San Francisco

Image of an electric bike

What do you Get when you Cross "Car Share" with "Bike Share"?

Electric Bike Share! The new program is set to launch in famously hilly San Francisco and across the bay in Berkeley next spring. Unlike the region's bike share which just launched August 29, it will be administered by the non-profit City Car Share.

September 3, 2013 - The Daily Californian

Yosemite Fire Threatens Bay Area's Power and Water Supplies

Over the weekend, a massive fire burning near Yosemite National Park continued to grow, prompting Governor Brown to declare a state of emergency for San Francisco County (more than 100 miles to the west) and altering the area's treasured landscape.

August 26, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

The Great 'What If': Cities Engage the Unbuilt

A spirit of reflection seems to be in the air across America this summer. Exhibitions in Chicago, the Bay Area, and Los Angeles catalog major projects that were never built and allow visitors to imagine what might have been.

August 17, 2013 - The Architect's Newspaper Blog

San Francisco Gains Affluence and Loses Its Identity

The latest 'digital gold rush' has been a boost for the Bay Area's high earners, but a blow to its diversity and affordability. Conspicuous transportation modes - fleets of private buses and black town cars - epitomize the area's growing divide.

August 15, 2013 - Los Angeles Times

California Ushers in New Rail Age

A new rail age is dawning in California, thanks to high-speed rail; BART's impending "fleet of the future"; and more, says Projjal Dutta, director of sustainability at NYC's MTA. If successful, this will mean a major reduction of car use and sprawl.

August 14, 2013 - Future Cities

Bay Area Bike Share Prepares for August 29 Launch

Dwarfed by its city counterparts, the Bay Area's 1,000 bikes will cover a larger region (5 cities in 3 counties) with fewer bikes, many placed at key transit nodes. It also distinguishes itself by being a 'pilot program' with multiple public owners.

August 14, 2013 - Environment News Service

Study Details SFpark's Surprising Results

The preliminary results are in for America's most ambitious experiment in demand-based parking pricing. Among the surprises: the average price at the spaces participating in San Francisco's pioneering program actually declined by 1 percent.

August 10, 2013 - SF.Streetsblog

Lessons for Building a Better City After a Devastating Disaster

With climate change producing more extreme weather, the likelihood of a natural disaster impacting the world's cities is on the rise. New members of the 'disaster club' can look to these three places for lessons for turning tragedy into opportunity.

August 9, 2013 - Governing

Not All Is Verdant and Rosy With S.F.'s Parklets

The removal of a parklet that had been criticized as 'a haven for homelessness and illegal activity' reflects some of the growing pains experienced by San Francisco as it's sought to encourage the conversion of on-street parking into public spaces.

August 6, 2013 - San Francisco Examiner

Has Critical Mass Ridden Itself to Irrelevance?

The mass ride through city streets was originally intended to increase the visibility of bicyclists. Though it still attracts participants, as bicycling has been embraced as a mainstream mode, Critical Mass has lost its relevance, says Joe Eskenazi.

July 26, 2013 - SF Weekly

San Francisco Aims to Tame Techie Transit

Tired of the private shuttles ferrying tech workers to Silicon Valley campuses clogging city streets and illegally using 250 city bus stops, San Francisco's Municipal Transportation Agency has proposed a plan for regulating their operation.

July 24, 2013 - Next City

To Support Rise in Car Share, S.F. Risks Igniting Parking Battle

A pilot program will reserve 900 on-street parking spaces for car-sharing vehicles. While the number of spaces is just .3 percent of the on-street supply, the program is expected to generate controversy in a city "where parking is at a premium".

July 19, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

14 Ways San Francisco Has Given New Life to Its Historic Assets

In the current feature story from its 'Urbanist' magazine, the Bay Area planning think tank SPUR looks at 14 efforts to preserve the soul of San Francisco through the adaptive reuse, incorporation and juxtaposition of the city's historic buildings.

July 15, 2013 - SPUR Urbanist

Watch North America's Cities Grow Up

A Canadian real estate startup has created striking animated 3-D visualizations of the evolution of the skylines in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.

July 10, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

Proposals for S.F.'s Crissy Field Unfit for Spectacular Site

San Francisco Chronicle architecture critic John King bemoans the visions put forth by three finalists vying to redevelop a spectacular site across from the Crissy Field marsh.

July 9, 2013 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco's Hidden Gardens Won't Remain Secret for Long

Curbed San Francisco has compiled a list of 17 of San Francisco's secret gardens and overlooked green spaces. Hidden gems include mini parks, rooftop decks, and a tulip garden.

July 6, 2013 - Curbed SF

Union Stock Yards 1907

Stunning Images from America's Urban Past

Independence Day is a day to reflect on America's history; and with many of the activities associated with the holiday (parades, fireworks) set on urban stages, it's the perfect occasion to enjoy some amazing images of the country's urban past.

July 4, 2013 - Chicago Magazine

Tallying San Francisco's Cyclists, Bike-by-Bike

Last month an innovative real-time bike counter debuted along San Francisco's Market Street, which is said to be the busiest bike street west of the Mississippi. Over its first 27 days, the counter tallied nearly 55,000 riders.

June 23, 2013 - Fast Company Co.Exist

San Francisco Shares Responsibility for Building a Resilient City

The City of San Francisco announced this week that the numerous sharing economy companies headquartered in the the Bay Area will work with public officials to utilize their technologies in enhancing the city's disaster preparedness and response.

June 13, 2013 - City of San Francisco

280 Freeway San Francisco

'Mr. Mayor, Tear Down This Freeway', Says San Francisco Planning Think Tank

In their June magazine, SPUR proposes a bold vision for transforming several San Francisco neighborhoods based on three big moves: tear down the end of Interstate 280, put Caltrain and high-speed rail underground, and redevelop the Caltrain railyard.

June 7, 2013 - The Urbanist

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