Recent Streetsblog SF posts about Transportation Policy

Supervisor Chiu Urges MTC to Invest in Transit Over Freeway Expansion

By Bryan Goebel | Jun 3, 2009 | 11 Comments

Flickr photo: pbo31 In honor of the 50th anniversary of San Francisco’s famous "Freeway Revolt," car-free Board of Supes President David Chiu has introduced a resolution calling on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to reallocate funds for highway expansion and "prioritize investment in public transit maintenance." "This is really to put us on record as saying […]

Only 17 Percent Drive to Downtown SF to Shop, Study Finds

By Matthew Roth | May 27, 2009 | 12 Comments

There’s gold in them thar shoes. Flickr photo: Billy Quach The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (TA) has released a survey of nearly 1400 shoppers in downtown San Francisco that found less than one-fifth drive to shop, and that they spend less money in aggregate than shoppers using other transportation modes (PDF). The study indicates […]

Finding Unused Pavement for Parks and Plazas in Lower Potrero

By Matthew Roth | May 22, 2009 | 12 Comments

Axis Cafe and Wolfe’s Lunch across 8th Street, which could be closed for a pilot pedestrian plaza. Photo: Matthew Roth When Mayor Gavin Newsom dedicated the trial pedestrian plaza at 17th Street and Castro last week, he took a significant stride toward improving his record on livable streets issues. He demonstrated engagement with local community […]

The Long, Ugly Road to a Federal Transportation Plan

By Elana Schor | May 19, 2009 | No Comments

You’ve likely been hearing a lot, on this blog and others, about the coming expiration of the federal transportation bill. Come September 30, Congress has to have a plan in hand to fund the nation’s trains, buses, bikes, bridges and roads — or pass an extension of the 2005 federal bill, locking in the same […]

Where’s Gavin? Likely Campaigning in an Armored SUV

By Matthew Roth | May 15, 2009 | 4 Comments

Mayor Newsom’s ride of choice, via josmith94701 on Flickr Apparently I’m not the only one who got the sneaky suspicion Green Gav doesn’t really take transit or ride a bike unless it makes for good publicity. Yet-to-be identified satirists decided to call Mayor Gavin Newsom’s bluff on the nonsense assertion he (or his handlers) made […]

Governor Schwarzenegger Finds Another Way to Rob Transit

By Damien Newton | May 15, 2009 | No Comments

Photo: Trinity County California Republican Party This morning when I saw the L.A. Times headline about new budget cuts announced by Governor Schwarzenegger, I wasn’t worried. After all, I knew this time there wasn’t anything else he could do to hurt transportation and transit. How much more damage could be done after he abolished state […]

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