Peninsula Moves!

By Will reisman, @WillReisman

Transit Operators Adjust Service for Memorial Day: The arrival of Memorial Day next Monday means that summer is just around the corner. It also means that the Bay Area’s local transportation agencies will be adjusting their service and schedules for the holiday. Most service providers, such as Caltrain, SamTrans, BART, Golden Gate Transit, and Valley Transportation Authority, will be operating on Sunday schedules, which means less service and later start times for trains and buses.  If Bay Area families are planning on taking  public transportation to their family BBQ on Monday, they should consult 511.org to get all the updates on the transit changes happening as a result of Memorial Day. It’s best to plan ahead—you don’t want to be last in line for the grill.

Tear into Some Crawfish in Oakland: The Bay Area may be 1,500 or so miles away from the Bayou, but that doesn’t mean it can’t host a world class Cajun food festival. This weekend, Oakland will be the site for the 6^th annual California Crawfish Festival, a staple of New Orleans cuisine that is expected to draw thousands of attendees. The succulent crustaceans will be fried, boiled, thrown in stews, mixed in paellas and consumed all ways imaginable for the weekend event. The menu includes even more exotic southern fare, such as gator and shark meat and deep-fried pickles. The gathering will also include more than 30 live musical performances from local acts. Located at 5873 Oakport Street in Oakland, the festival is a one-mile walk from the Coliseum BART Station. Additionally, AC Transit’s 45 bus line has a stop five blocks from the site.

Infrastructure Improvements Set for Busy SF Thoroughfare: Between 2009 and 2014, there were 113 traffic incidents on Masonic Avenue, a vital north-south thoroughfare that connects San Francisco’s Presidio Heights neighborhood with its Panhandle communities. For years, advocates have called for traffic-calming efforts on the artery, and next month, work will finally begin on those improvement projects. The goals of the streetscape project are to improve safety conditions for bicyclists and pedestrians, increase efficiency on public transit lines and to ensure motorists compliance of speed regulations. Residents can receive updates on the project at a pre-construction community meeting to be held this Wednesday at the San Francisco Day School on Masonic Avenue. Muni’s 5-Fulton and 43-Masonic both serve the neighborhood school.