Events, News & Blog

Road Action Alert Let’s Close the 2nd Street Gap in West San Rafael

Anyone who has biked between San Rafael and points west has likely experienced the horror of riding 2nd Street, a heavily-traveled one-way street.

The quarter-mile stretch between West End Ave. and Miramar St. is the only location between Fairfax and San Rafael where people bicycling do not have a calm side street on which to ride.

The City of San Rafael is set to move forward with plans to redesign this stretch of Second Street, but critical, long-planned bike improvements have been omitted. Read More

Build it and they will walk and bike: youth, government, and developer collaborate for expedited infrastructure changes

Author: Kevin Anderson, Center for Climate Protection

“They already made those changes?” a student excitedly asked during a recent discussion in Mrs. Marika Ramsden’s One Planet Living class at Credo High School in Rohnert Park. There were a number of Credo students surprised to find that some of their very own recommendations for bike and pedestrian-related infrastructure changes, made only last fall, had already been completed.

First, a little background on the project. Over the past couple school years as part of an Active Transportation Planning grant, ECO2school, in partnership with W-Trans Engineering, has been conducting Walk Audits at eleven public high school campuses throughout Sonoma County. Walk Audits involve the systematic gathering of information about environmental conditions around a school that impact students’ ability to bike or walk safely and easily to and from campus. This information is gathered through a community process that encourages various stakeholders to participate.

Credo’s Walk Audit took place last Spring with a handful students and teachers participating in the first inspection. Engineers then compiled a list of their infrastructure recommendations. We organized multiple follow-up meetings last Fall with students, parents, administration, Rohnert Park Public Works and Police, and community members reviewing the first round of initial recommendations and contributing their perspectives.

Students, staff, admin, and engineers conduct the initial Walk Audit

Read More

Wider Highway 101 in California redwood grove is blocked by judge

Author Bob Egelko May 20, 2019

A longtime state proposal to widen a 1-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 101 in Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County to make room for bigger trucks has hit a roadblock in federal court, where a judge says Caltrans lacks adequate plans to protect ancient redwoods that soar 300 feet above the highway.

For the third time since the project was proposed in 2007, the state Department of Transportation assessed it in 2017 and concluded it would cause “no significant impact” to the environment. But U.S. District Judge William Alsup of San Francisco said Caltrans had brushed aside evidence that the road-widening could suffocate some redwoods, cause root disease in others and worsen damage to trees hit by trucks that skidded off the highway.

The department’s studies have failed to rule out “significant risks to the lives of these giants,” some of which are 3,000 years old, Alsup said in a ruling Friday that rejected the 2017 assessment. He said Caltrans had also given short shrift to the noise generated by heavier trucks and its effect on park visitors.

Read More

Is Your City Really Serious About Road Safety? Look for These 3 Things

Thirty-six people died in traffic crashes in Washington, D.C. last year, a 20% increase from 2017. Eight people, six of whom were walking or biking, have already been killed this year, prompting a major public rally just two weeks ago. Residents are angry that the city isn’t succeeding in curbing road deaths, despite the fact that Mayor Muriel Bowser committed to end traffic fatalities entirely by 2024.

It’s a common plight. While more than 40 cities in the United States and many more around the world have committed to Vision Zero, a global movement to end traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by taking a systemic approach to road safety, many are struggling to turn this vision into a reality. Citizens themselves can pursue road safety at many levels— in their schools, workplaces, streets and communities. But it’s the elected leaders who control budgets and priorities for their jurisdiction who really have the responsibility to catalyze lasting improvements that will save people’s lives. As UN Global Road Safety Week kicks into gear this week, it’s time to ask the question: What does political leadership in road safety really look like?

Read More

Cross Town Trail Walk June 8, 2019 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

 

Join Walk SF’s Walk Lab on Saturday, June 8, for a special walk to christen and experience the new Cross Town Trail that officially opens in June 2019.

The full 16-mile route spans San Francisco from Southeast to Northwest. We will take you on a 8-mile guided walk along the southeastern part of the route on June 8, as we make history as some of the first people to walk the Cross Town Trail.

The walk goes through lesser known parts of the city, including Sunrise Point in Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, the southern-facing waterfront, Executive Park, Little Hollywood, the Visitacion Valley Greenway, Philosopher’s Way, and University Mound, the bell-shaped neighborhood of St. Mary’s Park.

The walk will start at the Visitacion Children’s play area and the official end point will be Glen Park BART station, but participants will be given the full 16-mile route map and can continue as long as they want.

This walking adventure will be a memorable way to experience a new route through our city, plus connect with others who want to make our streets safe for all! Plus, your participation supports Walk SF’s urgent advocacy work.

Tickets: Single or group tickets can be purchased. We encourage you to team up with friends and colleagues to make it a social event of the season! In order to get group preferences, we encourage you to purchase up to 4 tickets together.

Be advised… the Cross Town Trail includes uneven paths, dirt trails, and stairways, as well as street terrain. Participants must be in good health, without any mobility limitations, and able to walk for several hours at a steady pace. Guides will lead walkers through 8 miles with bathroom, food, and water stops, but walkers should bring their own food and water for the walk.

We’re excited to walk the Cross Town Trail, which was a collaborative effort between several outdoor and trail groups:

Read More