Scott Haggerty elected chairman of MTC, Alfredo Pedroza picked as vice chair
March 5, 2019
Karl Nielsen
New MTC Chairman Scott Haggerty and new Vice Chairman Alfredo Pedroza.
Headlines
Headlines for March 5, 2019
March 5, 2019
- Feds take-back of billions for California high-speed rail would be ‘disastrous,’ state says to feds [East Bay Times]
- California criticizes Trump plan to withhold high-speed-rail money [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Bay Area forecast: Widespread rain expected late Tuesday, showers through Friday [East Bay Times]
- Thunderstorms expected to hit Bay Area on Tuesday night [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Did SF rents just hit an all-time high? Probably not. [SF Curbed]
Transportation
Digital keys can leave car thieves frustrated
March 4, 2019
Digital car key. Courtesy Hyundai.
Car maker Hyundai announced Monday is has developed a digital key that is sure to flummox car thieves. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for March 4, 2019
March 4, 2019
- California public employees’ pension perks can be taken away, court rules [Sacramento Bee]
- Soggy week ahead for Bay Area due to atmospheric river runoff [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Contest for youth to address climate change [Pleasanton Weekly]
- Marin earns faint praise in housing report [Marin Independent Journal]
- ‘Tiny homes’ make up less than two percent of SF sales [SF Curbed]
MTC
Steve Heminger's exit interview
March 1, 2019
Steve Heminger
During his last week on the job, Steve Heminger agreed to sit down with MTC’s Legislation and Public Affairs staff to reflect on his accomplishments, offer insights, and speak to the future of regionalism. Following is an edited interview Read More
Headlines
Headlines for March 1, 2019
March 1, 2019
- Now Salesforce Tower has cracked windows — but they’re on the inside [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Why did Newsom bust tiny Wheatland on affordable housing? City says rules ‘don’t really fit’ [Sacramento Bee]
- Marin home sales slump 5.4% in January [Marin Independent Journal]
- Bay Area home prices ‘totally random’ as sales slow [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Bikeshare coming to Sonoma County SMART stations [Petaluma Argus-Courier]
Transportation
Throwback Thursday: Opening of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
February 28, 2019
Richmond-San Rafael Bridge August 1956.
A photo from the MTC archive shows the opening of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in August 1956 was an odd happening. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 28, 2019
February 28, 2019
- California cities graded on housing creation, but process is flawed [San Francisco Chronicle]
- In ‘unprecedented’ partnership, Facebook-funded trains could one day cross the bay [San Jose Mercury News]
- Fastest way to renew driver’s license may be to walk into DMV office: Roadshow [Mercury News]
- You could register your car every other year under this plan to cut California DMV wait times [Sacramento Bee]
- Bill would make it easier for qualified disabled veterans to get special license plate [Fairfield Daily Republic]
Transportation
'The scooter scourge' : Love 'em or hate 'em, they are here to stay
February 27, 2019
Mark Prado
Scooters are here to stay as a mode of transportation in the urban landscape, but they have raised a myriad of issues, highlighted in a story dubbed "The scooter scourge." Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 27, 2019
February 27, 2019
- Storm updates: Flooded Highway 37 closure will likely ‘last several days’ [Marin Independent Journal]
- Santa Rosa to replace free downtown shuttle with parking pass [Press Democrat ]
- Dumbarton Bridge’s weary commuters have a wish list: Roadshow [Mercury News]
- Although ordered to leave because of potentially calamitous flooding, many Russian River-area residents plan to stay [Press Democrat]
- Entire town of Guerneville cut off by Russian River flooding during evacuation orders [San Francisco Chronicle]
Headlines
Headlines for February 26, 2019
February 26, 2019
- Want an accurate census? Engage Latino business owners [Sacramento Bee]
- An expert says California running out of cheap water [Napa Valley Register]
- Will Google, Amazon and Facebook fix the affordable housing crisis? [Courier Journal]
- Silicon Valley tech boom continues, but residents are exiting costly region [Mercury News]
- Solano housing different from rest of Bay Area – but still challenged [Fairfield Daily Republic]
Headlines
Headlines for February 25, 2019
February 25, 2019
