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
Common Ground and Key Differences in Two Muni Operator Pay Measures
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SPUR Executive Director Gabriel Metcalf gathers signatures for Supervisor Sean Elsbernd’s ballot measure. Photo: Michael Rhodes Depending on how you count it, the sweeping Muni ballot measure that four members of the Board of Supervisors introduced earlier this week has at least six major components, ranging from the governance of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation […]
Despite Public Sparring, Supes and Mayor Move Closer on SFMTA Budget
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SFMTA Board Chairman Tom Nolan spoke before the Board of Supervisors today. Photo: Michael Rhodes The war of words between the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor’s office — with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency in the middle — intensified today, even as the parties appear to be inching towards similar solutions for restoring […]
Transit Advocates Debate the Merits of New Muni Ballot Measure
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Board of Supervisors President David Chiu testifies before the SFMTA Board last year. A new ballot measure would give the Board of Supervisors power to nominate three of the seven SFMTA Board members, and jointly appoint one with the Mayor. Photo: Bryan Goebel The ink has barely dried on the first public draft of a […]
Supes Introduce Measure Aiming to Bring Accountability and Money to Muni
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The first day of a 10 percent service cut on May 12. Muni riders will have more to ponder at the platform with a new reform measure on the November ballot. Photo: Michael Rhodes Four members of the Board of Supervisors introduced a ballot measure [PDF] today that would bring sweeping changes to the San […]
Planning Commission Upholds Market/Octavia Parking Limits in Key Test
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A rendering of the proposed mixed-use development at 555 Fulton Street. Image: San Francisco Planning Department. In a major test of the Market and Octavia Area Plan and of the city’s parking policy, the Planning Commission unanimously rejected a developer’s request last week for far more parking than is allowed, even with a conditional use […]
This Week in Livable Streets Events
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Sunday Streets is back to the waterfront after a one month break. Plus, traffic engineer Jack Fleck will start the week with a history of major changes to the city’s streets. Here are the highlights from the Streetsblog calendar: Tuesday: SPUR Lunchtime Forum: Cars in the city: A conversation with traffic engineer Jack Fleck. SFMTA […]
Driver Strikes Cyclist at Fell and Masonic
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A Ford Focus ZXW station wagon involved in a crash at Fell and Masonic today. Photos: Jim Herd/SF Citizen A driver struck and apparently injured a bicyclist at the intersection of Fell and Masonic this afternoon. Details of the crash, including the extent of the bicyclist’s injuries, are still emerging, but photos of the crash […]
Supervisors Prepared to Reject SFMTA Budget if Muni Service Cuts Stay
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Recent service frequency reductions have left Muni riders waiting longer for buses — especially late at night. Flickr photo: Thomas Hawk Five days after Muni enacted the largest service frequency cut in its history, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors took up a budget discussion that could determine how long those cuts last. At a […]
SFMTA Suspends Muni Fare Inspection Stings
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SFMTA transit fare inspectors. Flickr photo: Troy Holden The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has announced an abrupt change to its Muni fare enforcement program. Starting immediately, transit fare inspectors (TFIs) and the San Francisco Police Department will suspend high-profile "saturation" stings in which groups of TFIs and uniformed police officers descend on buses in […]
Board of Supervisors to Discuss SFMTA Budget and Audit Today
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Muni will be center stage at City Hall today. Photo: Michael Rhodes Heads up, Muni riders and supporters: the Board of Supervisors will be taking the first step towards approving or rejecting the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s two-year budget today at its Budget & Finance Committee meeting. Follow Streetsblog SF’s Twitter feed for news […]
Many Recommendations, Few Surprises in SFMTA Management Audit
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SFMTA Executive Director Nat Ford, SFMTA Board Chairman Tom Nolan, and SFMTA Board member Jerry Lee discuss the results of an SFMTA management audit. Photos: Michael Rhodes The results of a Muni management audit are out, and its 22 recommendations have set off a discussion about the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s governance and labor […]
SFMTA Management Audit Released
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Supervisors David Campos, David Chiu, and Ross Mirkarimi discuss the management audit at a press conference today. Photo: Michael Rhodes San Francisco Budget and Legislative Analyst Harvey Rose has published the results of a limited-scope management audit [PDF] of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which includes 22 recommendations that could save the agency a […]