Transform California

Eyes on the Street: Update on Alameda's Central Ave Project - Streetsblog San Francisco A tour and progress report

Alameda’s 1.7-mile Central Avenue Project is taking shape with new roundabouts, protected bike lanes, and safer streets near schools.

Paving is underway, and traffic remains detoured until mid-October.

#BikeLanes #UrbanMobility #RoadSafety

sf.streetsblog.org/2025/10/09/e...

E-Bikes Are Good For You & Lower Transportation Emissions Too! - CleanTechnica Local and state rebate programs have helped more people afford e-bikes, which has lowered carbon emissions significantly.

British Columbia's income-based e-bike rebates (up to $1,400) helped participants drive 17 km less and bike 40 km more weekly.

Emissions dropped 17%, travel costs 12%, and activity rose 13%. Sustainable mobility that pays off.

cleantechnica.com/2025/10/06/e...

The unseen killer particles we breathe “Every breath you take, you inhale about a million particles, and we know through in silico modelling that the deposition of at least 50% of those will go

Every breath contains millions of unseen particles—tiny pollutants that can damage our lungs, hearts, and brains.

Scientists are revealing how air pollution quietly threatens global health and why clean air must be a policy priority.

cosmosmagazine.com/health/the-u...

Scientists Expose How Housing and Commutes Steal Sleep City living’s hidden cost: long commutes and small homes are quietly stealing your sleep.

In Tokyo, researchers found that longer commutes and smaller homes increase insomnia risk — revealing a city-life trade-off between convenience and rest.

Smarter housing and transit planning could help urban dwellers sleep better.

scitechdaily.com/scientists-e...

Now Available: Our Homes, Our Votes Turning Renters into Voters: Lessons in Engaging Low-Income Communities In 2024, Our Homes, Our Votes launched the Pilot Communities initiative to strengthen engagement with low-income renters throughout the electoral process, foster partnerships with subsidized housing providers, and assess the impact of nonpartisan voter engagement.

In 2024, Our Homes, Our Votes launched the Pilot Communities initiative to help low-income renters engage in elections.

Five partners led efforts in voter registration, education & mobilization—sharing lessons in a new best practices report.

nlihc.org/resource/now...

A day of scooting, biking, and walking for Oakland schoolkids Children participating in International Walk & Roll to School Day received free purple pencils for sharing info with the district about how they got to school.

Walking and biking to school is way more fun when everyone joins in — and when you get a color-changing pencil!

Peralta Elementary joined 29 Alameda County schools for International Walk & Roll to School Day, promoting green travel and safer streets.

oaklandside.org/2025/10/09/o...

Week Without Driving : How Transit Can Serve People in Rural Towns - Streetsblog California Last year, our board member Abby Arnold took the Week Without Driving Challenge and brought along some friends. She’s back this year for round 2. You can read last year’s entries, and her other work for us, on her author page. Or go right to the first article in this year’s series here. “Mobility is a…

Board member Abby Arnold is back for her second Week Without Driving Challenge.

Exploring how rural residents in Sonoma County navigate daily life without a car, she highlights that mobility is a human right.

cal.streetsblog.org/2025/10/03/w...

California’s Access for All program: Expanding on-demand services for people with disabilities — Seamless Bay Area Since the inception of the TNC Access for All Program in 2019, companies like Uber and Lyft have provided over $48 million for wheelchair accessible trips in an effort to increase availability and improve response time for people with disabilities, leading California to be a nationwide leader in the

People with disabilities face major barriers in transportation access.

Programs like California’s TNC Access for All are helping expand on-demand wheelchair-accessible rides—but there’s still work to do.

www.seamlessbayarea.org/blog/2025/9/...

Second phase of BayPass pilot looks like a winner Preliminary results from the first year of the Clipper BayPass Phase 2 pilot indicate participating riders at the first three partner organizations in aggregate took 35% more transit trips in the last six months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023

Preliminary results from the Clipper BayPass Phase 2 pilot show riders took 35% more transit trips in late 2024 compared to 2023.

The increased ridership generated $1.1 million in new fare revenue for Bay Area transit agencies.

blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/second...

