Canadian Study Provides Support for New Protected Bike Lane Bill

Last month Gov. Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 819, a bill intended to encourage more communities to implement modern protected bike facilities. The current system actively discourages cities from implementing protected bike lanes and other cycling innovations commonly used in Europe because they are not legally covered by Caltrans’s outdated bike lane standards.

48% of Car Accidents in Los Angeles are Hit and Runs

The statistic really speaks for itself. Nearly half of Los Angeles car accidents, that 20,000 each year, are hit-and-runs.

That is a percentage completely off the charts. In the United States as a whole about 11% of crashes are hit and runs. The Los Angeles numbers are not even within the realm of reasonable.

Muni’s Wage Gap: Pricing Transportation for those Who Need it Most

Muni is considering charging passengers based on income instead of just age.

Existing Muni monthly passes

Type Cost Discount Sales
Muni only adult $64 N/A 55,514
Muni adult with BART $74 -15.63% 28,356
Lifeline pass $32 50% 19,535
Senior pass $22 66% 16,577
Youth pass $22 66% 6,430
Disabled pass $22 66% 7,444

Currently, Muni Passes are priced as seen above, with youth and seniors receiving 66% discounts.

Rules of the Road, Again….

The tragic death of Hailey Ratliff, the 12 year old Novato girl struck and killed while riding her bicycle in October, has local police pleading Bay Area residents to educate themselves on the rules of the road. Here are some basic precautions that EVERY cyclist needs to take:

  1. All cyclists, minors included, must learn and follow the rules of the road.

Woonerven- Walk SF’s Annual Member Party

Walk SF has been working for a more walkable, liveable and safer city all year and now its time to celebrate a job well done and to rally for the volunteers for next year!

Join Walk SF at their  annual member party next Thursday, December 6th.

Motorcycle Safety Classes- JUST DO IT!

In our 3-part article “Motorcycle 101” we blogged about all things motorcycle – tips, laws, gear, buyer’s tricks and time-tested advice. At the very top of our list (well, #3) was a little tid-bit of advice that we cannot help but stress again and again.

Historical Potholes

Half-hidden tracks belonging to the historic San Francisco Belt Railroad create a dangerous obstacle for cyclists along the waterway near Ghiradelli Square . The line, built in 1889, was used to transport cargo from the piers to various locations along the waterfront. In addition, since the line ran from  a tunnel under Fort Mason to the Presidio it was perfect for transporting troops during World War II.

No on Prop. 33- A Victory Repeated Election after Election

Prop. 33 got overshadowed in all of the frenzy surrounding Propositions 30, 32 and 37 these past few months. However, the magnitude of the victory for California drivers that was the defeat of Prop. 33 on Tuesday cannot be overstated.

Proposition 33 was the brainchild of Mercury Insurance founder George Joseph.

Investment Woes…

San Francisco has some tough choices to make about its investment in transportation over the next 30 years. The numbers are clear. Between now and 2040, the region will receive $64 billion in transportation funds. According to the SF Examiner, “$9 billion has already been locked in to projects, including the Central Subway, the Transbay Transit Center and the Doyle Drive rebuild at the Golden Gate Bridge.

SFMTA Revamps its Traffic Calming Program

After putting its Traffic Calming Program on hold for a year, SFMTA has announced that its new, revamped program should be up and running by Spring 2013. The Traffic Calming Program is part of the city’s ‘Livable Streets effort’. The SFMTA began the program over 10 years ago to address citizens’ requests for the implementation of traffic-safety measures in their neighborhoods.