- Muni puts bottleneck under microscope in effort to curb bus, rail delays [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Transbay Terminal — yet another problem. Train space might be too small [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Interest in retail leasing plummets at troubled Salesforce Transit Center [San Francisco Examiner]
- Richmond-San Rafael Bridge will get 61 joints replaced following mishap [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Bay Area traffic: Work on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge expanding [East Bay Times]
Transportation
Highway 37 issues coming into focus
February 22, 2019
Mark Prado
Flooding is again bedeviling Highway 37 in the North Bay, but a plan to improve the stretch of roadway is in the works. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 22, 2019
February 22, 2019
- Stockton Street strip to reopen Friday as Central Subway nears completion [San Francisco Chronicle]
- What happens if Trump takes back California’s high-speed rail funds? [East Bay Times]
- Can Trump take back California’s high-speed rail money? A look at the political and legal battle ahead [San Francisco Examiner]
- Reasons behind late-starting BART trains: Roadshow [Mercury News]
- Meet Olli: Sacramento State unveils new 3D-printed, electric-powered autonomous shuttles [Sacramento Bee]
Transportation
Throwback Thursday: Doyle Drive
February 21, 2019
Supports for the southern approach to the Golden Gate Bridge circa 1936.
The building of the Golden Gate Bridge grabbed headlines, but the southern approach to the span was a necessary if unspectacular piece of the project. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 21, 2019
February 21, 2019
- California Autobahn? Senator proposes speed-limit-free lanes to replace high-speed rail project [East Bay Times]
- Hawaii following California on using off-site kiosks for DMV needs [Mercury News]
- AP: White House ends California talks on mileage standards [Associated Press]
- Editorial: Highway 37 needs a better fix right now [Marin Independent Journal]
- Frazier bill would create new ‘transportation czar’ [Fairfield Daily Republic]
Transportation
Report says scooter injuries on the upswing
February 20, 2019
Mark Prado
Zippy, fun and functional, electric scooters are a new part of the transportation landscape, as well as a new source of injuries, a study by Consumer Reports shows. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 20, 2019
February 20, 2019
- Trump administration cancels funding for California high-speed rail [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Trump threatens to reclaim $929 million in California's high speed rail funds [East Bay Times]
- California high-speed rail CEO says project will go on despite White House threat [Curbed]
- Bullet trains? Monorails? An end to speed limits? California’s transportation future is going to be a wild ride [Los Angeles Times]
- Trump Threatens To Cancel California's $929 Million High-Speed Rail Grant [NPR]
Transportation
Super high-speed vehicle could top 700 mph
February 19, 2019
Virgin's Hyperloop One. Camilo Sanchez via Wikimedia Commons.
While California's high-speed rail project has hit some bumps, testing on the Hyperloop One in Nevada is on track and holds the promise to deliver people and goods at greater speeds, according to an article in the New York Times. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 19, 2019
February 19, 2019
- Repair work to begin on Richmond-San Rafael Bridge [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Train to nowhere? Here’s how high-speed project went off the rails [San Francisco Chronicle]
- No, Gov. Gavin Newsom didn’t kill high-speed rail. But what’s his Plan B? [Sacramento Bee]
- California’s high-speed rail is still on. But how can it move forward? [Curbed]
- Why California's bullet train remains a distant dream [The Guardian]
Environment
I Heart Estuaries Week celebrated
February 15, 2019
This week celebrates #iheartestuaries, a national media campaign to raise awareness of the essential benefits of the nation’s estuaries, including the San Francisco Estuary. Read More
Headlines
Headlines for February 15, 2019
February 15, 2019
- BART to name street next to Fruitvale Station as Oscar Grant Way [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Further inspections possible for SF’s Transbay Transit Center [San Francisco Chronicle]
- Is California’s controversial bullet train still headed to the Bay Area? [East Bay Times]
- Editorial: Newsom injects reality into Brown's bullet-train delusion [East Bay Times]
- Newsom blames the media, not his own words, for confusion over high-speed rail’s future [Los Angeles Times]