- Transpo - list.sfgreens.org

possible BRT letter -- please review
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 27 Mar '06

27 Mar '06

Jake.mcgoldrick(a)sfgov.org Jose_luis_moscovich(a)sfcta.org Pooja_jhunjhunwala(a)sfcta.org Dear Commissioner McGoldrick: The San Francisco Green Party supports good local transit as an essential element of a safe, healthy, attractive, and livable city. The Green Party also believes that enhancing current public transit service will provide San Franciscans with a positive alternative to driving and help fulfill our charter description as being a transit first city. In particular, the San Francisco Green Party supports the current San Francisco County Transportation Authority plans for Bus Rapid Transit along the Geary and Van Ness corridors. Part B. 1. of the SFGP Transportation Plank calls for the creation of a citywide bus rapid transit (BRT) network to ensure that people can reliably travel between most neighborhoods in half an hour or less. This would entail the development of a system of dedicated bus lanes and traffic lights controlled by Muni operators along major transit corridors. While we are sympathetic to the concerns of businesspeople along the Geary Corridor who fear the loss of business due to the loss of parking and disruptions during construction, we think looming energy shortages and global warming compel San Franciscans to adopt means of transportation that are less energy intensive and less damaging to the immediate and global environment than personal cars. According to the Executive Summary of a 2005 report prepared for the United States Department of Energys National Energy Technology Laboratory by Robert L. Hirsch, The peaking of world oil production presents the U.S. and the world with an unprecedented risk management problem. As peaking is approached, liquid fuel prices and price volatility will increase dramatically, and, without timely mitigation, the economic, social, and political costs will be unprecedented. Viable options exist on both the supply and demand sides, but to have substantial impact, they must be initiated more than a decade in advance of peaking. Furthermore, the summary states, Oil peaking will create a severe liquid fuels problem for the transportation sector, not an energy crisis in the usual sense that the term has been used. In addition, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle on March 24, 2006, Scientists have been warning for decades that greenhouse gases from autos and industry are warming the planet and raising the seas, but the studies appearing today in the journal Science are the first to suggest that sea levels could climb as high as 20 feet as a result of global warming. The economic consequences for parts of the world at or near sea level including large swaths of San Francisco will be profound if Americans do not take steps now to begin to reduce their disproportionate contribution to climate change. We favor designs with center lanes, which most effectively separate bus lanes from car lanes, and side or center boarding platforms. We also favor keeping the BRT lanes above ground wherever the San Francisco County Transportation Authority is now considering putting them below ground for example, at the intersection of Geary and Masonic and at the intersection of Geary and Fillmore. Aboveground transit is more accessible and thus more attractive - to transit riders who might otherwise drive. Sincerely, Sue Vaughan and John-Marc Chandonia Co-chairs, Transportation Working Group of the San Francisco Green Party

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Appeals Court Rules For Garage/Against Trees Not Cars
by Jym Dyer 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

=v= The appeals court ruled against us. Here's a story in the _Chron_ that appears to get the facts right, though it does neglect some crucial facts: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/23/BAGL1HSODF1.DTL =v= The _Examiner_ ran a pretty good Bay City News item, but they seem to be on a mission to make sfexaminer.com impossible to navigate, so here's a version of the same item: http://www.ktvu.com/news/8191567/detail.html Note especially the last paragraph, about how the latest Prop G made the appeal moot, just exactly as I'd warned. =v= I suggest that, in the future, activists take a better look at the things they're knocking themselves out to endorse and promote, and to maybe heed a warning or two. <_Jym_>

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Fw: Car Free Talk 2 Airtime
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

Here's the lowdown on what happened to my show on March 17 and the second playback time: March 27, 4 p.m. Sue ---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Sue, The first playback of Car Free Talk 2 was aired on the original time, however was delayed by 5 minutes. It'll be replayed again on March 27th at 4pm. -- Sam Long, Programming Coordinator San Francisco Community Television Corporation (CTC) Access San Francisco, Cable Channel 29 415-575-4946 - Direct 415-575-4945 - FAX sam(a)accessf.org

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Transportation for a Livable City newsletter
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

---------- Forwarded Message ---------- Tom Radulovich <tom(a)livablecity.org> Sent by: News-bounces(a)livablecity.org 03/22/2006 07:03 PM "In a Society becoming steadily more privatized with private homes, cars, computers, offices and shopping centers, the public component of our lives is disappearing. It is more and more important to make the cities inviting, so we can meet our fellow citizens face to face and experience directly through our senses. Public life in good quality public spaces is an important part of a democratic life and a full life." —Jan Gehl DOWNTOWN PARKING REFORM REINTRODUCED! This Tuesday, Supervisor Aaron Peskin reintroduced a modified version of the downtown parking reform legislation vetoed by Mayor Newsom two weeks ago. The reform measure, which sought to reduce the amount of parking required in new downtown housing and protect downtown's major transit, pedestrian, and bicycle streets from traffic conflicts, enjoyed strong support by the City's Planning Director, Dean Macris, and was supported by both the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. In his veto message, Mayor Newsom supported most of the main principles of the legislation – elimination of minimum parking requirements, establishing a maximum of three spaces for every four units, protecting street frontages on the city's main transit, bicycle, and pedestrian streets from curb cuts, and requiring that new parking be located underground, or on the ground floor with active uses on all public frontages – but asked for "modifications" that would allow curb cuts and parking on upper stories under certain conditions. Supervisor Peskin's reintroduced legislation retains most of the provisions of the vetoed legislation, while allowing some exceptions for curb cuts and parking on upper floors, where specific conditions apply (like underground transit lines) and with special approval from the Planning Commission. Some of the exceptions 'sunset' after eight years. The bad news is that some stupid projects, like the proposed Nordstrom Garage near fifth and Market, may be able to proceed (although they can be appealed to the Board of Supervisors). The great news is that the new legislation retains most of the benefits of the old, and two provisions – the requirements for car-sharing and secure bike parking in new residential buildings – will now apply citywide! The legislation's next move is to the planning commission, where approval is expected; TLC will keep you informed. Check out our campaign page (http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/c3.html) for more information and updates. *** SUPPORT GEARY RAPID TRANSIT Geary Corridor Citizen's Advisory Committee Thursday, March 23 at 6 PM San Francisco Transportation Authority offices 100 Van Ness Avenue, 26th Floor Geary Boulevard, which runs is one of the most important transit corridors in the city, carrying an estimated 50,000 riders per day. Unfortunately, the 38-Geary buses are crowded, slow, and unreliable. Proposition K, the city's 2003 half-cent sales tax for transportation made rapid transit on Geary – either light rail or bus rapid transit (BRT) – a top priority. TLC strongly supports rapid transit service on Geary – the corridor's 50,000 daily riders deserve faster, more reliable service, and better service which would attract thousands of additional riders each day. We also support making Geary a "complete street", with streetscape improvements to make it a great walking street, and bicycle access, especially along the crucial middle portion of Geary through the Western Addition. The SF County Transportation Authority (TA) is working on a study of bus rapid transit alternatives for the Geary Corridor ( http://www.sfcta.org/geary.htm) Unfortunately, a small group of Richmond District merchants are trying to derail the entire study, in the hopes that the current status quo – a car-dominated Geary with slow and unreliable transit – will prevail. If you want to show your support rapid transit on Geary, please attend the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) meeting for the project this Thursday, and let the CAC know that you support a complete Geary Boulevard, with rapid transit and improvements for pedestrians and bicyclists. *** URBANIST JAN GEHL IN SAN FRANCISCO "The People Dimension of Public Space: Jan Gehl and Allan Jacobs in conversation" Tuesday, April 4, 5-7 PM South Light Court, City Hall Jan Gehl, an architect, urban designer based in Copenhagen, is one of TLC's heroes. He oversaw the pedestrianization of much of Copenhagen's historic center, transforming city streets and underused plazas into vital public spaces through pedestrian-centered design. He has inspired a generation of urban designers around the world to convert town centers to "people-centered spaces", and restore public life to streets and squares dominated by the automobile. Mayor Ken Livingstone engaged Mr. Gehl to begin the transformation of central London along the lines he pioneered in Copenhagen. Check out his placemaker profile on the Project for Public Spaces web site: http://www.pps.org/info/placemakingtools/placemakers/jgehl . Mr. Gehl will be in conversation with San Francisco's own Allan Jacobs, another distinguished urbanist and author of Great Streets and The Boulevard Book. TLC will use the occasion of Mr. Gehl's visit to kick off our Livable Downtown Initiative, an effort to move San Francisco towards a livable, walkable, and greener downtown. Check out our Livable Downtown campaign page for an outline of the initiative ( http://www.livablecity.org/campaigns/downtown.html) and stay tuned for more updates! *** SUPPORT CAR-FREE SATURDAYS IN GOLDEN GATE PARK A coalition of pedestrian, bicycle, open space, and children's advocates has advanced the Healthy Saturdays Initiative, which will expand the wildly successful car-free Sundays on Golden Gate Park's John F. Kennedy Drive to Saturdays as well. Supervisors Mirkarimi and Mc Goldrick have introduced legislation to start a six-month trial of car-free JFK drive this May. Contact the Mayor and your Supervisor and let them know you support the Healthy Saturdays proposal; check out the healthy Saturdays web site ( http://www.sfpix.com/) for more information. *** Tom Radulovich Executive Director Transportation for a Livable City 995 Market Street Suite 1550 San Francisco CA 94103 415 344-0489 www.livablecity.org tom(a)livablecity.org

