October, 2008

      By Chris Long

Be Aware When the Rubber Hits the Road

Time flies when you’re having fun, but when trapped in traffic, minutes pass like hours. Perhaps it’s the uncertainty that makes time slow to a snail’s pace when highway congestion makes walking faster than driving. But over the last year, almost 100 digital signs have popped-up around the Bay Area that predict how long, or preferably short, it will take to reach a given destination. These include 20 electronic billboards in San Francisco, such as a prominent one located on the 101 between the Cesar Chavez and Vermont Street exits, which forecasts the time it’ll take you to reach Oakland, SFO, or Palo Alto ... (more...)

January 10, 2008
By Kerry Fleisher

Environmentally-Friendly Trolley Buses Cause “Bus Bunching,” Crowded Aisles Diesel-Electric Buses Could Clear the Air and the Roads

The 22-bus, which starts in the Marina, wends its way through the Fillmore and Inner Mission and then zig-zags through Potrero Hill, is a veritable cross-section of San Francisco’s diverse ethnic heritage.  Third-generation Russians; Spanish-speakers from Central America; and students of all backgrounds huddle together on the same crammed bus aisles... (more...)

May 25, 2007
By Kerry Fleisher

Helipad Proposal Met by Strong Opposition at City Hall Meeting

The debate over whether to construct a helipad at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) escalated to new heights last month when the San Francisco Planning Commission opened the floor to public comment at one of its weekly meetings.  At 11 p.m. on a Thursday night, ten hours after the meeting started and following a SFGH briefing on its plans to rebuild the hospital, close to twenty individuals rose to speak on the sensitive topic.. (more...)

February 28, 2007
By Lorraine Sanders

Residents Trash City Proposal to Increase Street Sweeping

After receiving a negative response from San Franciscans to a proposal that would increase early morning street sweeping in parts of the Mission and lower Potrero Hill to three times a week, the Department of Public Works (DPW) has decided to consider alternatives. "We've had two public hearings, and we've had pretty much overwhelming concern," said DPW spokesperson Christine Falvey... (more...)

November 4, 2006
By Robynne Boyd

Helipad or No Helipad: That is Still the Question

Neighborhoods surrounding San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) have debated whether a helipad should perch atop the City’s number one trauma center for almost two decades.... (more...)

March 20, 2006
By Robynne Boyd

Smart Traffic – No Longer an Oxymoron

Time flies when you’re having fun, but when trapped in traffic, minutes pass like hours... (more...)

September 20, 2005
By Daniel Porras

Parking in Potrero: A Paradise Lost?

In a city where it’s common to spend 45 minutes in a frenzied attempt to find a space, Potrero Hill has been a Shangri-la for weary parkers... (more...)