USF Campus Bike Plan To Be Unveiled December 1st

Photo: usfca.edu

San Francisco’s bikes-for-transportation momentum gets another boost on December 1st when the University of San Francisco unveils its Campus Bicycle Transportation Plan. This past semester more than 600 students, faculty and staff registered their concerns and ideas for building a strong bicycle culture on campus in a study conducted by Stephen Zavetoski, PhD and his students.

Primary concerns on campus include a lack of bike parking in convenient locations, lack of covered, secure bike parking, and too few facilities such as showers and changing rooms. Respondents also registered support for safer, protected bike lanes along the primary streets used to reach USF, including Fell and Oak between the Wiggle bike route and the campus which lies just west of Masonic Avenue. The San Francisco Transportation Agency is currently studying proposals for safer bike travel on Fell and Oak between Scott and Baker, an essential link for cyclists traveling east-west. A proposal for traffic-calming and safety enhancements on Masonic Avenue has already cleared a public hearing and is now under environmental review.

According to Zavetoski, the presentation on December 1st will include a full set of recommendations for increased bicycling at USF based on the study data. “These will include improvement of on-campus amenities as well as recommendations for information and education campaigns that can lower some of the perceived barriers around traffic safety and hills.” Zavetoski is the Sustainability Director in the USF College of Arts & Sciences. For more information, see USFpedals.

USF Campus Bicycle Transportation Plan Presentation
Dec 1 2-3:30 pm
Maraschi Room, Fromm Hall

University of San Francisco Campus map

BIKE NOPA Reader Can't Wait for Bike Parking in the Panhandle, Installs His Own

Until the official bike racks are installed in the Panhandle Park, this one helps

Bike parking at the bulletin board near the restroom west of Masonic

Impatient for the official, authorized bike racks to be installed in the Panhandle Park, one of BIKE NOPA's readers decided to provide secure parking for himself and any of the other thousands of bicyclists who use the Panhandle Path in the interim. Yes, the bulletin board posts are public property, but instead of any admonition, how about saluting the public spiritedness of the stealthy bike parker?

I appreciated that Dale Danley -- with his eyes-on-the-Panhandle everyday -- had yet to notice the bike parking addition in the midst of the proposed make-over area that he is helping to coordinate west of Masonic. "I'm glad that someone else realized how badly we need bike parking in the Panhandle," Danley remarked. "Getting real racks installed can't happen quickly enough for me either." When will the Panhandle project get underway? Danley said he was optimistic about the timeline, but ventured only a vague "Sometime this year."

For all the news on the Panhandle, check Panhandle Park Stewards.

California Pacific Adds More Bike Racks at Davies Campus, Recognizes Biking as Better Option for Transportation and Health

Five new bike racks (foreground) at Davies Campus bike-friendly garage

Responding to requests, CPMC/Davies increases number of racks to 18

Bicyclists who want to ride to their jobs, doctor's appointments, or outpatient sessions at the Davies Campus of the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) will find bike parking even more plentiful with an additional five new bike racks. CPMC recently increased the number of racks from 13 to 18 at the Duboce and Castro streets campus after cyclists reported an increase in demand. Each rack can accommodate two bikes.

Kevin McCormack, CPMC Media Relations Manager, wrote to BIKE NOPA that encouraging bicycling was a natural choice for the institution.

As a hospital one of our priorities is promoting healthy lifestyles. With improved bike lanes nearby, we realize that cycling is clearly becoming a better option for transportation and for maintaining good health for more and more people in San Francisco. Thanks to BIKE NOPA and others, we realized that one easy way to make it easier for people to cycle to our campus was simply to install more bike racks.

Located along the #24 bus route and near the N Judah streetcar line, the Davies Campus has one of the highest rates of public and alternative transportation use of any business in San Francisco, according to McCormack. Bicyclists find ideal parking accommodations at the medical complex: easy-to-find racks just inside the parking garage, protection from rain, and security with a garage attendant a few steps away.

The addition of new racks represents the second time in 14 months that CPMC has increased bike parking. In November of 2009 administrators authorized a set of five racks after a story posted here a few months earlier. At that time a hospital representative wrote, "Thanks for being a squeaky wheel."

DPW's New Bike Port Makes Biking to Work Even Better

A better place to park for employees and visitors

DPW amps up its support of alternative transportation with new bike port

Christopher McDaniels, chief of DPW's street repair bureau and a bicyclist

Just in time for the rainy season, the Department of Public Works (DPW) boasts a new bike shelter and parking station at its street operations yard on Cesar Chavez. Christened a "bike port" by Deputy Director of Operations Mohammed Nuru, the elevated, wood-frame structure was completed in time for the department's health fair a few weeks ago.