Week Without Driving : How Transit Can Serve People in Rural Towns - Streetsblog California Last year, our board member Abby Arnold took the Week Without Driving Challenge and brought along some friends. She’s back this year for round 2. You can read last year’s entries, and her other work for us, on her author page. Or go right to the first article in this year’s series here. “Mobility is a…

Board member Abby Arnold is back for round 2 of the Week Without Driving Challenge!

This time, she explores what it’s like to get around rural Sonoma County without a car. Read her latest story 👇

cal.streetsblog.org/2025/10/03/w...

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The REAL reason Trump is attacking public transit

Why did Trump cancel funding for safer streets, walkability, and public transit?

Because they’re “hostile to motor vehicles.”

The fewer choices we have, the more profit for Big Oil and auto giants.

#TransitJustice #SustainableCities #ClimateCrisis

www.youtube.com/watch

The Wave of Transit ‘Fiscal Cliffs,’ Explained Covid and inflation played a role. But for many agencies, the crisis goes much deeper.

Big-city transit agencies are facing massive budget gaps — from $200M in Philly to $800M in Chicago.

COVID, inflation, fare evasion, and rising costs have created a perfect storm. Without new revenue, deep service cuts may be next.

www.planetizen.com/features/136...

Legislative Update: The Final Countdown - Streetsblog California With one week left, we're waiting for word on five pieces of legislation

Governor Gavin Newsom has until Oct. 12 to sign or veto bills from the recent legislative session — inaction means veto.

Streetsblog breaks down key California transportation and climate bills by status.

cal.streetsblog.org/2025/10/06/l...

The Shocking Untold History of America's Rails-to-Trails Movement — Streetsblog USA Some of the fiercest battles for the future of public space in America have happened on abandoned railway corridors — and the battles aren't over yet.

From Supreme Court battles to grassroots triumphs — the story of America’s rail-trail movement is as epic as it gets.

On Oct. 15, PBS’s From Rails to Trails reveals how abandoned tracks became sanctuaries beyond cars.

usa.streetsblog.org/2025/10/07/t...

Our Safe Routes team works with schools across Alameda County, providing resources, events, and hands-on support to help students get to school safely by walking, biking, carpooling, or taking transit.

How To Ride Your Bike Every Day Hint: It's not that hard to do!

Turn everyday rides into part of your routine. 🚴‍♀️

Commute, run errands, or meet friends by bike—it’s convenient, healthy, and fun. Skip the gym and make bicycling your easiest way to move every day.

momentummag.com/how-to-bike-...

Oakland needs an 'all-encompassing' citywide greenway, bike commission says The Bicyclist and Pedestrian Advisory Commission dreams of transforming the city’s car-centric roads into a tree-lined paradise.

Oakland’s Bicyclist & Pedestrian Advisory Commission is urging the city to build a connected network of safe, car-free greenways—linking neighborhoods, reducing traffic deaths, and greening East Oakland.

oaklandside.org/2025/10/02/o...

Bay Wheels bikeshare expands Daly City coverage The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Lyft today joined with partners from the City of Daly City, the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority to celebrate the opening of eight new Bay Wheels bikeshare stations in Daly City.

Bay Wheels expands into Daly City with 8 new stations and 80 more e-bikes, boosting access to clean, affordable, and connected transportation.

The expansion supports MTC’s vision for a more sustainable Bay Area.

blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/bay-wh...

E-bikes could cut carbon, congestion, and costs — if cities take them seriously E-bike sales are booming, providing a clean form of transportation that also improves public health. Yet cities remain committed to cars.

Cities are redesigning streets for e-bikes—lowering speed limits, adding lanes & charging, and ensuring equity. With subsidies, e-bikes could cut emissions, improve health & replace car trips.

#EBikes #Mobility #Climate #Equity #ActiveTransit

grist.org/transportati...

BART sees highest post-pandemic ridership despite financial struggles BART saw its highest monthly ridership since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with almost 5 million passengers in August 2025 — a 9.8% increase from the previous year and

BART hit nearly 5M riders in Aug 2025—the highest since COVID—thanks to a focus on safety & cleanliness.

Ridership is rising, but funding gaps remain, making SB 63 key to BART’s future.

#Transit #BART #Mobility #Equity #PublicTransit

www.dailycal.org/news/city/tr...

