Should Bay Area carpool lanes be enforced 24/7?
Carpool lanes are an essential part of the Bay Area’s transportation infrastructure, designed to encourage carpooling, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. As the population continues to grow... Read More
Why police should pay more attention to bicycle safety
On Feb 23, a 9-year-old girl riding a bicycle in San Jose was injured in an auto collision. A few weeks later, the same thing happened to an 11-year-old... Read More
Casual carpool continues to thrive despite lack of resources
While the Bay Area is known for its ride-hailing transportation startups, a low-tech casual carpool system has continued to thrive into its fourth decade. Read More
Will Bluegogo compete for the Bay Area’s bike share market?
As Bay Area Bike Share inches toward a tenfold expansion by 2018, a new Chinese bike share company, Bluegogo, may try to beat it to the streets. Read More
Protected intersections arrive in the Bay Area
These innovative Dutch-inspired designs (amongst the first dozen built in the U.S.) seek to maintain physical separation between drivers and bicyclists through an intersection. Read More
BART surprises commuters with sudden holiday service cuts
Commuters working between Christmas and New Years were surprised to encounter sudden cuts in BART service this week. Read More
Oakland’s inequitable and ineffective free holiday parking persists
Parking can be a sensitive issue in most cities, and Oakland is no different... Read More
Will Bay Area Bike Share underperform expectations in the East Bay?
After several years of anticipation, the expansion of Bay Area Bike Share (recently rebranded as Ford GoBike) from 700 to 7,000 bikes will finally commence Spring 2017... Read More
“Bay Bridge Forward” to add much-needed capacity to Transbay commute
Facing crush-load BART trains, packed buses and ferries, and congested freeways, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission recently approved $40 million in near-term capacity relief. The “Bay Bridge Forward” program seeks... Read More
Why is BART in the long-term airport parking business?
As BART’s ridership has surged over the past five years, the system has developed a shortage of station parking. On a typical weekday, many of BART’s lots fill up... Read More
7 years after cuts, restoration of off-peak BART service remains distant
Seven years ago in the midst of the Great Recession, BART significantly cut evening and Sunday service in an effort to balance its budget. Prior to cutting service, BART... Read More
After a momentous Bike to Work Day, more complete streets projects on the way
Last week’s Bike to Work day was one of the most significant in the event’s 22 year history in the East Bay. Four ribbon cuttings occurred in the cities... Read More
BART’s bond measure: aiming too low?
Over the past few weeks, BART and Los Angeles’ Metro have each made big headlines, albeit for very different reasons. In the Bay Area, BART’s ongoing mechanical problems are... Read More
Where should a second Transbay Tube go?
There is a growing consensus that building a second Transbay Tube is critical to the Bay Area’s future. Transbay ridership has skyrocketed in recent years – MTC’s ongoing Core... Read More
Downtown Oakland needs accessible & walkable public spaces
What kinds of open spaces does Oakland need? The City recently posed this question via Twitter as a part of its ongoing Downtown Specific Plan efforts. The Downtown Plan... Read More
Increased commuter benefits a boon for Bay Area commuters
Transit riders across the country received a big boost in commuter benefits thanks to Congress’ new spending bill. The bill increased pre-tax transit benefits to $255 per month, matching... Read More
Support TransForm on ‘Giving Tuesday’
Today is “Giving Tuesday.” It might not generate the same amount of fanfare as Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but for the past three years, Giving Tuesday has... Read More
BART closures highlight need for BART-Transbay Terminal connection
BART’s recent weekend closures of the Transbay Tube were happily uneventful: thanks to advanced warning and frequent replacement “bus bridge” service, the closure did not appear to significantly increase... Read More
Bay Bridge contraflow bus lane and bike/ped path should be considered together
Over the past few months, a proposal to build a contraflow bus lane on the Bay Bridge has gained momentum among key transportation agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation... Read More
Uptown Oakland bike station opens: when will infrastructure catch up?
