Mike Chen 陳懋華
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mikechensf.com
Mike Chen 陳懋華
@mikechensf.com
480 followers 330 following 160 posts
San Francisco housing, transportation, good government
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mikechensf.com
Gov Gavin Newsom signed #SB720 allowing for automated red light camera enforcement! This will help hold drivers accountable for dangerous behaviors and keep our streets safe. #VisionZero

@governor.ca.gov @gavinnewsom.bsky.social
To the Members of the California State Senate: I am signing Senate Bill 720. This bill would allow local governments to establish an alternative automated traffic enforcement program that uses automated equipment to detect violations of traffic control signals, with violations issued to the vehicle's registered owner and subject to escalating civil penalties ranging from $100 for a first offense to $500 for repeat offenses. Preventing accidents and saving lives is a critical priority, and this measure provides another tool to advance that goal. Its success, however, will depend on thoughtful implementation at the local level and ongoing evaluation, with a willingness Io make adjustments to guard against unintended consequences. Civil penalties alone may not always provide sufficient deterrence, particularly for those able to easily absorb the cost. To be effective, the program must also remain a safety-focused tool rather than drifting into a revenue-driven exercise. As this program moves forward continued vigilance will be essential to ensure it fulfills its promise — safer streets, stronger accountability, and genuine deterrence of dangerous driving behaviors.
October 14, 2025 at 3:08 AM
mikechensf.com
I also like this poster.
#YesOn50 #Proposition50
Poster for Yes on Proposition 50, the Election Rigging Response Act. The graphic is a bear holding the state of California with the word "democracy" on it. Below, the caption reads "Come and Take It".
September 5, 2025 at 4:29 AM
mikechensf.com
Maybe use these from IBM Design Library Color Palette

#ffb000
#fe6100
#dc267f
#785ef0
#648fff

davidmathlogic.com/colorblind/#...

www.color-hex.com/color-palett...
Color blind palette image
June 5, 2025 at 12:30 AM
mikechensf.com
Land use pattern of Anaheim: I would think better use of land would be mixed use mid to high rise around a transit hub. But it's office buildings. A few mid-rise buildings here and there.
One-story office buildings with parking next to the Anaheim Transportation Center
May 31, 2025 at 12:36 AM
mikechensf.com
Anaheim Transportation Center is beautiful. Not a lot around it unfortunately.
May 31, 2025 at 12:36 AM
mikechensf.com
I took transit from Los Angeles International Airport to the Anaheim Convention Center for the California Democratic Convention Party:

- LAX Flyaway Shuttle bus to LA Union Station
- MetroLink OC Line to Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center
- OC Transit bus 553 to W Katella/Harbor.
MetroLink train Anaheim Transportation Center in the interior with glass Interior of Orange County Transit (OC Transit) bus
May 31, 2025 at 12:36 AM
mikechensf.com
Nice weather ahead in #SanFrancisco. San Francisco weather forecast for the coming week: sunny, with highs in mid to high 60s.
San Francisco weather forecast for the coming week: sunny, with highs in mid to high 60s
May 5, 2025 at 7:17 AM
mikechensf.com
Bike ride in the Marina near Marina Green #SanFrancisco
May 2, 2025 at 12:53 AM
mikechensf.com
What's going on today downtown? Heavy traffic? #SanFrancisco
April 16, 2025 at 1:06 AM
mikechensf.com
A person drove a car over the seawall in the Marina #SanFrancisco Source: www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancis...
a heavy car fallen from the road and crashed onto rocks, a foot above water
April 8, 2025 at 2:56 AM
mikechensf.com
This is how the project timeline stood on 2025-02-28.

Working on: testing, fare gates, ticket vending machines, mobile phones, field testing.

Next up if all goes well: pilot test, then customer transition over a period of months.

Source: mtc.legistar.com/gateway.aspx...
As of February 28, working on: testing, fare gates, ticket vending machines, mobile phones, field testing. Next up if all goes well: pilot test, then customer transition over a period of months.
April 8, 2025 at 2:49 AM
mikechensf.com
If all goes well, start of transition could be this month, lasting multiple months. mtc.legistar.com/LegislationD...
The schedule critical path continues to run through system integration testing, mobile wallet integration, and VenTek ticket vending machine deployment. These items continue to be the tasks driving our schedule risks. We have started field testing and will expand this to more users in Pilot. However, if during field testing or Pilot we find issues requiring application changes there will be a material impact to the schedule. We are still targeting the end of April to start Customer Transition; however, since these remaining risks are still open, and we want to preserve the current customer experience, at this time we cannot provide a date certain for the Start of Customer Transition.
April 7, 2025 at 10:03 AM
mikechensf.com
I don't see Russian text often on the street. Seen at UCSF Mt. Zion. #SanFrancisco
Sign that says "private parking physicians only" in English and Russian
April 1, 2025 at 2:31 AM
mikechensf.com
Federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics on January 2025 bikeshare trips:

