Possible fast track for high-speed Caltrain?

February 13th, 2012

The Chronicle reports today that Caltrain is working with the California High Speed Rail Authority on possible plans to speed up Caltrain electrification and improvements that would allow both faster commuter service and high speed service to run on the same line – possibly in just a few years’ time. (The article claims 2016.) If this happens it could be very good news for commuters, who have faced years of delays for the most basic of improvements to rail service.

Daly City at last

January 23rd, 2012

The 14L-Mission Limited buses that used to stop tantalizingly close to the Daly City BART station finally will take people the rest of the way during AM and PM commute hours.  Temporarily, the morning runs will be connected by a shuttle between Daly City BART and the 14L at Goethe Street, though eventually the 14L will make morning and evening runs available both ways.  Free transfers will be available inside the paid area of the BART station.

Muni is also promising better maintenance and supervision of the 14L buses.

Treasure Island: good transit needed for any redevelopment

April 18th, 2011

The Planning Commission is considering redevelopment proposals for Treasure Island, the former naval base located in the middle of the bay, this Thursday. One key requirement for any redevelopment is much better public transit – not just the current 108 bus to downtown, but ferry service to downtown, bus service to Oakland, and better transit within the island. This could be paid for by extending the bridge toll to island drivers, eitehr in the morning rush (as proposed) or all day.

If you support better transit for Treasure Island and downtown SF, write the commission before Thursday to have your comments considered.

“Save Caltrain” summit this Saturday

January 27th, 2011

If you’re a mass transit rider in San Francisco, you probably also use Caltrain to get to the Peninsula. Unfortunately, Caltrain is facing a severe deficit ($30 million per year) that may lead to painful service cuts, and more traffic as a result, unless permanent funding sources are found.

If you’d like to help save Caltrain, please attend the Save Our Caltrain Summit. This is organized by the Friends of Caltrain (thank you BayRail Alliance for the announcement).

Details from Friends of Caltrain:
You are invited to participate in a Summit to Save Caltrain
Location: SamTrans Auditorium,
1250 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos (near Caltrain)
Date: Saturday, January 29, 2011 Time: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune will be kicking off the morning at 9:15am, so come early: registration, hot coffee and bagels will be waiting for you at 8:30 am at the Caltrain/Samtrans headquarters, 1250 San Carlos Avenue in San Carlos. Check out our website for the latest press and agenda.

It’s very close to the San Carlos train station or you can park in the Samtrans lot behind the building or any of the public parking structures in the area.

Come with your questions, ideas, and enthusiasm on how to Save Our Caltrain! And spread the word — we need many voices, many hands, so register and attend!

MTC spends $1M to rebrand Translink?!

February 10th, 2010

TranslinkDo you think Muni wastes taxpayer money? They have nothing on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which at a time of severe budget cuts has spent half a million of your hard-earned dollars, not to add service, not to improve the 511.org website, not even to put up more ads encouraging riders to take mass transit, but to rebrand the Translink card. Someone they paid good money to thought it would make sense to replace all of the logos and advertisements for the (finally mostly functional) card with new ones with a new name – Clipper.

Is it too late to cut this item from the regional budget and spend it on – here’s an idea – better service instead?

Update: Hey SF Appeal, you got us on this one. Apparently they reported this in the last decade – and the total’s $1 million. Still, it’s a big waste.

Update 2: SFist has a long commentary on all things Translink today.