4 posts from April 2007

When Halloween comes around, the Castro stops being a welcome place. Walking to the Muni Metro station shopkeepers normally opening their store are boarding up their windows while others have signs up saying they are closed or closing early due to Halloween.

There's no headless horseman we need to hide in our home from, someone in a headless horseman costume wouldn't be as frightening as the people who come with guns, knives, in one case a working chainsaw and those who come to gay bash.

Last year was the most dangerous yet, with nine people shot just a block from my home. It was national news, I got calls and emails from family and ex-boyfriend's family in Kansas were worried about him. Some people want to shut it down, one friend thinks they should only allow residents in next Halloween, while others (mostly it seem like those who live outside the immediate area closed down for the event) think it should continue because it's tradition.

"'By and large people in the neighborhood don't want this event,' [Supevisor Bevan Dufty] said."

Fast forward six months, Supervisor Dufty and Mayor Newsom are talking with the Port Commission to move the event to a Piers 30-32.

Anything to make it safer, please! For a lot of us, it seems like the preceding saturday is when to come out to the Castro celebrate.

I saw a story from the Sacramento Bee the other day, someone had asked the head of the San Francisco Airport if SFO was for or against building high-speed rail in California. The reporter was expecting them to be against since it would be competition, but they supported it. Shuttles take time to arrive and depart, and California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) would let them handle more cross-country and international flights. I don't think it was mentioned in the story, but one of the CAHSR stations will be located by SFO making it easier to get there.

A few weeks ago, Michael played me this video with some really cool renderings of what it would look like. I really love the idea we could make last minute weekend trips to LA without having to deal with airports or reservations. We'd just go to the downtown San Francisco station and jump on a train. If we built it to the same standards as the French and their new line, a trip from SF to LA would be just over an hour.

Service changes map

This saturday the T-Third Street line is coming out of beta and that means some major service changes for other lines as well.

Here's a summary, and there is detailed information on the Muni web site.

T-Third Street service starts
The training wheels are coming off and full time service between Visitacion Vallety and the Castro. The T-Third Street will replace the Castro shuttle with more frequent, full time service.

9X (9AX and 9BX too) is getting beefed up
The 9X also going full time and be extended at the south to City College and at the North to Fisherman's Wharf replacing the 15-Third Street line. It's a little more complicated but you can read the details.

N-Judah to gets a little taken off the top
Don't freak out, but the N-Judah will turn back at Embarcadero instead of going out to Caltrain.

J-Church goes the distance
Caltrain's not being left out because the J-Church will take over for the N-Judah, but only during peak hours. Those peak hours are being timed to fit Caltrain's schedule.

10-Townsend and 54-Felton get to play too
The 10-Townsend will pick up a couple of the 15-Third Street's stops and the 54-Felton is being rerouted along Newhall.

15-Third Street will retire
The name is being passed on and the 15 will have some time to enjoy it's other hobbies. There a nice thank and farewell message Muni's written for the occasion.