Chris McDaniels, Superintendent of the Bureau of Street & Sewer Repair, pointed out some of the features of the station after a monthly meeting of his operations crew and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's Good Roads Campaign. He said the department was testing a gritty floor and ramp surface for durability and safety for cyclists using the port. Staff may also re-stripe the immediate area to draw more attention to the port. Kudos to DPW for selecting the inverted-U design for its seven new racks instead of the difficult-to-use spiral type installed at several facilities in the city. For this visitor, the new port offers a decidedly feel-good experience for biking to meetings.

Two related notes:

The performance of DPW's road crews -- some of whom bike to work or bike during off-hours -- is impressive, as noted in the recently released in DPW's 2009/2010 Annual Report (pdf document, see page 14). Staff responded to 15,000 roadway defects, resurfaced 133 street blocks, and patch paved 290,000 square feet of street surfaces.

An alert to city road users: the rainy season is a great time to report potholes, wide cracks, sinkholes and other surface defects. DPW's road crews shift to more street repair and less resurfacing during the winter. It's easy to report a problem to 311 by phone, online, and on Twitter. Be as specific as possible with location of the defect: street name, cross street, traffic direction, and, best of all, a nearby address. But most of all, report them for everyone's safety.

Install Bike Parking and They Will Come: CPMC Davies At Max With Year-Old Racks

CPMC Davies bike parking today: 13 racks

Room for expansion: space for another five or ten racks empty and waiting

Install bike racks in San Francisco and they will be used. So many more people are taking to the streets on two wheels that bike parking fills up fast. The Davies Campus of the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) is finding its modest five-rack expansion a year ago is hardly adequate to the demand. In November of 2009 the Davies Engineering Department installed an additional five bike racks at its covered bike station, and now the racks are full, or nearly so, on a regular basis. Fortunately, expanding the facility will be easy with available space adjacent to the current parking.

Last year BIKE NOPA congratulated CPMC Davies for responding to cyclists' requests for more parking with the additional racks. Medical center administrators said at the time they recognized the advantages of providing the extra accommodation. Increasing numbers of staff bicycled to work, and many of the center's outpatient population rode bikes to appointments. The advantages of increased bike parking were pretty clear at the time. In addition to the convenience for staff and clients, hospital directors wanted to keep bikes out of the building for all sorts of other reasons, from reduced liability to safer passage in the hallways. Medical personnel expressed concern about bikes possibly carrying germs on their surfaces. And the benefits of biking fit the health promotion and disease prevention messages of the institution.

Bring on the extra rows of racks, for the near term. An additional five inverted-U racks easily fit along last year's addition for an immediate improvement to the bike parking crunch. And the space accommodates ten racks if the short-term vehicle parking is moved elsewhere. But CPMC wants to enhance the Davies Campus with a new four-story Neuroscience Institute and a new parking garage. Long-range planning should anticipate a steady increase in the number of staff and patients bicycling to the center and provide facilities for them.

The five new racks installed a year ago

Saturday Pics: Cozy rack at the de Young

Bike parking at the de Young Museum just got better

Making the difficult-to-use spiral bike rack more welcome

A spiral wrap for a spiral rack

Fine craftswork at a fine arts stop

Thanks to whoever generously designed and expertly wrapped one part of the bike rack at the de Young Museum.

City College Gets the Bike Parking Just Right

10 new bike racks at John Adams Campus on Hayes @ Masonic

New concrete pad, landscaping, and perfectly spaced racks

There's a cyclist in those racks!

The previous poorly-designed wave rack and the old-school style shunted to the side

Students and staff at the John Adams Campus of City College have even more reason to bike to classes: cool new parking in an attractive bicycle area close to the building's Hayes Street entrance. The ten new racks designed in the highly-usable and space-efficient "O" shape look especially good on their new concrete pad alongside sharp landscaping. The bike parking is situated near the main entry to the school with lots of entry and exit space.

City College avoided the practical but boring "inverted U" racks rapidly increasing across the city and, thankfully, replaced the perhaps-cute but awkward-to-use "wave" racks that appear all too often even with new projects in town. Nearby neighbor and SF Bike Coalition Project Manager Marc Caswell alerted BIKE NOPA to the new parking. He especially appreciated the choice of racks, "It's the same shape of rack that works so well at Mojo Bicycle Cafe with perfect spacing and angled just right."

Get Your Mojo But Park Your Bike?

Cool spin past Mojo Bicycle Cafe - but where to park the ride?

Trees, meters, rack -- still not enough parking at Mojo on Divisadero

Bike parking pile-up a half-block away from Mojo Cafe too

You can always walk to Mojo Bicycle Cafe and peds are always welcome, but, hey, it's a bicycle cafe. The always buzzing spot on Divisadero already has two basic inverted-U bike racks, but they're usually taken. And the bikes at trees and meters, and bikes locked double- and triple- wide only crunch the street's already skinny sidewalks. Something new, better, more practical, more sidewalk-friendly, more bike-on is so needed here.

So, that was the teaser lead: something new and better really is in the works, as reported today by Matthew Roth in Streetsblog with some great photo simulations of a proposed build-out along the sidewalk to accommodate pedestrians, cafe customers, and anyone who wants to sit a bit and appreciate the improvements on Divisadero. And, yes, there will be additional bike parking included in the design.

New Bike Racks Sprout in NOPA

All of a sudden new bike racks are appearing on NOPA streets. After three years of the injunction-induced bike parking drought, the ever-humble and practical inverted U's are blossoming like the plum tree outside Mojo Bicycle Cafe. From Fulton near Masonic and along Divisadero, we spotted seven new bike racks. NOPA received two of the first racks installed in the days after a partial lifting of the bike injunction, one at Pacific Primary School and another on Divisadero near Oak. Now with at least nine new racks, there's greater chance to stow your bike outside stores and cafes and homes without blocking sidewalks and without risking losing your wheels altogether.

Know of other new bike racks in NOPA? (The new ones have a city SFMTA message stenciled on the sidewalk to help position the installations). List others here in comments.

First City-Installed Bike Rack in NOPA in More than 3 Years

A tight fit for two bikes to maneuver around and park next to rack.

It's good once you find it.

Just fits.

Choices

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) installed a standard, "inverted U" bike rack Monday on Baker Street near Grove, making it the first city-owned bike parking improvement in NOPA for more than three years. The rack is situated on the Baker Street side of the "old building" of the Pacific Primary School. Thank you, MTA!

The MTA announced that it had 750 applications for bike racks throughout the city; the agency has reviewed and processed 60 of these. With much fanfare Monday, the MTA installed a new bike lane on Scott Street between Fell and Oak, added sharrows (bike and arrow graphics indicating shared use of the roadway), and prepped the bike box on Scott at Oak for an official re-painting with Mayor Gavin Newsom presiding (or painting it, perhaps?).*

Like all neighborhoods in the city, the North Panhandle needs bike parking for its hundreds of residents who use bicycles for basic transportation. To its credit Pacific Primary parents and administration erected their own custom-designed bike racks along both the old building and the new building across the street last summer, as reported in BIKE NOPA here.

Every new bike rack helps, so we're hesitant to suggest the location of NOPA's newest one is a bit curious. Both Grove and Baker have especially wide sidewalks and ample space between most street trees. Yet MTA chose the most hard-to-find and confined space for the new rack. Grove Street offers so many better-suited spaces that would also be more in the open and thus more secure. Ease of arrival, parking and secure parking becomes even more important as more teachers, parents, and students bike to school. For now, we're happy to get one more rack.

The Divisadero corridor also received a new rack, this one at 268 close to Little Chihuahua restaraunt; a second is due at 248 but, as of Tuesday afternoon, had not been installed.

* The Mayor's Press Conference is scheduled for 1pm, Thursday, Dec. 3 at the corner of Oak and Scott Streets. During or immediately after the conference, the "bike box" at that intersection will be painted to green to encourage bicyclists to assemble there before crossing Oak -- and to inform motorists that it's a sanctioned bike stop.

Nathan Frankel Parks Bike and Much, Much More

Free bike parking and a big smile.

Making bike parking easier and safer.

Bike parking space soon to be full at Tour de Fat.

Central Avenue neighbor Nathan Frankel has found a way to live comfortably in San Francisco while doing what he loves. Make that the several things he pursues with passion. If you catch Nathan at any one of his part-time endeavors, his glowing smile confirms how much pleasure he takes from being right there in the moment.

When Nathan first moved to the city in 1996 at age 23, he worked with an engineering firm. With his degree in industrial engineering he went from a temporary to a permanent position and was able to pay off debts accumulated during school. That gave him the freedom to take a job in the music industry, first in a record store and then at an internet radio station in the lower Haight.

"That was a dream job," Nathan recalled outside Central Coffee and Tea at Central and Hayes Streets. The station, Groovetech.com, was based in Seattle with satellite offices in San Francisco and London. "We were very cutting edge. We provided streaming audio and video live to people's worksites." Nathan was a DJ for ten years, worked in clubs around town, and ran a small label with 500-1000 vinyl. "We sold to stores for DJs playing in clubs to use."

