JUST IN: S.F.’s vision to create a “Grand Central Station of the West” has received support from the federal government, which has pledged $3.4 billion toward the city’s downtown rail extension project.

trib.al/X2Tn9L8

S.F.’s massive plan to create a ‘Grand Central Station of the West’ wins major funding grant sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s-f… via San Francisco Chronicle

My latest column: Post-COVID, hundreds of thousands of CA youth aren’t in school or working. No one knows where they are or what they’re doing. 25% of kids actually enrolled in school are chronically absent.

CA needs to treat this like the emergency it is.sfchronicle.com/opinion/emilyh…

Being able to pay for BART or Muni fares with your debit or credit card instead of a Clipper card is going to take longer to become reality.

By Ricardo Cano

sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl… via San Francisco Chronicle

Clipper 2.0 delayed... via Ricardo Cano

sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl…

BART has ‘no backup plan’ if Bay Area voters reject tax measure
great, if sobering, reporting by Ricardo Cano sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl…

'BART could enter a death spiral in less than 24 months, once the agency runs out of emergency pandemic aid, and officials are pinning all their hopes for survival on voters’ approval of a 2026 tax measure.'

Ricardo Cano

sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl… via San Francisco Chronicle

BART could enter a transit death spiral in less than 24 months, once it runs out of emergency aid, and officials are pinning all their hopes on approval of a 2026 tax measure.

BART officials say, without approval of that tax measure, there is no plan B. trib.al/OjS1MSj

It took a while but ta-daaa, a public calendar for Bay Area transit agency board meetings that you can subscribe to. Always check with the agency first since they might move their meetings around. calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?c… Enjoy! cc Streetsblog SF Ricardo Cano Grace Hase

BREAKING: California PUC grants Waymo access to operate its driverless ride-hailing in the Peninsula and Los Angeles, effective immediately. sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl… via San Francisco Chronicle

S.F. spent nearly $2 billion on the Central Subway. Did it really help Chinatown?

A year after opening, here’s the impact and how ridership has been on the Central Subway.

sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl…

JUST IN: Macy’s Inc. will be shutting down its massive flagship store in Union Square, a major setbackto San Francisco’s premier shopping district.

sfchronicle.com/realestate/art…

Exclusive: Driverless robotaxis are causing less mayhem on San Francisco streets. City officials explain why

Via Ricardo Cano

sfchronicle.com/sf/article/dri… via San Francisco Chronicle

My statement regarding the arson incident of an autonomous vehicle this past weekend. ⬇️

The precise details of the crash involving a Cruise car and a pedestrian answers so many questions about what happened that night. sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/…

NEW:

One Cruise crash set off a new era for self-driving cars in San Francisco.

Here’s a complete look at what happened

By Ricardo Cano, Todd Trumbull, Yuri Avila and Sophie D'Amato sfchronicle.com/projects/2024/…

BART's Civic Center Station, where fare evasion is common, will be among the first 8 stations to get the new, taller fare gates. Coming in May or June.
sfchronicle.com/bayarea/articl… via San Francisco Chronicle

New data shows the dramatic increase of robotaxi activity by Cruise and Waymo after being granted the ability to charge for rides at any time of the day in San Francisco. trib.al/S8WgMNp

S.F. robotaxi rides exponentially increased in the city — even after severe crash sfchronicle.com/sf/article/rob… via San Francisco Chronicle

Update: at least one Bay Area public transit agency (@vta) plans to oppose legislation that would ask CalSTA to make a plan to consolidate all of the Bay Area's transit agencies, arguing it would take away local control.

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