California
California Ushers in New Rail Age
A new rail age is dawning in California, thanks to high-speed rail; BART's impending "fleet of the future"; and more, says Projjal Dutta, director of sustainability at NYC's MTA. If successful, this will mean a major reduction of car use and sprawl.
Bay Area Bike Share Prepares for August 29 Launch
Dwarfed by its city counterparts, the Bay Area's 1,000 bikes will cover a larger region (5 cities in 3 counties) with fewer bikes, many placed at key transit nodes. It also distinguishes itself by being a 'pilot program' with multiple public owners.
Schedule Slippage Casts Doubts on CA High-Speed Rail
With fantasies of a Hyperloop suddenly offering a tantalizing, albeit far-fetched, alternative to the $68-billion project, CA's high-speed rail has apparently encountered more schedule slippage. The delay could cause more obstacles for the project.
Hyperloop = Hyperlame?
Last week we looked at the dangers of focusing on transportation fantasies. But alas, entrepreneur Elon Musk's vision for a "fifth form" of transportation is here and we just can't help ourselves.
Controversial Projects Reveal Faults in L.A.'s Seismic Safety Review
Recent controversies surrounding large-scale projects in Hollywood approved without comprehensive seismic evaluations reveal gaps between California construction laws and the City of Los Angeles's ability to enforce them.
Death By Auto: Are They Always Accidents?
Sarah Goodyear describes the greater implications of the carnage caused by a motorist intent on mowing down as many pedestrians as possible on the Venice boardwalk in L.A. on August 03. It wasn't the first time a car caused mayhem in a public space.
Study Details SFpark's Surprising Results
The preliminary results are in for America's most ambitious experiment in demand-based parking pricing. Among the surprises: the average price at the spaces participating in San Francisco's pioneering program actually declined by 1 percent.
L.A. County Dealt Another Defeat in Storm Water Cleanup Case
After the U.S. Supreme Court sent a long-running lawsuit over pollution in the Los Angeles and San Gabriel rivers back to a lower court, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that L.A. County is liable for high pollution levels in the rivers.
Lessons for Building a Better City After a Devastating Disaster
With climate change producing more extreme weather, the likelihood of a natural disaster impacting the world's cities is on the rise. New members of the 'disaster club' can look to these three places for lessons for turning tragedy into opportunity.
Feds Withholding $2 Billion in Funding for CA Transit
The U.S Department of Labor is holding up the distribution of billions of dollars in transit funding destined for San Diego, Sacramento, Los Angeles and other California cities due to a new state pension law's impact on transit workers.
Libertarian Foundation Uses CEQA to Litigate 'Plan Bay Area'
The group, Bay Area Citizens, worried about loss of property values and quality of life, will be represented by the libertarian Pacific Legal Foundation, which will use CEQA as the basis of the lawsuit against regional agencies MTC and ABAG.
Rivals Clog Governor's Plan for Solving CA's Water Woes
In a bit of political deja vu, opponents (many from his own party) who once derailed Gov. Jerry Brown's Peripheral Canal waterway plan have lined up to defeat his latest proposal for meeting the state's future water needs.
Not All Is Verdant and Rosy With S.F.'s Parklets
The removal of a parklet that had been criticized as 'a haven for homelessness and illegal activity' reflects some of the growing pains experienced by San Francisco as it's sought to encourage the conversion of on-street parking into public spaces.
High-Profile Hire Shows New Mayor's Commitment to a Sustainable Los Angeles
If the hiring of the city's first Chief Sustainability Officer is any guide, the Garcetti administration intends to make sustainability a priority for Los Angeles.
A Look at Roads Not Taken Provides Path for L.A.'s More Public-Minded Future
A new exhibition of the bold designs that were never executed in Los Angeles provides lessons for today's leaders and planners. By imagining a more public-minded path for Los Angeles, it provides the impetus for creating such a future.
Governor Keeps BART Trains Rolling
BART commuters were undoubtedly delighted to board trains on Monday morning thanks to Gov. Jerry Brown's last minute action to return BART employees to work for one week while a panel investigates why negotiations have stalled.
Progressive Incoherence in 'Radical' Berkeley
Everybody's a progressive in Berkeley, right? As recent struggles over land use make clear, it depends on what you mean by "progressive."
BART Unions Give Notice: Strike on Monday
Same drill, round two. After almost a month of apparently fruitless negotiations, the unions gave a 72-hour notice of going on strike. Unless an agreement is reached, 200,000 Bay Area rail riders will need to find alternatives for the Monday commute
New Bay Area K-12 Redefines Relationship Between a School and its Community
This summer, a new school will begin rising in the Bay Area city of Emeryville that redefines the relationship between a K-12 school and its surrounding community.
What Happens When a City Turns Out the Lights?
Strapped for cash, cities across the US have decided to save money by turning off street lights. An investigative series documents the effect of all those darkened lights on crime and economic development in San Diego - home to a $30 million backlog.
Pagination
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