After an unsuccessful attempt in 2007, the City is at it again, but doing so in stages. Already in use in limited areas like City Hall and public housing projects, Monday's Market Street roll-out creates a nexus between wifi and surface transit.
On Monday, the city officially began "San_Francisco_Free_WiFi" on the city's main transit corridor, Market Street, writes John Coté. It follows Muni's streetcar from Castro Street to the foot of Market Street at San Francisco Bay. [See map in The Castro Biscuit].
Coté writes that "(u)nlike the original citywide proposal [by former Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2007], which collapsed amid political bickering between the mayor and the Board of Supervisors and concerns over a city contract with EarthLink and Google, this network is constructed and owned by the city."
The foundation of the Market Street wi-fi coverage is provided by "fiber-optic cable along Market Street and connections to network equipment set up on traffic lights and other city-owned fixtures."
Unlike the prior attempt where it contracted with private companies, the city set up its own network at a cost of about $500,000 after donations from two Silicon Valley companies.
"It was simpler, faster, better to do it on our own," said Marc Touitou, whom (Mayor Ed) Lee appointed as the city's chief information officer in April. "The quality is higher, with the technical design by the Department of Technology. We wanted high capacity. ... We wanted it to be cool - no strings attached, no ads."
Coté notes that "despite its proximity to Silicon Valley and the city's tech boom, [San Francisco] is not at the top of the network chain domestically. Residents of both Kansas Cities and Provo, Utah, can get on Google's 1-gigabit fiber network, with Austin, Texas, on the way."
Correspondent's note: This post was prepared, with great patience due to a weak connection to "San_Francisco_Free_WiFi", from a bagel shop about 25 feet from Market Street.
FULL STORY: S.F. rolls out 3 miles of free Wi-Fi along Market Street

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie