This health impact assessment informed the development of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Regional Transportation Plan. It focused specifically on transit-dependent populations and the expected health outcomes that may result from changes to bus access as determined by RTP.
San Francisco
Rethinking the parking needs of people with disabilities
Disabled drivers clearly need access to parking spaces near their destinations but do they also need to park for free? A recent article in the magazine Access argues that policies allowing disabled permit holders to park for free and for unlimited time in metered parking spaces create a number of problems without generating significant benefits for disabled people.
Population growth in San Francisco creates challenges for transit
A recent long-term transit strategy proposal by San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) Director Ed Reiskin aims to cut travel times on some bus and light rail routes in half. However, this is far from the first time an idea like this has been proposed and many of the previous efforts involved controversial measures that would reduce the number of transit stops.
The New Real Estate Mantra: Location Near Public Transportation (APTA, National Association of Realtors & CNT, 2013)
This analysis investigates how well residential properties located in proximity to fixed-guideway transit have maintained their value as compared to residential properties without transit access between 2006 and 2011 in five regions. Across the study regions, the transit shed outperformed the region as a whole by 41.6 percent.
Silicon Valley shuttles change the face of public transit in San Francisco
Although the shuttles provided by Silicon Valley companies help alleviate congestion and air quality problems in the Bay Area, they have also created some tension in residential neighborhoods where they pick up employees. Only recently have the routes of these “ghost buses” been mapped. San Francisco transit planners and politicians are working to create rules for the popular shuttles.
Increasing transit ridership: Should we make public transportation “fun” or “useful”?
In order to attract more riders to transit, is it more important for transit to be enjoyable or useful? Two writers debate in competing books and on-line.
Airports eyed as sites for alternative energy production
A recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the FAA, and Mississippi State University examines the use of airports and surrounding areas as ideal locations for the production of alternative energy. Biofuel production and solar arrays seem especially suited to these areas, since they are often open grasslands.
Bike sharing: An on-demand mobility solution
During the National Bike Summit, and the following day at a special session sponsored by FTA and NACTO, local officials and advocates heard about bike sharing best practices, research, funding opportunities, and updates from existing programs.
The Life and Death of Urban Highways (Institute for Transportation & Development Policy and EMBARQ, 2012)
Case studies of cities which have removed elevated urban highways, as well as an examination of why urban highways should be removed. Download the full report.
San Francisco parking meters to adjust costs based on demand
San Francisco’s advanced parking management project, SFPark, is moving forward with its first tweak of parking meter rates. After analyzing parking demand data from the past year, rates are being changed to maximize the utility …