Transportation

DDOT, Residents at Odds over Bike Lanes

WASHINGTON INFORMER — A meeting scheduled for next month between the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and those living along a stretch of Alabama Avenue in Southeast could potentially actualize what some residents said they’ve long yearned: a direct say in traffic safety measures in their neighborhood.

Published

7 years ago

June 24, 2019

Sam P. K. Collins

By Sam P. K. Collins

A meeting scheduled for next month between the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and those living along a stretch of Alabama Avenue in Southeast could potentially actualize what some residents said they’ve long yearned: a direct say in traffic safety measures in their neighborhood.

For some, newly installed bike lanes between the 1800 and 2000 blocks of Alabama Avenue don’t reflect the needs of elderly residents who, despite losing their vehicles in hit-and-runs, have enjoyed the benefits of parking just feet from, and sometimes in front of, their home.

Several people, including an elderly woman with limited mobility who requested anonymity, said adjusting to the change has been a constant struggle.

“I don’t see what kind of safety the bike lane is making. DDOT made things more dangerous,” said the elder, a 32-year resident of the 1900 block of Alabama Avenue. She recalled enduring minor inconveniences to avoid parking on side streets, like carpooling and sharing a parking space with a neighbor who works during the night.

“I go to choir rehearsal and come right back,” she said.

The woman stressed that she and her neighbors never received notification that their portion of Alabama Avenue, near Giant and Turner Elementary School, would eventually change.

“At this point, DDOT needs to remove those bike lanes,” she said. “If we had known about it, maybe we could have fought it.”

A DDOT spokesperson described the newly installed bike lanes as part of a larger safety improvement project intended to slow traffic along a four-mile stretch of Alabama Avenue frequented by schoolchildren. Future additions, said to have been discussed during community meetings, in emails and in flyers over the past two years, include highly visible crosswalk markings, pedestrian refuge islands and enhanced stop and speed limit signs.

ANC Commissioner Cheryl Moore (SMD 8E02) and other residents living between the 1800 and 2000 block of Alabama Avenue have rebuffed DDOT’s assertion that they had widely notified affected parties about the impending changes. Moore, elected in January, recounted recent conversations with her predecessor, and between DDOT officials and residents about the communication lapses. Since mid-May, when they first walked outside to construction signs and workers in neon vests, some residents have racked up hundreds of dollars in parking tickets.

Councilmember Trayon White (D-Ward 8) has been outspoken about the ongoing situation, addressing a June 13 community meeting at Bellevue William O. Lockridge Library and engaging DDOT Director Jeff Marootian on other occasions regarding the issue.

“I’m concerned about our senior citizens not being able to get inside their homes,” White told The Informer. “DDOT has been very disrespectful in ignoring the community. I want action to come out of the meeting because the residents are fed up. I’m trying to figure out how bike lanes equate to safety. We expected to see speed bumps and stop signs.”

Data from the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program shows that communities located east of the Anacostia River — often with a lower concentration of Metro stations over several miles, more children and people walking longer distances, and wider streets — experienced the highest rate of pedestrian fatalities. Since 2013, five people — four pedestrians and a motorist — have died in crashes along Alabama Avenue. Recent fatalities elsewhere, specifically that of Abdul Seck on 16th and V streets Southeast in April, have shed light on the issue of pedestrian safety in Ward 8.

In response to Seck’s death, and out of frustration with what he considered DDOT’s insufficient safety upgrades to that area, lifelong Southeast resident Ronald Thompson Jr. and a friend painted highly visible crosswalks at the intersection of 16th and V streets in early May.

Thompson, a community safety advocate, recalled attending one of DDOT’s community engagement meetings at THEARC later that month. He said DDOT, just as they had done in endeavoring to improve 16th and V streets, dropped the ball in unveiling a plan for Alabama Avenue that didn’t reflect pressing community needs, including safe modes of public transportation and fewer lanes.

That error, for Thompson, made residents skeptical about embracing opportunities for positive change.

Thompson predicted the upcoming meeting would further determine how residents of Ward 8 see their relationship with the local power structure, in an era where bike lanes signify displacement.

“For a variety of reasons, DDOT has been forced to reengage stakeholders who have the ability to put pressure on folks and shake some things up,” he said. “I’m not always a fan of DDOT, but I want to see safe streets in my community. If DDOT doesn’t reengage, it makes it hard for me to defend them to my neighbors. The same way that we went out and painted a crosswalk, someone could scrub a bike lane.”

