Caltrain
San Francisco Bay Area Transit Fare Discount to Start This Fall
Low-income transit users desperately need a break on fares. A discount is on its way, but won’t be available until later in the year, and transit advocates say it’s not enough.
Late Election Result: Transportation Sales Tax Appears to Pass in San Mateo County, Calif.
Transportation advocates have been patiently waiting since Nov. 6 for the results of a half-cent, 30-year county sales tax measure, 50 percent of which would benefit Samtrans bus and Caltrain needs and 5% bike/ped. It needs 66.67% of votes to pass.
Caltrain Ending Weekend Service to San Francisco Until 2019
Caltrain will end service into the city of San Francisco while it converts the route to electric power.
'100-Year Decision': First Approval for Train Route to S.F.'s Salesforce Transit Center
John Rahaim, director of the San Francisco Planning Department, calls the decision to route Caltrain to the newly opened Salesforce Transit center a "100-year decision."
San Francisco's Transbay Transit Center Open, When Will Trains Arrive?
To great fanfare, the Salesforce Transit Center opened on Saturday to thousands of visitors anxious to see the huge facility. Sunday was quieter, with the first AC Transit buses arriving on the third-floor bus deck. Train arrivals: TBD.
San Francisco Suburb to Vote on Massive Project to Double Population
Brisbane, a city of about 4,700 on the southern border of San Francisco, will vote on a controversial ballot measure in November to approve or reject a mixed-use development including up to 2,200 residential units on a 660-acre vacant brownfield.
Bay Area Transit Agencies to Consider 20 Percent Fare Reduction for Low-Income Riders
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission could implement a 20 percent plan to offer fare relief for low-income riders.
Decision Deadline Coming Fast for San Jose BART Extension
BART and VTA officials must come to an agreement about whether to use a single- or double-bore tunnel for transit extension in San Jose, and time is running out.
Drivers: Beware Following GPS Navigation Instructions Too Closely
For the second time at the same railroad crossing in Atherton, California, a motorist followed his GPS navigation onto Caltrain tracks. In both cases, the motorists fled their vehicles before being hit by an oncoming train.
Fatalities Mount from Brightline, South Florida's New Higher-Speed Train Service
A 51-year-old bicyclist became the second fatality in the first week of revenue service. It was the fourth fatality since the summer for the diesel train, which operates from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale.
Caltrain Electrification Can't Come Soon Enough for Neighbors
Transit adjacent developments have their downsides when the transit is a diesel-powered commuter train, and the location is a stub-end terminal. Case in point: San Francisco's Mission Bay.
Increased Tolls for Bay Area Bridges Headed for a Vote
It is now up to the Bay Area's transportation planning agency to determine when to ask voters to hike tolls on seven Bay Area bridges, by how much, and whether to phase the increase. A bill to allow voters to fund Caltrain was also signed.
Three Transportation Ballot Measures Could Be Headed to Bay Area Voters Next Year
The California Legislature approved bills to allow voters to decide on hiking sales taxes and tolls for regional transportation. Gov. Jerry Brown already signed a bill to allow San Mateo County voters to hike sales taxes for transportation.
Caltrain Electrification Broke Ground on Friday
Gov. Jerry Brown, Peninsula congresswomen, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and state legislative leaders gathered in Millbrae with shovels-in hands to mark the beginning of a four-year construction project to electrify Caltrain.
Why was BART's Ridership Forecast for Millbrae Station So Wildly Off-Base?
In 1995, planners forecasted that the Millbrae BART Station in San Mateo County, where riders can transfer to/from Caltrain, would attract 16,500 weekday riders. Fourteen years after it opened, ridership is 7,000. Planners were off by 58 percent.
Three Bay Area Counties May Decide Whether to Support Caltrain with Sales Tax Measure
The oldest commuter rail line west of the Mississippi is also unique in another way—it lacks a dedicated source of operating revenue. Legislation has been introduced to allow Peninsula counties to vote to increase sales taxes by 0.125 percent.
Apple's New Headquarters: Sprawling and Sprawl-Inducing
Apple's new campus contains thousands of parking spaces, but neither transit options nor daycare.
Funds Flow to Caltrain Electrification Project
Nothing comes easy for high-speed rail, or anything connected to it, as the agency that runs Caltrain learned in February. But now that a $647 million federal grant has been approved, $713 million in state bond funds will be directed to the project.
A Change of Heart by Secretary Chao on California's Oldest Commuter Rail Line
A week ago, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao indicated she would not sign-off on the $647 million federal grant for the $2 billion Caltrain electrification project. On Monday, she changed her mind.
Trumps Infrastructure Promises Might Not Include California
Electrifying Caltrain is low-hanging fruit for Infrastructure spending. Unfortunately, the fruit may spoil on the vine because the California GOP and Donald Trump have put the project on hold.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
