Welcome to "Transported," our new weekly series about getting places in San Francisco, whether you take the bus or the BART, bike or drive. Come here to find the skinny on secret parking spots, the new bike lanes and how to get across town on MUNI without losing your mind.
Biking in San Francisco just became more legit than ever with this month's Superior Court decision to finally more than double the miles of bike lanes already criss-crossing the city. And that's not all. To make roads increasingly safe for riders, the city is installing 500 new bike racks and 5,500 new stencils designating when bike lanes begin and end. For blissed-out cyclists, this is like being a kid on Christmas Day.
Fancy new green lanes were laid down last week on Townsend Street between 4th and 5th with more to come along 17th Street, Ocean Avenue, North Point Street, and Portola Drive. Bike ridership, according to the Chronicle, is up 53% over four years, cementing this city as one of the most bike-friendly in the world.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition also offers bike valet service at a bunch of the summer's best events. Coming up, ride and park your two wheels at the Street Food Festival's valet, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and Stern Grove Festivals' valets, and the Opera in the Park's valet. And as always, they provide free bike valet service at Giants home games and Saturdays' Ferry Plaza farmers markets. Leave that car at home!
Photo via richardmasoner on Flickr.com