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Sam P. K. Collins

Posts by Sam P. K. Collins

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Alameda County

Ferry Fares to Increase July 1 as Ridership Hits Record Highs

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

Published

3 weeks ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy photo.

By Mike Aldax, The Richmond Standard

Starting July 1, the standard adult fare for the San Francisco Bay Ferry route between Richmond and San Francisco will increase to $5.20, up from the current $4.90.

Discounted fares for eligible passengers, including youth, seniors, people with disabilities, and Clipper START users, will rise to $2.60 from the current $2.40. Children under 5 will continue to ride for free.

The Oakland and Alameda routes will increase from $4.90 to $5.10, the South San Francisco route will go up from $7.40 to $7.60, and the Vallejo route will increase from $9.90 to $10.

The adjustments are part of a systemwide fare update approved by the agency’s Board of Directors, which is moving away from a flat 3% annual increase to route-specific pricing for the 2027 and 2028 fiscal years.

This fare update arrives as San Francisco Bay Ferry celebrates a historic May, transporting 301,270 passengers. The record-breaking figure represents an 8% increase over May 2025 and marks the third consecutive month of record-setting ridership.

Furthermore, it is the sixth month in a row that passenger numbers have exceeded pre-pandemic levels. Weekend travel has been a primary driver of this growth, with average weekend ridership seeing a 56% increase compared to pre-pandemic trends.

The agency states that the fare adjustments are necessary to ensure the long-term fiscal sustainability of public ferry services. By shifting to route-specific adjustments, the agency aims to offset rising operating costs while maintaining the high levels of service frequency and reliability.

Oakland Post

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Business

V&C Foods: How a Bay Area Distributor Built Leadership Across Three Generations

Succession planning works when businesses invest in developing leaders before they’re needed. Victor and Judy did this with Steven. Steven is now doing it with Adam. Each transfer happened because someone took years to teach, to trust gradually and let the next generation earn their place.

Published

4 weeks ago

June 17, 2026

bpusa-syndication

By JPMorganChase

In 1945 in San Francisco, Victor and Charlotte Cortesi started V&C Foods with fresh eggs and a distributor’s vision. What makes the business distinctive isn’t just that it endured. It’s how succession actually happened. When Victor passed, his daughter Judy inherited the business and made a remarkable choice: she recognized that Steven Herrera, who’d spent years as a route driver being mentored by Victor, was ready to lead. She sold the business to Steven, ensuring the values and relationships that defined V&C would continue into its next chapter. Now Steven is mentoring his son Adam in the same way Victor developed him—teaching him operations, relationships, and what it means to lead through experience and responsibility.

V&C’s story reflects a broader truth about succession planning: long-term continuity often depends on intentionally developing the next generation of leadership, whether within a family or beyond it.

From Mentorship to Legacy

When Steven first arrived at V&C as a route driver, he was hungry to learn. Victor saw potential and invested in it. Over the years, Steven moved through sales, distribution, and operations—not just learning how the business worked but understanding why it mattered. By the time Steven purchased the business, he was a leader who’d earned his place through partnership and decades of trust.

Steven arrived at the helm with deep knowledge of V&C’s operations and a clear sense of how to serve the Bay Area’s evolving restaurant industry. He understood the Cortesi family’s core principle: reliability and quality matter more than anything else. Under his leadership—and the support of his wife Liz, and his children Victoria and Adam—V&C expanded thoughtfully by building on those foundations rather than abandoning them.

“We want to be the vendor customers don’t have to worry about,” Steven said. “And Victor always preached about clear communication—sometimes trucks are late, but he always kept customers informed. I drill those principles into my son now. We don’t want to leave any customer hanging. That’s the mantra around here.”

Deliberate Development

According to recent Chase research, 54% of San Francisco small business owners expect to retire within the next decade. In a city where one in seven businesses have been operating for 20 years or more, ownership transitions will shape continuity in local commerce and community life—making proactive succession planning all the more essential.

V&C planned deliberately. The Cortesi family brought Steven in early and developed him through real responsibility. When Steven took the helm and began scaling operations, he had the continuity and clarity needed to grow. Now he’s creating the same culture with Adam—one where the next generation understands expectations and has the tools to lead.

