Unless an agreement between two BART unions and management can be reached, the Bay Area may experience traffic gridlock on Monday if the heavy rail network shuts down, leaving riders in S.F, the East Bay, and Peninsula with considerably fewer options
The Chronicle's transportation reporter, Michael Cabanatuan, writes on what's at stake, and describes efforts to prepare for the looming transit strike, including transit alternatives available for commuters.
The key issues on the table appear to be pay, employee contributions toward pensions [they make none now] and health insurance, rule changes to reduce overtime and safety....
Earlier, Cabanatuan wrote, "While ridership on BART has reached 400,000, generating an operating surplus, the agency has said it needs to trim costs to pay for $16 billion in major system upgrades over the next 10-15 years."
BART management could ask Gov. Jerry Brown to "stop a strike - temporarily - by ordering a 60-day cooling-off period" but they believe a strike could be better endured during the summer than during a busier time of year. "In past BART labor disputes where cooling-off periods were issued, they generally only delayed the conflict for two months rather than leading to resolution", notes Cabanatuan.
Compounding the BART strike is a looming AC Transit strike - the East Bay bus agency's transbay service normally competes with BART. If AC workers don' strike, it will attempt to supplement its transbay service according to their service alert.
The remaining transbay transit options are "ferries between Oakland, Alameda, Vallejo and San Francisco", supplemented with "very limited charter bus shuttles between the West Oakland and Embarcadero stations" operated by BART. A complete list of transit options is available at 511.org.
For San Mateo county BART riders, "a free shuttle between the Colma and Daly City BART stations and Mission Street near the Daly City-San Francisco border where riders can connect to (San Francisco) Muni. Muni also plans to boost service, especially along the Mission Street corridor." According to a Caltrain/Samtrans service alert, Peninsula commuters shouldn't expect increased commuter rail and bus service
FULL STORY: BART strike deadline looms as talks lose momentum

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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.
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions