Mission Accomplished! Bike advocates had been lobbying Caltrain for a guaranteed two-bike car capacity ever since the first 'bike bump' occurred. The train San Francisco-San Jose has had a bike-friendly reputation since a 1992 pilot program.
"The regional rail operator (Caltrain) just completed a $300,000 project - six months early - that assures every train in service will have two cars specifically available for bike storage.
The number of bicyclists taking Caltrain has risen steadily in the last several years. Currently, 3,600 of the agency's 40,000 daily riders take their bikes on Caltrain."
Caltrain runs 86 trains daily during the week. Until now, every train had at least one 'bike car' that was also a 'cab car'. The project consisted of retrofitting 10 'trailer' gallery cars. Bombardier train-sets already were guaranteed two bike cars.
"Caltrain's older, (5-step) Gallery-car trains will now be able to carry 80 bikes for each run, while the agency's newer, (low-floor) Bombardier cars will have capacity for 48 bikes. Since most of the agency's trains are comprised of Gallery cars, 70 percent of Caltrain's lines will be able to carry up to 80 bikes."
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has waged a long-running campaign to guarantee the two-car policy by reporting 'bumping' of cyclists due to lack of bike capacity.
Look inside a crowded bike gallery car. All bike cars carry non-biking passengers as well.
Thanks to One Bay Area News Update
FULL STORY: Caltrain boosts bike trains for every line in service
Compromise Reached to Save Caltrain
The saga of the three-county sales tax upon which the future of Caltrain depends is now in the hands of voters.
Plan to Save Caltrain Emerges
Elected officials in San Francisco and Santa Clara counties have produced a counter proposal after killing a proposed sales tax last week.
Caltrain on the Rocks as Sales Tax Measure Fails
Advocates are concerned about the possibility of Caltrain entirely shutting down—less than a year after the commuter rail line seemed positioned for a massive expansion of service.
Opinion: Aging Population, Declining Fertility Requires Long-Term Investments
Faced with the dire consequences of a one-two punch of aging populations and declining birthrates, one writer has suggestions for how policy can help ensure a better future.
The Surprising Oil Tax in the Inflation Reduction Act
President Biden has made reducing gas prices paramount in his administration, so it was likely a surprise to hear a Republican senator last Sunday warn TV viewers that a revived and increased oil fee in the climate bill will increase their gas costs.
The Tide Has Turned Against Open Streets
Once a promising development for advocates pushing for a less car-centric future in cities, the open streets movement has ceded significant ground to cars since the height of the pandemic.
Opinion: Los Angeles Transportation Plan Will Increase Driving
L.A. Metro’s plan to add hundreds of miles of new traffic lanes is projected to increase carbon emissions by 10 million metric tons.
How Extreme Weather Threatens Transit Systems
As weather events become more intense and unpredictable, transit agencies must take steps to protect their aging infrastructure from flooding, storms, and extreme heat.
Federal Rule Would Require Regional Emissions Reduction Targets
A rule shelved during the Trump administration would require states and metropolitan areas to set targets for reducing tailpipe emissions, but advocates say it doesn’t go far enough to mandate results.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Cohousing Association of the US
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Crystal River
Sun City Center Community Association, Inc
City of Mesa
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
