Mid-Week Links: Transportation Fantastic

A unified transit map of the Bay Area is an elusive thing, though others have tried.  Building such a map should be the job of MTC, but just diagramming major routes over such a massive region as the Bay Area is a noble and necessary undertaking.  Brian Stokle, for SPUR, did just such a thing, and the result highlights the disconnected nature of our systems as well as the centrality of San Francisco to the region.  It's starting to make waves elsewhere, and I'll be addressing his fantasy map's vision for Marin later this week.

Marin County

  • West Marin's farmworkers will have a chance to live where they work under a new program by the county to build and rehabilitate homes, showing that good urban policy is good rural policy. (IJ)
  • Opponents to regionalism get organized with the founding of the Marin County Communities for Local Control.  Involved politicians are a who's-who of Marin's conservatives - relatively speaking, of course. (IJ)
  • Hopefully these opponents know that Plan Bay Area does not supersede local planning or land use law. (Spotswood)
  • Larkspur's SMART station is held up by Anderson Drive.  San Rafael paved over the tracks to extend the road in 1997 and now doesn't have the money to make the crossing safe. (IJ)
  • The Ritter Center needs more space for its clinic, and it shouldn't have to wait for a downtown San Rafael strategic plan before it expands into temporary space. (IJ)
  • After last year's successful launch, food trucking will be expanded at Larkspur Landing to a week-long presence.  This shows the strong desire for something more than just a parking lot at the ferry terminal. (Patch)
  • Mark your calendar: On April 4, Supervisor Kinsey will talk about transit in Northwest Marin and the possibilities of linking Petaluma to Tomales via Dillon Beach. (IJ)
  • NIMBYism rules in Mill Valley, where the Blithedale Terrace development hit a snag on Monday when the planning commission decided not to forward the EIR to the council for approval.  A special study session will be planned instead to address concerns about size, density, and traffic. (IJ)

The Greater Marin

  • While Marin considers its own bikeshare system, DC's system shows it does far more than just provide bikes: it boosts transit ridership, bike ridership, and provides for a significantly healthier region. (Wash Cycle)
  • ...and more bikers means a healthier economy, with more window-shopping and better engagement with the street than one gets out of just driving. (Streetsblog)
  • High-occupancy toll lanes are opening around the Bay Area, but not Marin. (SF Chronicle)
  • Napa challenged its preliminary draft RHNA numbers and uncovered problems with ABAG's data analysis.  The next draft numbers will likely show significantly fewer housing numbers.  I wonder if this will alter Marin's allocation. (Napa Valley Register)
  • The World Health Organization has a new tool to evaluate the economic and health benefits of better cycling and walking infrastructure, facilitating cost/benefit analyses for planners and advocates alike. (Streetsblog)