Living in a region with some of the worst traffic congestion in the nation can be bad enough for commuters. But it’s even worse when the tools designed to manage that traffic are frequently broken or shut down. Tools such as closed-circuit television cameras, metering lights and variable message signs are unreliable in delivering real-time traffic updates to motorists — a lack of results that has the Bay Area’s lead transportation agency clamoring for a bigger role in managing the system. Read More

SamTrans will be changing the scheduling times on 
nearly 40 percent of its bus lines this weekend to improve service. Every four months, the San Mateo County transit agency adjusts bus schedules to address issues with on-time performance and to increase efficiency, according to spokeswoman Christine Dunn. During the latest adjustment, SamTrans reviewed its lower-performing lines and determined how their schedules could be tweaked to better meet the needs of riders, she said. Read More

Tossing a tasty morsel to a goose or a squirrel may seem like a nice thing to do, but the repercussions can be detrimental. So San Francisco’s animal watchdogs want The City to consider fining people who violate its ban on such feasts. Read More

After years of failed legislative attempts, governor vetoes and lengthy legal reviews, the path has finally been cleared for the installation of a red-light traffic camera at one of The City’s most dangerous intersections. The former site of the Central Freeway, the intersection at Market and Octavia streets has long been a trouble spot for pedestrians and cyclists, many of whom are hit by motorists making right turns off Market Street. Read More

With ridership growing steadily, Caltrain has outlined ambitious operating goals that could make the regional rail operator one of the most efficient transit agencies in the country. During the past 8½ years, Caltrain has more than doubled the farebox recovery rate in which it recoups day-to-day operating costs through transit fares. It has posted a 65 percent rate in the current fiscal year, which is higher than most of its peers in the Bay Area and well above the agency’s stated goal of 38 to 50 percent. Read More

With the change scheduled to start this weekend, local businesses are begrudgingly gearing up for Sunday parking meter enforcement in The City. Approved last April, the program is expected to bring in $1.9 million a year for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees city transportation policies. The agency has said the meter enforcement, from noon to 6 p.m., will update antiquated parking rules, increase turnover in front of businesses and better manage traffic along commercial corridors. Read More

Like the ubiquitous streetlights and fire hydrants, bicyclists pensively waiting at the stoplight at 12th and Market streets have become part of the scenery along San Francisco’s central artery. Read More