Solving the Bay Area’s Fare Policy Problem
Policy Brief
Each of the Bay Area’s transit operators sets its own policy for determining the fares it will charge. This creates customer confusion, inhibits people from using more than one transit service and undermines the investments the region is making in new infrastructure and technology. SPUR offers recommendations for how operators can streamline and integrate their fares to help the region realize the promise of transit.
What’s Next for Housing Now That SB 50 Has Been Deferred to 2020?
News /
Earlier this month, controversial state zoning bill SB 50 was denied a committee hearing , meaning the state legislature won't pass it in 2019. But the push to increase housing supply goes on. Quite a number of other housing bills are still under consideration, and SPUR is supporting many of them.
Policy Proposal: Jump-Start Development Near Transit with Temporary TOD
News /
The passage of Assembly Bill 2923 means Bay Area cities must change their zoning to accommodate development on land that BART owns around its stations. Long-term plans for building housing will take time. In the short term, u sing the methods of tactical urbanism could give development near stations a jump start while allowing them to grow and change over time.
The Case for Increased Rail Service in South Santa Clara County
News /
Multiple commuter and passenger rail projects are in the works in the South Bay, but most of them target just a few travel corridors. Left behind are many areas with more limited transit options and a high dependence on automobiles. One of them is South Santa Clara County, where the opportunity to expand Caltrain service could greatly improve commute times and reduce carbon emissions.
San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas
SPUR Report
As the climate continues to change, communities will need to adapt the San Francisco Bay shoreline to rising sea levels. But the Bay’s varied landscapes and overlapping jurisdictions make a coordinated response challenging. The San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas proposes a new regional planning framework by dividing the 400-mile Bay shoreline into 30 distinct geographic areas that share common physical characteristics and adaptation strategies.
We All Deserve to Be Counted: The Importance of the 2020 Census
News /
The 10-year census is a profound expression of who our nation is and who deserves to be included in our political systems and public services. With the 2020 census less than a year away, SPUR is hosting a series of events to look at ongoing local strategies to make sure everyone in the Bay Area gets counted.
My Rider Is Your Rider: What the Bay Area Can Learn from Germany’s Collaborative Transit Planning
News /
In cities and regions across Germany, dozens of transit operators work together to provide riders with one simple and convenient transit system that is competitive with driving for many trips. It’s a far cry from the Bay Area, where transit services all have separate fares, schedules and maps. How were Germany’s cities able to align multiple operators into one seamless system?
Re-Envisioning the Guadalupe River Park
Research
From New York City’s High Line to Atlanta’s BeltLine, communities across the country are transforming underutilized infrastructure into engaging public spaces. Building on this national momentum, SPUR has launched a project to reconsider the Guadalupe River Park, an underappreciated gem in downtown San Jose.
The Politics of Potholes in Oakland: Fairness, Equity, City Budgets and the Public Good
News /
In recent weeks the Oakland Department of Transportation has begun publicizing its new $100 million, three-year paving plan. Ordinarily a plan that triples annual spending would meet with universal acclaim. But this plan — which incorporates equity in deciding how to spend money on paving streets — has some parts of town happy and other parts up in arms.
A Field Guide to California Urbanism
Five tropes of city life that originated in the Golden State
The Urbanist / to
Big Win: A Taller Skyline for San Jose
News /
For years, people have asked why downtown San Jose’s skyline is so … diminutive. This month, the city made a big decision that will finally allow its downtown to grow upward: Changing flight paths at Mineta San Jose Airport will allow taller buildings — meaning more jobs and housing near transit.
Six Ways Oakland Should Take the Long View for Its Downtown Plan
News /
SPUR has been advocating for comprehensive, visionary and ambitious Downtown Oakland Specific Plan ever since we published our Downtown for Everyone report in 2015. After many years of work, the City of Oakland has released a preliminary draft of that plan. SPUR offers suggestions to help realize a vision and strategy for building a true downtown for everyone.
SPUR Impact Awards 2019: Silicon Valley Clean Energy Team Redefines the South Bay's Energy Supply
News /
The 2019 SPUR Impact, held on March 22, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving San Jose and the surrounding communities. The ceremony honored the Silicon Valley Clean Energy Core Staff Implementation Team for educating the community and other cities on Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE), a community choice energy program that redefines where and how electricity is supplied in the South Bay.
SPUR Impact Awards 2019: Martin Alkire Envisions a Greener Future for Mountain View’s North Bayshore
News /
The 2019 SPUR Impact Awards, held on March 22, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving San Jose and the neighboring communities. The ceremony honored Martin Alkire for leading the transformation of a predominantly suburban office environment into a mixed-use area while preserving its unique wildlife and habitat.
Expanding What Is Possible: A Vision for SPUR’s Next Era
News /
In her first address to the SPUR Board of Directors and staff, incoming President and CEO Alicia John-Baptiste shared her vision for the next era of SPUR's growth as an organization and how we can create sustainable change by expanding what people believe is possible.
SPUR Impact Awards 2019: Vallco Town Center Team Leads an Inclusive Process to Rethink a Declining Mall
News /
The 2019 SPUR Impact Awards, held on March 22, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving San Jose and the neighboring communities. The ceremony honored The Vallco Town Center Specific Plan team for transforming the declining mall into a mixed-use area that offers a wide variety of housing choices for all income levels and abilities.
SPUR Impact Awards 2019: Consuelo Hernandez Manages Finances to Increase Affordable Housing
News /
The 2019 SPUR Impact Awards, held on March 22, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving San Jose and the surrounding communities. The ceremony honored Consuelo Hernandez for building and leading a team that manages funds from the 2016 Measure A Affordable Housing Bond and the state’s No Place Like Home Program to increase supportive and affordable housing units in Santa Clara County.
SPUR Impact Awards 2019: Better BikewaySJ Transforms City Streets into a Network of Bike Lanes
News /
The 2019 SPUR Impact Awards, held on March 22, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving San Jose and the neighboring communities. The ceremony honored Better BikewaySJ for allowing hundreds of thousands of people to safely bike (or scoot) for their daily transportation needs, and transforming the role of San Jose streets into public spaces.
Good Government Awards 2019: SF Prepared Team Keeps Disaster Support Services Running
News /
The 2019 Good Government Awards, held on March 6, recognized outstanding job performance of those serving the City and County of San Francisco. The event honored the SF Prepared team for executing complex but essential finance and administrative projects and a “Disaster Academy” curriculum to prepare city finance and admin staff to respond in an emergency.