On a day when lawmakers celebrated a $942 million grant approval for the Central Subway, opponents of the project announced plans Thursday to put a ballot initiative before voters that would give the electorate a chance to nix the massive undertaking.
The Fix Muni First Initiative would stop the $1.6 billion Central Subway project dead in its tracks if approved by more than 50 percent of The City’s voters in the November 2013 ballot, according to Quentin Kopp, a backer of the measure.
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When California voters approved Proposition 14 in 2010 — an initiative to allow open, multiparty primaries — the idea was to cut down on the rancorous, ideologically extreme rhetoric that had become commonplace in the races leading up to the general election.
However, local residents voting in state Senate races Nov. 6 will see a quirky side effect of the law that probably was not envisioned.
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Muni’s controversial $1.6 billion Central Subway project is poised to receive a long-awaited $942 million federal grant today, a move that will finally secure full funding for construction.
On Wednesday, the federal Department of Transportation issued a notice that it would make a “major funding announcement” today regarding the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which operates Muni. Sources on Wednesday confirmed that it would be the Full Funding Grant Agreement.
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Off the Grid could be coming to North Beach’s Joe DiMaggio Playground as part of a plan to increase the food truck event’s presence at public parks.
Since 2010, Off the Grid has staged weekly gatherings at Golden Gate Park and Civic Center Plaza. The Recreation and Park Department, which manages both sites, has received $100,000 in rent and revenue from those events, and now it wants to expand the program to the North Beach playground.
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Despite recent cease-and-desist letters from state regulators, the founders of three San Francisco ride-sharing businesses said they will continue to operate their companies and voiced confidence that a resolution will be reached.
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In 2010, San Francisco received $7 million to establish an electric vehicle taxi network that would put it on par with global cities like Tokyo and Amsterdam.
Yet two years later, the network still doesn’t exist and it won’t be ready until 2013, due to a series of planning delays.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which manages taxi operations in The City, was awarded a $7 million regional grant to oversee a fleet of 61 electric cars and four battery-swapping stations in The City and San Jose.
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Even on a normal day, a vacant driveway can look like an oasis for frustrated motorists. And during this coming weekend, when 1 million people are expected to descend upon San Francisco for a series of events, a place to park could seem downright mythical.
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Two incumbents with lengthy tenures will face a group of challengers for the right to represent San Francisco residents on BART’s board of directors in November’s election.
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Historically, the dimly-lit underpasses of freeway ramps have been havens for homeless encampments, shady drug deals and other types of seedy behavior.
With the development of the new Transbay Transit Center requiring several overhead ramps for buses, project backers might have been intimidated by the prospect of those unseemly spaces dotting the landscape of the SoMa District. Instead, they’re viewing such spaces as places for positive possibilities.
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BART passengers are split evenly on the prospect of allowing increased access for cyclists on the system, according to a new survey.During every Friday this past August, BART waived its normal blackout periods when bikes are prohibited from trains during the morning and evening commutes. During the month, the transit agency polled passengers to gather feedback on whether the program should be continued or expanded in some manner.
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The Recreation and Park Department is placing a massive bond measure before voters for the second time in four years, but unlike the last occasion, this proposition is facing opposition from a high-profile coalition.
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City agencies are looking into the hiring and payment practices of an America’s Cup event production contractor previously caught letting its roving workforce be paid less than San Francisco’s minimum wage.
The inquiries were prompted by complaints from local unions crying foul about compliance with the terms of last winter’s assiduously discussed labor agreement between City Hall and organizers of the sailing regatta.
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Operating a transit system in one of the most earthquake-prone areas in the country can be a perilous task. Knowing this, BART is taking no risks.
Working with UC Berkeley, the transit agency is the first in the nation to install an automated early warning earthquake system, which will provide BART with precious extra seconds to slow down or stop trains before a temblor hits the tracks.
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Nearly $40 million in state funds were approved Thursday for Caltrain’s positive train control system, a key step in the transit agency’s ongoing quest to electrify its railway.
The funds were approved by the California Transportation Commission and will be used for projects designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, enforce speed restrictions and improve worker safety, according to Caltrain.
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The idea was born out of a conversation among friends, over a few beers after work: They would ride their bikes together down Market Street once a month. The first trip included just a handful of riders and ended after a short jaunt to Zeitgeist, a cyclist-friendly bar in the Mission district.
Today, Critical Mass is an institution in 350 cities worldwide, and on Friday thousands of cyclists are expected to take part in another impromptu dash through San Francisco to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the event in the city where it originated.
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