Next he returned to office work and designed layouts of office furniture, a job that held little interest for him and left him wanting to make more of a contribution. "I'd rather be doing a lot of things that I love rather than one I was indifferent to at best," he explained for why he left the job more than a year ago. "Now it's difficult for me to answer when someone asks what work I do. I can't give a simple answer -- like an accountant, lawyer, electrician, or teacher -- it's more complex for me since I'm always working at multiple endeavors."

Bicycling has been a major part of Nathan's life ever since he moved to San Francisco. He got involved with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition in the late 90s. "The staff was so pleasant and professional and good to be around," he said. "I was excited to be involved with so many other cyclists in a common cause." He started with SFBC's streetside outreach program, and showed up for volunteer nights, and then took on valet parking. "Now I like to think I've become one of the core of 100 or so volunteers who help regularly. I like being one of the go-to volunteers that the office contacts when help is needed." He added, "SFBC is a major nucleus of my social life; it's a way many of us find our community."

Nathan landed a contractor position with SFBC as a manager of the bike valet program, and now coordinates the service for events during the spring, summer, and fall seasons. With so many bicyclists in San Francisco -- and a 53% increase over the last three years -- providing free valet parking at events is a huge service that SFBC provides. Last year SFBC valets parked more than 2,500 bikes at the Outside Lands festival. As a valet manager, Nathan supervises volunteers, coordinates with the organizers, deals with outreach supplies and equipment and stays for the full period of the event. (Most volunteers work for 3-6 hour periods and then get free access to the event).

"I love being part of the parking solution, and I love it when I leave my bike with the valets and don't have to worry about security. The parking gives SFBC recognition, and it makes biking a real transportation alternative." Nathan hopes to see improvements with the parking for some special events like the recent Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival. "At that event we can only park a fraction of the bikes that are brought to us. The organizers gave us only one-third of the space we requested for parking, and it was uncomfortable having to turn away so many cyclists."

"It's not a glamorous job," Nathan added, "but I'm really happy to be part of it." He especially likes the gratitude that people express. "Someone suggested to me that if you could buy a house with gratitude, all bike valets would live in mansions." A different kind of benefit came to Nathan in the course of his valet stints. At the Outer Lands festival this year he met a woman who was volunteering as a bike valet. They've been dating for the last several months.

Yes, there's more: Nathan, the photographer!

When he's not parking bikes, Nathan is often behind a smoked salmon stand. "I'm a farmers' market groupie," he remarked. "I began going to markets as soon as I moved here, two to three times a week. I really like the community aspect of it." Nathan now works two locations, one at the UCSF campus on 3rd Street and one at the Crocker Galleria in the financial district. "I've met a lot of really good people at the market, hardworking, stand-up people."

Nathan adds a few more pursuits to the mix. He works a few hours a week as a consultant and provides assistance with autoCAD, the software that engineers and architects use to create blue prints. He fits in political organizing for socialist and left-wing groups on both local and big picture issues. Somehow he finds time for classes in website development which he hopes to use in helping non-profits and small businesses.

"When I left my job, I thought I'd have more time off, but now I'm busier than before and my schedule is packed." Nathan remarked, "I'm still looking for the pause button on life." After three semesters at school, he's taking just such a pause in January with an extended trip in Central America.

Not everyone wants to manage several jobs at once, although today's economy often gives them little choice. Nathan explained how he makes it work for him financially. "The key is to minimize consumption. I've learned I don't have to make money if I don't spend it. I can do this especially since I don't own a car. It's amazing that I can live in this expensive city and be happy without making a lot of money."

For Nathan, the money aspect is the practical concern. The larger picture is what sustains him. "My philosophy is to appreciate the little things. Sometimes everyday interactions are so important."

More Bike Parking Coming to CPMC/Davies

The surge in bicycling appears all over San Francisco -- even at hospitals and clinics. But once cyclists arrive, where do they park? Davies Hospital at Castro & Duboce is a case in point for NOPA residents and others who frequent the medical complex. (And, yes, it's now officially the "Davies Campus of California Pacific Medical Center," but I've been around awhile and it's "Davies" or "Davies Hospital" to me).

Davies provides 8 racks of bike parking just inside its parking garage. The conditions are pretty ideal: easy to access, easy to use (none of those spiral racks!), sheltered from rain, and right next to the garage attendant station for extra security. But there aren't enough of them, not anymore.

Who would bike to a medical complex if they were guaranteed adequate parking on arrival? Obvious answer: the staff, visitors, "the biking well" (an adaptation of the standard "walking well" person capable of getting around while ill), and some outpatients. The very question betrays an outdated notion that all "sick people" need transport by car, taxi, Muni, or ambulance.