* New York Citibike: 2.24 million (+19% y/y)
* Bay Wheels (incl. outside San Francisco): 260,000 (+61% y/y)

www.bts.gov/newsroom/doc...
Today, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) released docked bikeshare trips for January 2025. From January 2024 to January 2025, docked bikeshare trips starting and ending at a docking station on six of the largest systems grew 17.1%. By area served and system (six largest), the number of docked bikeshare trips in January 2025 and the percentage change from January 2024: New York, NY (CitiBike): 2.24 million (up 19.2%) Washington, DC Metro (Capital Bikeshare): 0.17 million (down 8.4%) San Francisco, CA (Bay Wheels): 0.26 million (up 61.1%) Chicago, IL (Divvy): 0.10 million (down 9.1%) Boston Metro, MA (Blue Bikes): 0.16 million (down 1.1%) Jersey City, NJ (CitiBike): 0.05 million (up 2.6%)
March 30, 2025 at 5:54 AM
mikechensf.com
San Francisco Bay Wheels Bikeshare trips exceeded 3,000,000 in 2024, up from ~2,300,000 in 2023. #SanFrancisco @baywheels.bsky.social @sfmta.com Source: www.sfmta.com/media/41971/...
Summary of bikeshare with chart showing trips over time. Bullets: more than 330 stations citywide. 3,000 total bikes, including non-electric and e-bikes. Working with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission on future of bikeshare.
March 30, 2025 at 5:14 AM
mikechensf.com
Updated proposal for summer service cuts at SFMTA Muni @sfmta.com #SanFrancisco

- turn back the 5 Fulton, 9 San Bruno, & 31 Balboa at Market St, requiring a transfer for trips downtown
- combine the 6 Haight/Parnassus and 21 Hayes into a single Hayes/Parnassus line.
Map of transfer points at Market Street under proposed service changes
March 6, 2025 at 10:33 PM
mikechensf.com
Tomorrow the SFMTA Board of Directors will consider approval of the Biking and Rolling Plan, an update to the city's general plan to encourage walking, biking and rolling. The meeting starts at 1pm but the item might not be called until 2pm. @sfmta.com #SanFrancisco www.sfmta.com/calendar/boa...
March 4, 2025 at 7:53 AM
mikechensf.com
Bob's Donuts new location at 1720 Polk, which will operate at more limited hours alongside old location 1621 Polk (24 hours) for the time being. The opening day saw a line out the door, and staff handed out free donuts. #SanFrancisco
Storefront with a "grand opening" sign and balloons Inside a store with a crowd in the back. There are tables and chairs in the foreground, and a counter to the right with a line. The outside of the store has a line going back 15 people
February 23, 2025 at 4:31 AM
mikechensf.com
I believe the methodology of the fare compliance v. fare evasion w/ walk-away in discussion at the 2024-10-15 board meeting on item 15. sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer....

Presentation at:
www.sfmta.com/calendar/boa...

