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
Advocates, Supervisors Push for Alternatives to Proposed Muni Service Cuts
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With the MTA proposing deep service cuts to Muni and $5 fares on historic streetcars, transit advocates are concerned about where the city’s transit system is headed. Flickr photo: Thomas Hawk. A proposal to drastically cut Muni service while raising some fares has angered and energized transit riders in advance of Tuesday’s MTA Board meeting, […]
MTA Proposes Cuts to Every Muni Line to Close $16.9 Million Budget Gap
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Flickr photo: Justin.Beck The MTA is proposing broad-ranging service cuts to Muni in order to close a $16.9 million projected budget gap through the end of the fiscal year. The cuts – far greater in scope than the service changes implemented in December – will reduce frequencies on every Muni line and, if they’re approved […]
Mayor Newsom’s State of the City Address Breezes Over Muni
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Mayor Newsom delivers the State of the City address. Image: SFGTV For anyone still looking for bold action from the Mayor to improve the city’s transit system and rescue it from financial calamity, last night’s State of the City speech didn’t offer any hope. The Mayor did apparently defy his staff, though, including Muni briefly […]
Tweak to Market Street Traffic Diversion Pilot Should Benefit Cyclists, Peds
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Click to enlarge. Image courtesy SFMTA. Drivers heading east on Market Street will soon be directed to turn off at 10th Street instead of 8th Street, a refinement intended to improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists on Market. Mayor Newsom and the MTA announced the change today, two and a half months after the launch […]
Muni Rider Profile: Hoi Chong Wong on the T-Third and Stockton Buses
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Photo: Michael Rhodes Hoi Chong Wong can tell you about the commute from 3rd Street in the Bayview to Chinatown or the commute in Guangzhou, China. Though retired now, he’s been making the trip to Chinatown on Muni almost daily since he immigrated to San Francisco in 1997, first on the defunct 15-Third bus line, […]
This Week in Livable Streets Events
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SPUR’s discussion series is back in force this week, with talks ranging from great streets to parking. Across the Bay, this week also holds important opportunities to give input on BRT and help out the local bike coalition. Here are the highlights: Monday: Community Meeting: Oakland BRT. Come to this community meeting to make sure […]
Central Subway Gets Approval to Enter Final Design Phase
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The proposed Union Square Station. Image courtesy SFMTA. The MTA received approval from the Federal Transit Administration on Thursday to enter into Final Design for the Central Subway project. In a letter (PDF) that also echoed concerns from some local transit advocates about the project, the FTA officially approved the MTA’s request to move into […]
LA Road Rage Doctor Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Assaulting Bicyclists
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The bloody aftermath of the crash that Dr. Christopher Thompson was convicted of intentionally causing. Photo: LAist Christopher Thompson – aka the Road Rage Doctor – was sentenced to five years in prison today for intentionally causing a crash that hospitalized two cyclists on Mandeville Canyon Road in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood. Our colleagues at […]
Driver Kills Woman in Crosswalk on Six-Lane, 40 MPH Sloat Blvd
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View Larger Map A 55-year-old San Francisco woman died early this morning at San Francisco General Hospital nearly ten hours after after she was hit by a driver while crossing Sloat Boulevard at Forest View Drive. The 6:23 p.m. crash yesterday occurred as the victim attempted to cross six-lane Sloat Boulevard from the south. Using […]
First Muni/Bike Crash of the Year on Market Street this Morning
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The scene of the crash at Market and Front. Photo: Michael Rhodes The driver of a 9-San Bruno Muni bus struck a male bicyclist from behind on Market at Front Street at 10:40 this morning. The bicyclist was removed from the intersection in an ambulance with "moderate injuries," according to an officer at the scene. […]
Eyes on the Street: A New Sidewalk Emerges on Valencia Street
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On the west side of Valencia between 16th and 17th Streets, a widened but unfinished sidewalk is now open to pedestrians. The original sidewalk and the blacktop will be replaced with shiny new tiles. Photo: Michael Rhodes Business owners on one block of Valencia Street can see the light at the end of the tunnel […]
MTA Board Braces for Budget to Get Worse
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The 44-O’Shaughnessy actually got increased service in December 2009, but future service cuts could leave passengers waiting longer. Photo: Michael Rhodes In case it wasn’t clear before, this week’s MTA Board meeting eliminated any doubt that solving the agency’s $45.1 million mid-year budget deficit – not to mention future budget deficits – won’t be pretty. […]