Bringing them into S.F.

As the city waits eagerly for the freeways over the MacArthur Maze to be repaired, perhaps its a good time to think about how different cities handle their commuters. There is currently an exhibit in New York City of models created by Robert Moses of highway plans for Manhattan--plans that were never carried out. If they had been, elevated highways and tunnels would crisscross the city streets and parking lots would take up land now occupied by skyscrapers and public buildings. Looking back from the 21st century, it is easy to see that planning to rely on automobile transportation would have deprived New York of thousands of jobs and millions of dollars worth of business, making it a far less prosperous city than it is now. California has, for the most part, pursued a car-centered pattern of transportation, but with every passing year, the disadvantages of moving thousands of individuals in small vehicles that have to be stored during the workday is not the most sensible way to transport a city workforce. Even while we cheer the speedy repair of freeways, we ought to keep in mind the importance of overall planning for transportation into and around San Francisco. SPUR and other planning groups spend a great deal of time considering transportation options. The League looks forward to working with them and other groups on this issue through the coming years.

Foiling the Free Riders

Mayor Gavin Newsom surprised the city this week by suggesting San Francisco consider eliminating fares on the Muni. Despite having the lowest fares of any big city in the country, San Francisco collects less income than most cities. Many Muni riders have watched riders slip out the middle door of a trolley car as the fare checkers come in the front. During rush hour no one has a hope of pushing through the cars to check fastpasses and transfer slips. Newsom's answer seems to be: If you can't catch the cheaters, then eliminate the barriers. How about trying enforcement instead? Or getting new fare boxes similar to the ones in New York where cash fares have disappeared and all riders have to slide their Metro card through a scanner? The cost of buying the fare boxes would be saved in a couple of years by collecting more fares. And in the meantime, the risk of turning the Muni buses and trolleys into rolling homeless shelters would be avoided.