And mentioned in blog here:
www.sfmta.com/blog/paying-...
Since 2019, fare compliance has fallen from ~88% to ~80%. At the same time, Muni expanded ways to pay: • Muni Mobile • Universal pass programs for Chase, Outside Lands, etc. • Expanded monthly discount programs Expanding payment methods that don't require tagging have contributed to the perception that more people are fare evading, even when most people are paying proper fare. Most Muni riders pay their fares. But too many others do not, and fare evasion is on the rise. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, around 12% of people on Muni who should have paid a fare did not. We believe that number has grown to just over 20% today and are working to confirm that estimate. Our ridership continues to increase and is up to 76% of pre-pandemic levels, as of March 2024. But we aren’t reaping the full financial benefit of that recovery because of fare evasion. Muni is a public service and a public good. The system is critical to our city’s climate goals and its economic vitality. It also promotes social and racial equity. It isn’t right to let some people choose not to pay their fair share.
February 19, 2025 at 7:19 AM
mikechensf.com
Roughly $20M from 2023 analysis
www.sfgate.com/bayarea/arti...
The projected revenue, once all the changes are deployed, is $18.5 million annually, said Chun. For perspective, parking meter revenue in fiscal year 2002 was $51 million. This year, revenue is projected to be $48 million. These numbers do not include revenue from parking citations.
February 18, 2025 at 7:46 PM
mikechensf.com
Tomorrow’s discussion is info only; no vote, no final decision. Staff will revise proposals based on feedback from Board, the public, and stakeholders. SFMTA Board will continue discussion at the next board meetings Mar 4, Mar 18, Apr 1. Target final decision & approval by April 1. 13/14
Next Steps: • Feb 18: Initial Board discussion on short -term funding options. • Mar 4: Review of community feedback on service cut proposals and final Board decision on funding options. • Mar 18: Detailed review of parking optimization and final decision on service cuts (if relevant). • April 1: Title VI approval of service cuts (if relevant) and other funding related Board actions.
February 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM
mikechensf.com
The following year’s $320M deficit will be much harder to tackle. The Muni Funding Working Group will present recommendations in Mar 2025. San Francisco is working with regional partners for voter approval for more funding in Nov 2026. Most likely options are sales tax or parcel tax. 12/14
Muni Funding Working Group completed discussing Efficiency improvements, Service cuts, Revenue enhancements, Service enhancements. March 2025: Discuss funding packages and release Controller’s Report. Regional Revenue Measure: • Authorizing legislation introduced - January 2025. • Polling conducted - February 2025 • Regional consensus building underway
February 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM
mikechensf.com
A fourth option that staff is not currently proposing is extending parking meter hours, which faced significant opposition, including from Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safai, when SFMTA proposed the idea in 2023. 11/14
We have heard citywide concerns about affordability and strong community opposition to extending parking meter hours in the evening and on Sunday, so we are not presenting a scenario that would raise $15 million by doing that.
February 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM
mikechensf.com
Option 2: cut non-transit programs like maintenance, safety, and low-income subsidies

Option 3: use the budget reserves, which may be sorely needed for the much larger deficit in FY2027. 10/14
Option 2: program cuts outside transit. Cancel vintage historic rebuild and delay phase 2 midlife bus overhaul. Reduce maintenance at joint BART/Muni stations. Cancel Safety Equity Initiative bus stop lighting program. Reduce tow subsidies. Eliminate school crossing guard program or find alternate funding sources. Option 3: spend from reserves. Spending $15M of reserve funds will reduce available safety net from $141M to $126M. Reducing reserve in a period of financial instability and large FY26-27 deficit increases risk
February 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM
mikechensf.com
To solve $15M deficit, staff presents three options:

Option 1: cut transit service (discussed Feb 4), by combination of suspending routes, decreasing route frequencies, re-routing routes, or shifting service from local to rapid lines. 9/14 www.sfmta.com/media/41583/...
Option 1: transit service cuts. Scenario 1: Preserve high ridership routes: Suspend lower ridership routes where there are parallel options. Scenario 2: Maintain existing connections: Maintain all connections and coverage by reducing frequency on Rapid corridors and connectors service across the system. Scenario 3: Prioritize equity routes: Prioritize service on Muni Equity routes and access in Muni Equity Neighborhoods by suspending routes and reducing frequencies elsewhere. Scenario 1: Preserve high ridership routes Proposed Service Changes 1) Suspend service (maintain parallel service) • 2 Sutter (1, 38, 38R) • 21 Hayes (5, 5R) • 31 Balboa (5, 5R) • 55 Dogpatch (19, 22, 48) 2) Route Modifications • 19 Polk, terminate at Geary • 6 Haight suspend, but extend 52 Excelsior over Sunset Heights and 66 Quintara over Parnassus • 3) Reduce Time Spans • Metro (J, K, L, M, N, T), Reduce to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (currently 5 a.m. to 12 a.m.) Connector Routes (35,36,37,52,56,57,58,66,67), end service at 7 p.m. (currently end at 9 or 10 p.m.) Scenario 2: Maintain Existing Connections Maintain all connections and coverage by rebalancing Rapid corridors and Connector service across the system Decrease Connector Frequency: decrease service to 30-45 min (currently 20-30 min) Transfer Service from Local to Rapid on Rapid Corridors: • 5 Fulton, 9 San Bruno, 28 19th Avenue suspend local service • 14 Mission, 38 Geary decrease service to every 16 min (currently every 8 min) • 5R, 9R, 14R, 28R* increase service to every 8 min (currently every 12 min) Scenario 3: Prioritize Equity routes Preserve service on Muni Equity routes and access in Muni Equity Neighborhoods by suspending routes and reducing frequencies elsewhere Proposed Service Changes • Suspend service (maintain parallel service): 2 Sutter, 21 Hayes, 55 Dogpatch Route Modifications: 31 Balboa terminate at Civic Center Decrease Connector Frequency to 30-45 min (currently 20-30 min) Rebalance Service on Rapid Corridor: 28, suspend local service. 28R, increase service to 8 min (currently every 12 min)
February 18, 2025 at 8:47 AM