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Fw: [SFGP-A] Fwd: Attend TALC's great transportation and land useSummi t on April 1st
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 24 Mar '06

24 Mar '06

I got a call from someone at TALC today. She left a message saying that the SF Green Party is eligible for 4 free tickets to the TALC summit on April 1. I will not be able to go, but others who are interested whould e-mail: summit(a)transcoalition.org or go to the web site, transcoalition.org, to find out more information. I went last year and it cost $10. Sue Begin forwarded message: From: "Stuart Cohen, TALC" <info(a)transcoalition.org> Date: March 22, 2006 6:32:13 PM PST To: TALC email list <stuart(a)transcoalition.org> Subject: Attend TALC's great transportation and land use Summit on April 1st feel free to forward this message... You're invited to the Transportation and Land Use Coalition's 9th Annual Summit NEXT STOP: GREAT COMMUNITIES Come join over 200 transportation, housing, and smart growth advocates on Saturday, April 1 for the Transportation and Land Use Coalitions 9th Annual Summit in downtown Oakland. This is a great event for learning about key issues, honing skills, networking, and plugging into the movement for a sustainable and socially just Bay Area. Admission is going fast. Pre-registration is just $10 but spaces are filling up quickly. Learn more and register at www.transcoalition.org. ______________________________________________________ WHEN Saturday, April 1, 2006 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM (optional sessions from 2:30-3:45 PM) WHERE First Unitarian Church 685 14th St. (corner of Castro St.) Downtown Oakland (near 12th St. BART and many AC Transit lines) FREE Valet Bike Parking provided by East Bay Bicycle Coalition COST $10 in advance (includes breakfast, lunch, and materials) Pre-registration is required, as space is limited. If space is available, $20 at the door. REGISTER TODAY! Use the easy online registration form, and pay by check or credit card, at www.transcoalition.org. SESSIONS Communicating Smart Growth (Lesson One: Don't Say Smart Growth) Efficient Land Use: Understanding the Benefits Walking Tour of Old Oakland Transportation Funding: What's Hot in 2006 Can We Turn the Region Around? There Goes the Neighbor: Combating Displacement of Existing Residents Walkable Streets Toolkit Parking that Promotes Sustainability >From Transit Villages to Ecocities, Reshaping the City for Long-Term Sustainability Transportation Justice: Celebrating Success, Looking Ahead Wheels of Change: Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Movements How to Choose: Comparing Transportation Modes Transportation 101: A Primer And more! LEARN MORE Learn more about the Summit and the sessions online at www.transcoalition.org Or call (510) 740-3150 and ask for Hoang, Marisol or Stuart. Or email summit(a)transcoalition.org. ................................................................................................. About the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC) TALC is a partnership of over 90 groups working for a sustainable and socially just Bay Area. We envision a region with healthy, walkable communities that provide all residents with transportation choices and affordable housing. The coalition analyzes county and regional policies, works with community groups to develop alternatives, and coordinates grassroots campaigns. To contact TALC: 405 14th Street, Suite 605 Oakland, CA 94612 510-740-3150 www.transcoalition.org ................................................................................................. TALC Email List Instructions: You received this email because you gave TALC your email address, or someone forwarded this message to you. - to SUBSCRIBE, send an email to: <info(a)transcoalition.org>. Be sure to include your full mailing address and organization name, phone and fax numbers, and indicate what alert you are responding to. - to LIMIT to 1-2 emails per month, which includes meeting announcements and general newsletters, reply with "Public list only" in the subject line - to UNSUBSCRIBE, reply with "No E-mail" in the subject line - to be fully REMOVED from our database, reply with "Remove from TALC" in the subject line (and please let us know why). everyone09

