The Case for High Speed Rail in California

graphic: Sacramento Bee

There was an excellent article in the Sacramento Bee showing an example of how California's population centers make it ripe for investment in regional rapid transit.

Share-gating 101, Bring Your Own Hot Dogs

Share-gating.  The new way to get around the MUNI bike ban. (via WigglyGiggle)

Bike Share Flashmob Spin Class

A London spin class seized the opportunity for an outdoor, early morning workout; courtesy of London's bike-share program.

Bicyclists Included in New Cell Phone Ban Bill

State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) courtesy LA Times

Bicyclists across California may soon find themselves $20-$50 poorer if cited for using a cell phone while operating a bicycle under proposed legislation that increases the fines associated with driving while using a cell phone. The portion of the bills language that includes bicycles has been left out until now.  Sponsored by State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto), the bill also stiffens fines for automobile drivers from $309 for a first offense, to $509 and an added point on the drivers' record.
The bill was successfully passed on a 24-12 vote and will be sent to the Assembly for further deliberation.
This author would next like to see bicycles included on the list of vehicles subject to red-light camera enforcement.  Drivers can injure bicyclists and pedestrians while distracted, and bicycles not following the rules of the road pose a threat to pedestrians, whether they like to believe it or not.  A 40lb bicycle with a 150lb operator traveling at 15 MPH can do significant harm to a pedestrian crossing its' path traveling at 2 MPH.  The numbers don't lie.  Let's all do our part to ensure safety for all on our streets.

Caltrain Sustains, Balboa Park Blossoms and SFPark Debuts

Caltrain secures the $3 million in funds needed to prevent the closure of three stations and up to 10 trips per day from current Caltrain service to the South Bay.  In an interview for the San Jose Mercury News, the mayor of San Carlos said, "I have been led to believe there is a mechanism that will be presented on Thursday that will allow us to close the gap and keep the schedule, and I put it as likely the board will pass it."
                                                        
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Walkway on north side (Before)

The elevated pedestrian connection between Ocean Avenue and the Balboa Park BART Station opened this week to the relief of City College students and locals.  The old connection was immediately adjacent to tracks for the MUNI K and J-trains, had poor lighting, often flooded during wet periods and has been the scene of many robberies. The barricades separating the path from the tracks were only put up recently during the construction period.

New walkway at right, with old walkway along left

The new walkway has new lighting, at-grade street transitions, and makes travel safer from Ocean to Geneva along I-280.  It has also allowed BART to provide a new handicapped accessible entry into the station. The old walkway will be closed at Ocean and will only be accessible to handicapped riders via the access ramp shown middle left.
                                                 
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Video - The Future of Parking Technology


SFpark Overview from SFpark on Vimeo.