Fewer than half of likely California voters support the state’s proposed high-speed rail project at its current price tag, according to a poll released Wednesday.
In 2008, 52 percent of voters backed a $9.95 billion bond measure for the high-speed rail network. However, the projected cost of the plan has gone from $34 billion to $68 billion since then.
The more expensive plan has residents wary, as only 43 percent of the 1,138 likely voters interviewed said they would support the project at its current cost, according to the Public Policy Institute of California poll.
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A revised plan for the Northeast Mission neighborhood makes acquiring a residential parking permit easier, but business groups and community members say the proposal, which would also add meters, does not address their needs.
In late 2011, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which manages parking in The City, introduced a plan to install hundreds of meters in the neighborhood, which has a high concentration of light-industry businesses. The plan drew heavy criticism, prompting the agency to temporarily shelve the project.
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More controversial anti-Islamic advertisements are scheduled to be coming to Muni buses, with the new messages quoting anti-gay rhetoric from Islamic leaders. The head of the initiative said local gay leaders’ criticism of previous ads led to the latest effort.
A number of city officials, religious figures and community activists held a news conference last week to condemn a set of ads paid for by the American Freedom Defense Initiative that expressed views widely seen as anti-Islamic.
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The widow of a well-known local journalist is poised to receive one of the largest settlements Muni has issued in the past two years.
Today, the agency’s board of directors is expected to discuss in a closed-door session whether to approve a $900,000 payout for the wife of Bill Brand, who died in 2009 after being hit by a train near AT&T Park.
Brand, a former reporter for the Oakland Tribune who was known nationally for his beer column, was struck by an N-Judah light-rail vehicle at Second and King streets Feb. 8, 2009. He died in the hospital nearly two weeks later.
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Taxi passengers could soon hail every available driver in San Francisco and track their exact whereabouts as part of a new technology push to put the taxi industry on equal footing with fast-growing transportation alternatives.
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A deal has been reached to bring bike-sharing to San Francisco, with the official launch date of the
much-delayed plan set for August.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District, a regional agency, announced Thursday that it had reached an agreement with Alta Bicycle Share, the private company set to manage the project. The network was originally scheduled to be in place by last April, but stalled talks pushed back the start date.
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As students in The City head off for spring break, Muni is cutting service to adjust for the projected lower ridership.
Because students enrolled in the San Francisco Unified School District and at San Francisco State University will be on spring break from March 25 to March 29, Muni is projecting that its ridership levels will drop by nearly 20 percent.
The reduced service plan is part of a new strategy that Muni first tried during the holidays, when ridership is historically down. The transit agency reduced service on many commuter lines, saving Muni about $275,000.
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BART passengers will have to wait a little longer than expected to see more vinyl seats on trains.
In 2011, the agency started replacing its crusty and stained wool covers, much to the delight of riders. That $1.9 million project called for BART to replace the seats in 300 of its 669 train cars. So far, 250 have been outfitted with the new vinyl material and the agency is outfitting two cars a week to meet the 300 goal.
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Most musicians don’t dream of being famous for peeing and puking while onstage.
Sadly, due to riotous early shows, the Atlanta-based Black Lips, who play the Great American Music Hall on Monday, have become saddled with that notoriety. It’s a shame, since the band deserves merit for its unique interpretation of swaggering garage-rock psychedelia.
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BART on Monday is expected to begin its second experiment with allowing bikes aboard trains during peak commute times.
In August, the agency allowed cyclists to board trains at any time during the five Fridays of the month. Normally, BART bars bikes on certain trains during morning and evening commute hours to reduce crowding.
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With its fledgling service struggling mightily, South San Francisco ferry officials are exploring new ways to attract passengers.
The Peninsula-East Bay service that was launched with much fanfare in June has fallen far short of expectations. For the last week of February, the service averaged only 131 daily boardings — barely one-third of the projected ridership.
It has so far recorded a dismal 8.4 percent farebox recovery rate, meaning nearly 92 percent of its $3.4 million operating budget is subsidized by local and state taxpayers who don’t use the service.
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City leaders are decrying a controversial set of advertisements that have returned to Muni buses, but agency officials and legal experts say banning the messages would violate free speech rights.
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Construction could begin in May on a skateboarding and dog park in South of Market that has been stuck in bureaucratic limbo for years.
Various city agencies are poised to sign a 20-year contract with Caltrans to rent a vacant lot under the Central Freeway and transform it into an open space for skateboarders and dog walkers. The concept design for the park was first developed in early 2009, but lease disagreements between the state and city agencies delayed the project.
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Muni’s switchback policy on transit routes gained a new foe last week, but while the practice might be increasing on some lines, it appears to be slowing down on others.
A perennial complaint of disgruntled riders, Muni says its practice of cutting short its scheduled routes is necessary to clear delays on other parts of the system.
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The date has been set: All-electronic tolling will begin March 27 on the Golden Gate Bridge.
After two years of planning, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District is set to lay off its remaining toll workers and begin discussions on what the new speed limit should be at the plaza to prepare for the cashless system.
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