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May 24 it is
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 22 Mar '06

22 Mar '06

Not enough people have responded YES or NO from the CC, so I am going ahead and working on a contract with Studio Z for Wednesday, May 24. Apologies to Susan King who wanted the event to be post primary ... Can I round up the usual crew of great volunteers to help put this together? Paul Platt, Pat Villano, Micheas, Christine McClintock, and others? Also, once we get our endorsements wrapped up, we need to get that slate card out -- including, among other things, 1) Endorsements 2) An invitation to the May 24 event 3) An invitation to check out the new website; and 4) A blurb telling registered Greens about Voter-Owned Elections or some other major Green accomplishment (if there's room). Sue

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Guaranteed Parking
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

Hi Jeremy, Are you free to come to our TWG meeting on 3-28, 7 p.m., 1028a Howard Street to talk about John-Marc's legislative proposal for charging for parking spots in which people block their driveways? Let us know. Sue home: 668-3119 cell: 601-9297

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Agenda for Tuesday, march 28. Please check, tell me what to knock off and approve.
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 21 Mar '06

21 Mar '06

1) BRT action item, discuss options, possible letters 2) Gasoline tax 10 minutes???? 3) Garage at Haight and Stanyan (maybe) 4) C-3 legislation 5) New parking legislation -- We need to try to get Jeremy Nelson to the meeting 6) Other big initiatives that we could be doing local gasoline tax???? 7) Emily Drennan running for BART Board in the Conservative C (not Toms district)? She wants to be first on the agenda. Sue

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Fw: Music Fundraising Event for LVE Saturday March 25th
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 17 Mar '06

17 Mar '06

Hello Everyone, This is an annoucement for a fundraiser for Christine McClintock's performance art group, La Vache Enragee. Christine is the new treasurer for the SFGP. SHe is also a composer, pianist and clarinetist. She performed at our January 26 fundraiser. Sue Hey Everyone, This will be a ton of fun - and I'm not just saying that because it's a good cause :) I playing some music I wrote with a hip and happening quartet. Please come!!! Bénèfice! A Benefit for La Vache Enragee Productions Saturday, March 25th, 9:00 - midnight Cafe La Onda - 3159 16th St (bet. Valencia and Guerrero) in SF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Entertainment provided by: Dumb Clothing / SilverLucy (urban fashion show) The Galactica Orchestra (original music) This is ME!!! :-) Afi Ayanna (soul vocals) n.o.madic tribal belly dance Aima of The Mamaz (conscious hip-hop / spoken word) The Genie (scratch guitar / beatbox) $10 Donation requested. No one turned away for lack of funds. All donations go to La Vache Enragee, a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit Corporation. All donations are tax-deductible. All ages are welcome. For more info call 415-812-7224 or go to http://www.lveproductions.com/ Photos & Images Help Click on an image below to enlarge. Then print or save the image. Show Thumbnails Benefice_Flyer _Com... (62KB) Please note: forwarded message attached Hey Everyone, This will be a ton of fun - and I'm not just saying that because it's a good cause :) I playing some music I wrote with a hip and happening quartet. Please come!!! Bénèfice! A Benefit for La Vache Enragee Productions Saturday, March 25th, 9:00 - midnight Cafe La Onda - 3159 16th St (bet. Valencia and Guerrero) in SF ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------- Entertainment provided by: Dumb Clothing / SilverLucy (urban fashion show) The Galactica Orchestra (original music) This is ME!!! :-) Afi Ayanna (soul vocals) n.o.madic tribal belly dance Aima of The Mamaz (conscious hip-hop / spoken word) The Genie (scratch guitar / beatbox) $10 Donation requested. No one turned away for lack of funds. All donations go to La Vache Enragee, a 501 (c) 3 Nonprofit Corporation. All donations are tax-deductible. All ages are welcome. For more info call 415-812-7224 or go to [1]http://www.lveproductions.com/ References 1. http://www.lveproductions.com/

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Second episode of Car-Free Talk with Tom Raduloich to air 3/17; 7:30 p .m.
by susan_e_vaughan＠juno.com 15 Mar '06

15 Mar '06

Hello Everyone, I've just gotten word that the second episode of Car-Free Talk, with TLC Ex Director Tom Radulovich, will air on Friday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m. on Channel 29. I'm sure it will also air other times. Pat, can you post this to www.carfreetalk.org? Thanks, Sue

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