There's lots of good reasons for more bike parking at hospitals. Bringing bikes indoors might be a hazard for less mobile and agile patients and clients in hallways and elevators. According to hospital personnel at Davies, medics and administrators considered whether bikes indoors might also carry infectious agents on their surfaces. The more people cycle to get medical care, the less need for costly additions to accomodate more vehicles in parking garages. And then there's the obvious health benefits from exercise through biking, something hospitals might actively promote.

Davies has a relatively easy solution to the parking crunch. Next to the existing, well-used racks is a two-car wide space intended for bike parking in the past. But did anyone really use these metal-stumps-in asphalt to secure their bikes? (see photo). If they did then, they don't now. Here's a bike improvement way overdue for its makeover.

After cyclists requested more parking -- a few times, but who's counting? -- Davies' Engineering Department now expects to review a design proposal this week and will then install new racks within about 30 days. (Thanks to staff for moving forward with this!) We'll let you know when they're up.

If you're interested in the bigger picture of bike parking, check out "What Would Get Americans Biking to Work? Decent Parking" by Tom Vanderbilt in Slate.

NOPA Bike Hero: Pacific Primary School

The little orange and yellow and green school that could. We all know it's hard to bike in the city if there's nowhere to park. And who likes settling for trees, parking meters, and street poles for cabling or U-locking? NOPA has a few standard inverted-U bike racks, but none close enough to Pacific Primary at Baker and Grove Streets to benefit teachers, parents, and students who bike. Until now.

Any biker, ped, or motorist who travels Baker or Grove Streets, knows the bright splashes of color on the westside corners of the intersection. Not exactly Victorian and Edwardian hues to match the neighborhood's painted ladies, but that's the fun of having the orange, green, and yellow exteriors of Pac Primary in the center of NOPA. Now a parents group has accessorized the school exterior with bright new bike racks.

According to school administrator, Elizabeth Cacal, parents designated the funds from a school auction for purchase of the bike racks. Sarah June Barr Crocket, one of the parents, helped select the manufacturer, Dero Bike Racks, and complete the purchase (about $2,000 for three racks). Dero allows customers to customize their purchase, and Pac Primary added its goofy grin logo. (You have to love a school with a a graphic like that!)

In an earlier post, I spied Sarah's son's bike forlornly slung around a street pole, no rack anywhere to be seen. Today his little red ride proudly stood along the cool orange rack at the front door.

Another parent, Norman Rutherford, volunteered to install the racks. I caught up with him and his son, Rye Tewksbury, this afternoon before they headed home to the Mission. They do just fine on their 2 1/2 mile ride and especially appreciate the Wiggle for getting across town. Rye started out in a bike trailer pod at six months and now has a scoot bike. Next up is a Burly trailer cycle.

Norman's got the bike rack installation down, and he's willing to help other non-profits, schools, arts organizations install theirs as well. (Contact him at northerly@sbcglobal.net). He also said he thought parents and teachers at the school would be enthusiastic about an occasional designated bike or play block near the school. Several parents have told him they'd like to learn more about bike trailers as well as giving their kids practice time on a city street.

Pacific Primary is a pretty cool school all around. With its brand new building on the southwest corner, the 35 year old school now accomodates 154 students who range from 2 1/2 years to pre-K. The full-day program "celebrates diversity -- ethnic, racial, economic -- and all types of families including adoptive, gay and lesbian, and one or more parent families."

Bike Parking in NOPA

Bicyclists have to be creative when it comes to parking. Until the city installs more bike racks, we make do with makeshift structures, often cluttering the sidewalks and sometimes obstructing pedestrians. Here's some coping strategies in NOPA.

A Bike Rack Here, Please

On the same day that the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition sponsored a "Bike to School Day," I spotted this little red bike slumped alongside a street sign at Baker and Grove, outside Pacific Primary. There's no bike rack to be found anywhere nearby for students or staff or neighbors.

There's a reason for the dearth of bike parking. For nearly three years, no bicycle improvements have been allowed in the city as an extraordinarily time-consuming environmental impact assessment was conducted by court order. Within weeks the court injunction is expected to be lifted, and then simple things with no environmental hazards like bike racks can be installed.

Neighborhood schools and all the rest of us can request bike parking at all the places frequented by cyclists. If you're not a cyclist (yet), consider how racks will minimize clutter of our sidewalks with bikes upright in a few places instead of slung around light poles and parking meters.

To get bike parking at your favorite stop in NOPA or anywhere in the city, call 415 585-BIKE or zip a request here. Provide the address, cross streets, and, if applicable, name of business.