Report: Reduced Fare Transit Programs Reach Less Than Half of Eligible Riders Discount programs designed to help low-income transit riders have participation rates that rarely hit 50%, signaling a lack of effective outreach to eligible households.

A new RPA report finds that reduced-fare transit programs often miss those who are most in need. It outlines best practices—such as wider eligibility, automated enrollment, and community outreach—to expand access.

www.planetizen.com/news/2025/10...

BART completes installation of next generation fare gates four months ahead of schedule The gates include a unique door locking mechanism that makes swing barriers difficult to push through, jump over or maneuver under.

BART finished installing next-gen fare gates at all 50 stations 4 months early. The 715 new gates boost safety, accessibility & deter fare evasion—part of ongoing efforts to modernize rider experience.

www.masstransitmag.com/safety-secur...

Proximity is the Enemy of Mobility (and Mobility is the Enemy of Proximity) Proximity, how near things are to each other, doesn’t just substitute for mobility, how quickly we can move on the network across space, it undermines it. Higher density slows people and vehicles d…

Proximity and mobility cancel each other out—dense cities slow travel, while high-speed networks spread development thin. The real goal isn’t speed or density alone, but access: Accessibility = f(Proximity, Mobility).

transportist.org/2025/09/24/p...

Our History - Transform At Transform, we work with organizations, advocates, and community members to create lasting change. Collaboration increases our influence for improved transportation and housing policies and funding. Together, we can invest in climate and equity, promote innovative transportation, support transportation shifts, and address climate-related housing issues.

For nearly 30 years, Transform has advanced equitable, climate-friendly transit and housing in the Bay Area—showing how bold action and collaboration create lasting change. Learn more about our journey.

transformca.org/our-history/

One of Oakland's most dangerous roadways is getting safety upgrades A $30 million grant will transform Martin Luther King Jr. Way with a cycle track, lights, traffic islands, and bulbouts.

Oakland secured a $30M grant to redesign MLK Jr. Way—adding cycle tracks, safer crossings, and new lighting—transforming one of the city’s most dangerous corridors into a safer, connected street.

oaklandside.org/2025/09/29/o...

#SafeStreets #BikeInfrastructure #UrbanPlanning

States Have More Power Than They Think to Fund Sustainable Transportation — Streetsblog USA As the Trump administration claws back money for sustainable modes, states have a big opportunity to fill the gap.

States can reallocate federal highway funds to clean transportation—like transit, biking & walking—but time is running out.

Using this authority now is key to healthier, sustainable mobility.

usa.streetsblog.org/2025/09/29/s...

San Jose Reimagines Street Space on Park(ing) Day - Transform Transform's SPOT SJ initiative showed a neighborhood what can happen when you transform parking into play space on Park(ing) Day 2025.

On Park(ing) Day, SPOT SJ turned parking spots at Mezcal in San Jose into a joyful parklet of plants, art, and connection—showing what’s possible when streets put people, not parking, first.

transformca.org/san-jose-rei...

#ParkingDay #PublicSpace #CommunityFirst #SPOTSJ

Oakland gets $33 million for supportive housing on 35th Ave. The state grant is the 11th for Oakland in five years through California’s Homekey program. It will support 109 affordable apartments.

Oakland gets $33M from California’s Homekey program to expand Mark Twain Homes, adding 109 supportive housing units for seniors & those at risk of homelessness.

A big step for community stability.

oaklandside.org/2025/09/29/o...

More Transit Means Safer Streets — Streetsblog USA Promoting transit isn't just a social good. It's also a tool to achieve Vision Zero.

Transit isn’t just an alternative—it’s a safety solution.

Cities with higher transit use see far fewer traffic deaths than car-centric areas.

Safer streets start with safer mobility choices.

usa.streetsblog.org/2025/09/30/m...

#TransitSafety #UrbanMobility #RoadSafety #PublicTransit

Applying for a California E-Bike Voucher Isn’t Easy—Here’s How Transform Is Helping - Transform Transform is helping people we know through our Mobility Hubs program apply to get help to purchase an e-bike.

Transform is helping Californians access e-bike vouchers by guiding them through eligibility, paperwork, and applications—making sustainable, affordable mobility more accessible.

Learn more about the program:

transformca.org/applying-for...