SF Bike - One Step Forward Two Steps Back

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has become a real political force in their city and this week the first bike station of 2008 was opened. With power however often comes resistance. One major setback has been a court order that forbids the further construction of the City Bicycle Network Plan until an environmental impact report is prepared. The result of a lawsuit by a blogger Rob Anderson. Anderson claims he is not anti-bike but the bounty of entries in his blog speaks volumes.

The up and down history of SF Bike continues as seen in some stories from January 8th "Biker Bulletin"

The new Bike Valet (bike station) -- the result of financial support from the region's largest transportation agencies, and years in the making -- will provide free, secure bicycle parking to Caltrain commuters, meeting the increasing demands of Caltrain's booming bicycle ridership. Warm Planet Bikes will also offer bicycle repair services for a fee and a retail store specializing in commuter bikes and gear.

Mayor Removes SFBC Rep. from MTA Board

You may remember that Mayor Newsom made news a year-and-a-half ago when he appointed the SFBC's Executive Director Leah Shahum to the Board of Directors of the Municipal Transportation Authority (MTA), the 7-person governing body for the City's transportation system. This news just in: The Mayor announced that he will replace Shahum on the powerful MTA Board, along with other changes on various city boards and commissions. This was surprising because the Mayor won kudos from the environmental community for appointing someone with a proven sustainable transportation record. As the Mayor points to environmental advancements as one of the top priorities for his second term, this move to replace a strong voice for sustainability raises some questions.