At long last, the Uptown Bike Station opened this week adjacent to BART’s 19th Street Station. The Bike Station offers free, secure bike parking between the hours of 7... Read More
Illegally parked cars clogging new Oakland bike lanes
A striking video was posted to the Bike East Bay Facebook page on Tuesday depicting illegally parked cars clogging Oakland’s new buffered bike lane along Broadway. The video, submitted... Read More
Oaklavia highlights need for better bicycle infrastructure around Lake Merritt
Oakland recently hosted Oaklavia, an open streets event that invites people to walk, bike, dance, play, and socialize in the streets. It’s a terrific, if underappreciated event... Read More
Buy a bike, get a helmet: now through August 31st at select local bike shops
Starting Monday, August 18th, we’re partnering with five local bike shops to promote safety and provide free helmets with every kid’s bike sold. Bike safety is a cause that’s... Read More
East Bay Greenway construction delayed
Construction on the much-anticipated first segment of the East Bay Greenway has stalled due to delays from unexpected levels of soil contamination. The 0.5 mile, $3.56 million project was... Read More
Five major bike gaps in the Bay Area
As Bay Area cities redesign their streets to better accommodate safe bicycling, key gaps in the region’s infrastructure become ever more apparent. Much of the growth in bicycling over... Read More
Cyclist faces felony vehicular manslaughter charge after killing 71-year-old pedestrian
Although the widely reported accident took place almost a year ago, the San Francisco cyclist who collided with 71-year-old Sutchi Hui on March 29, 2012 has recently been order... Read More
Help TransForm reach their fundraising goal before the end of the year
With the end of the year fast approaching, our friends at TransForm are trying to set themselves up for success in 2013 by raising $75,000 to help them continue... Read More
Bridgestone’s ‘Teens Drive Smart’ campaign is stopping in Alameda this weekend
This weekend, Bridgestone’s “Teens Drive Smart” campaign will be at the Alameda Point Naval Air Station on Saturday, September 22nd and Sunday, September 23rd. The free half-day program is... Read More
Making the bike a family vehicle
Behold, the bicycle minivan. Last week the Bay Citizen featured an article on how some San Francisco parents are opting to make the bike a family vehicle. The article... Read More
Concerns from motorists surround San Jose’s bike friendly plans
The seemingly unending war between motorists and cyclists had a bit more fuel thrown on the fire this week thanks to some vocal San Jose residents objecting to plans... Read More
Poor condition of Bay Area roads often contribute to deadly accidents
Reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that between 2001 and 2010 nearly 70 people were killed in Bay Area car crashes resulting from problems with... Read More
San Francisco ponders mileage based tax for drivers
In a move that’s sure to raise privacy concerns and spark paranoia among Bay Area residents, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission is exploring the idea of implementing a mileage based... Read More
Cyclists allowed to bring bikes on the BART all day on Fridays during August
Starting next week, a new pilot program will allow riders to bring bikes on the BART all day on Friday’s during the month of August. The normal blackout times... Read More
Napa and Sonoma lead Bay Area counties in traffic fatality rate
According to new federal statistics, Napa and Sonoma have the highest traffic fatality rates of any Bay Area counties. However, due to the massive amount of tourism and the... Read More
Bright green bike lanes help increase driver awareness of cyclists, boost biker safety
With bright green bike lanes spreading across the Bay Area, the hope is that even the most oblivious drivers should start to take notice. The freshly painted bike lanes... Read More
San Francisco’s new electric bikeshare program hopes to make cycling more accessible
When it comes to cycling in San Francisco, one of the biggest barriers is the hilly terrain. Now, a new pilot program is looking to eliminate that hurdle by... Read More
The number of San Francisco cyclists continues to rise
The Alliance for Biking and Walking released their 2012 benchmarking report, and with 10% of San Francisco’s commuters doing so on foot and another 2.8% opting to cycle, the... Read More
Contra Costa County Named Most Dangerous for Bay Area Bike Accidents
Since The Bay Citizen began publishing local news little more than a year ago, their Bike Accident Tracker app has been one of my favorite features. First, the app... Read More
PG&E Fined “Chump Change” Following San Bruno Pipeline Explosion
The California Public Utilities Commission fined PG&E $6 million last week for September’s devastating pipeline explosion, which many consumer advocates and San Bruno representatives call a major win for... Read More
Legal Aid Clinics Spared in Obama’s Proposed Budget Cuts
Due to the ever-dwindling coffers of legal aid clinics over the past decade, and the “everything must go” approach to the national budget this year, most observers expected the... Read More
Proposed Bay Area Trail Could Improve Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety
One of the main goals of smart urban development is to grow within the existing confines of a city rather than expanding outwards. That’s what Alameda County’s transportation agency... Read More
Good & Bad News for Bay Area Car Accidents Over Thanksgiving Weekend
As I wrote last week, holiday weekends inevitably carry an increased risk of car accidents and other holiday-related injuries. While this holds true for 2010, there were fortunately no... Read More
Bay Area Hospitals Fined For Personal Injury, Wrongful Death Safety Issues
On Thursday, California health officials cited a set of California hospitals for failing to adhere to safety standards. Two Bay Area establishments, Marin General Hospital and Alameda County Medical... Read More