Box, Audit
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Supervisor David Campos at a recent gathering outside City Hall. Supervisor David Campos will find himself front and center this month in a multiple-front struggle to answer an age-old conundrum: Why doesn’t Muni work better and how can we fix it? Campos has inserted himself into the debate by leading the charge on a charter […]
City Leaders Gather for Central Subway Groundbreaking Ceremony
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Mayor Newsom addresses supporters of the Central Subway. Photo: Michael Rhodes Dozens of local elected officials and community leaders donned their novelty hard hats today for a Central Subway groundbreaking ceremony under the I-80 freeway overpass. Tunneling for the subway won’t start for at least another two years, so a utility relocation project at the […]
Woman Killed on Ocean Avenue by Driver of SF Water Department Truck
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Police investigate the scene where a woman was struck and killed by a PUC truck on Ocean Avenue today. A city employee driving a Water Department truck struck and killed a woman in a crosswalk on Ocean Avenue this afternoon, just minutes before a Muni bus driver in another part of San Francisco struck a […]
SPUR Walking Tour: Tour of Mission Walk: San Francisco’s newest green affordable housing project
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"Mission Walk, the latest addition to Mission Bay North, brings 131 affordable condominium homes to this emerging neighborhood. By providing low- to moderate-income first-time homebuyers an opportunity to purchase (soon-to-be LEED certified) homes priced from $159,000 to $303,000, the project adds to the diversity of new residents on Berry Street. Join Kim Nash, project manager […]
SFBC Phone Banking
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"Got the gift of gab? Volunteer to phone bank with the SFBC! No cold calling, just simple reminders to friendly lapsed SFBC members that their membership is expired. Come share in the fun. The more the merrier! We supply dinner and good company."