In a distant and expensive future, there are two new ways to get across the San Francisco Bay without a car. One will have a much better view.

"Long the holy grail for cycling advocates in the Bay Area — a bike and pedestrian path spanning the entire length of the Bay Bridge, offering unparalleled views of San Francisco and a carbon-free alternative to soul-sucking traffic — has, for decades, remained tantalizingly out of reach," writes Erin Baldassari.
That holy grail is one step closer to becoming a reality, however, after the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, a regional planning agency spanning nine Bay Area counties, revealed a new study of the Bay Bridge West Span Bike Path last week.
The recent report narrows down six design alternatives created and presented to the public in 2016 to a preferred design alternative. According to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission website set up to promote the project, "[the preferred design alternative] features an alignment running along the north side of the West Span with a touchdown in San Francisco at Essex Street (parallel to First and Second streets, between Folsom to the north and Harrison to the south). The recommendation for the Yerba Buena Island connection joins the East Span path via Southgate Road along the east side of Hillcrest Road. The path would share architectural features will the East Span path, providing continuity of experience along the entire crossing."
According to Bladessari, the new report is the closest regional planners have come to "understanding the full magnitude of construction and its associated costs" (which, by the way, are estimated at $341 million to nearly $429 million).
But wait, there's more non-automotive transportation planning news from the Bay Area: BART has also announced a new planning process for a second transbay tube
Adam Bronklow reports: "The possibility of a second tube—BART’s official announcement suggests that 'tube' may not be the correct term for whatever the agency ends up building, instead stressing the term 'second crossing'—has floated around the Bay Area for decades, but this is the first time BART appears to be planning concrete measures for it."
The BART website set up to promote the planning process includes a list of opportunities and objectives for the project. Among the objectives, the ability to double BART bay crossing capacity.
Brinklow's coverage provides context of the growing popular and political support for the crossing.
FULL STORY: Bay Bridge bike path on west span would offer ‘breathtaking views’ — and a huge price tag

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

Norman, Oklahoma Eliminates Parking Mandates
The city made a subtle, one-word change that frees up developers to build parking based on actual need and eliminates costly unnecessary parking.

Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.

Nashville Opens First Permanent Parklet
The city recently created a parklet permit process designed to help local businesses replace street parking with interactive public spaces.

When it Comes to Transportation, It’s All About Options
Debunking the notion of the personal automobile as liberator.

Prioritizing Equity in Federal Transit Funding
TransitCenter recommends several transit capital projects deserving of federal transportation dollars.
City of Grand Junction Police Department
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Montrose County
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.