“I had a lifetime of familiarity with the business. I even worked in high school and college during the summers, and my dad taught me how to drive one of the trucks when I was about 18,” Adam said. “So I’ve done every part of the job, just like my dad, and I think that’s helped me.”

For roughly two decades, V&C has partnered with Chase. When Steven took over and began scaling operations, having access to financial tools and a banking partner aligned with his strategy made navigating growth and transition clearer. Chase provided the guidance that supported each phase of the business’s evolution—from Victor’s leadership to Steven’s expansion to today’s preparation for Adam.

“V&C Foods shows what enduring leadership really looks like—developing people over time, creating clear expectations, and planning for transition before it’s urgent. We’ve been proud to support Steven and the team with the tools and guidance to navigate growth, stay reliable for their customers, and prepare the next generation to step in with confidence,” said Gary Li, Business Relationship Manager, Chase Business Banking.

The Pattern That Lasts

That’s what makes V&C’s story distinctive and what makes it transferable. Succession doesn’t require biological heirs alone. It requires clarity about what you’re building and the discipline to develop people who can steward it, even when that means passing it outside the family. Victor and his daughter, Judy, mentored Steven for years. Judy worked alongside him for many more before trusting him with the business. Steven is doing the same with Adam. But bringing someone along that way—investing years in their growth, then having the financial clarity to pass the reins—requires more than good intentions.

Chase for Business can help guide that work. Visit chase.com/NationalTreasures or speak with a Chase Business advisor to learn more about succession planning resources and how to build the clarity a business needs to thrive across generations.

This article is for Informational/Educational Purposes Only: The opinions expressed in this article may differ from the official policy or position of (or endorsement by) JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates. Opinions and strategies described may not be appropriate for everyone, and are not intended as specific advice/recommendations for any individual or business. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions, and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services or other content.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

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Activism

New Bill, the RIDER Safety Act, Would Support Transit Ambassadors and Safety on Public Transit

The RIDER Safety Act would allow public transit agencies to hire transit ambassadors trained in de-escalation, crisis response, and rider education and engagement. Acting as a visible, non-enforcement presence to deter low-level incidents and reduce conflict, transit ambassadors would ease the burden from law enforcement and enhance public safety.

Published

5 months ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

BART train. Photo courtesy of ABC7.

By Post Staff

A new federal bill would support transit ambassador, or transit support specialist, programs at public transit agencies across the country.

The bill, (D-CA-12), H.R. 6069, the Rapid Intervention and Deterrence for Enhanced Rider Safety Act, or the RIDER Safety Act, was introduced Jan. 30 by Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. (D-CA-12), H.R. 6069, the Rapid Intervention and Deterrence for Enhanced Rider Safety Act, or the RIDER Safety Act.

This legislation is based on Congresswoman Simon’s work at Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) to create a first-in-the-nation Transit Ambassador Program, which previously earned a prestigious nationwide award for “Innovation in Public Safety.”

She announced the bill at a press conference at the 19th Street BART Station alongside BART leaders and other supporters.

The RIDER Safety Act would allow public transit agencies to hire transit ambassadors trained in de-escalation, crisis response, and rider education and engagement. Acting as a visible, non-enforcement presence to deter low-level incidents and reduce conflict, transit ambassadors would ease the burden from law enforcement and enhance public safety.

This bill would also create jobs provide meaningful work, training opportunities, and a pathway for career growth in local communities. In the House of Representatives, the bill is also co-led by Representatives Shomari Figures (AL-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), and John Garamendi (CA-08).

“I am incredibly proud to champion the RIDER Safety Act in Congress and continue my work to ensure transit is safe, accessible, and affordable to everyone. We have seen the success of the transit ambassador programs here in the East Bay, and I am dedicated to bringing this proven public safety model to the rest of the country,” said Congresswoman Simon.

“These are strong local jobs for people who want to support public safety on transit and serve as a resource to individuals who may be in crisis or in need of services,” she continued. “Strengthening safety on transit benefits us all and helps ensure our public transportation systems remain places of opportunity, dignity, and trust.”

“This bill is critical to ensure the safety of every passenger who relies on public transportation across the country,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou. “The RIDER Safety Act builds on successful transit models already implemented in communities, including the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) through the leadership of Congresswoman Lateefah Simon during her time as BART President. By providing transit stations with medically trained, unarmed personnel, we can strengthen safety standards, reduce fare evasion, and give riders a greater peace of mind when getting from one place to the next.”