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San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Coldplay at Stanford Stadium: Prepare for traffic, fireworks and big crowds
Coldplay is set to launch the next leg of its record-breaking Music of the Spheres world tour this weekend with two sold-out performances at Stanford Stadium, marking the band's only Northern California appearances this year. The British rock group — singer Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion — is scheduled to perform Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1, in support of its latest album, 'Moon Music,' released in October. Originally launched in 2022, the Music of the Spheres tour recently became the first by a rock band to gross more than $1 billion, joining Taylor Swift's Eras tour in reaching that milestone. Fans can expect a mix of Coldplay classics — including 'Yellow,' 'Viva La Vida' and 'A Sky Full of Stars' — along with new material from the band's 10th studio album. If you're planning to attend, here's what to know before you go: When to arrive and what to expect at the venue The parking lots and box office open at 2 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. each night at Stanford Stadium, which holds just over 50,000 people. Willow is set to open the show around 5:25 p.m. While set times may vary slightly, Coldplay is expected to begin shortly after the opener, probably between 6:30 and 7 p.m. The venue, which typically serves as home to Stanford University's football team, warns there will be fireworks throughout the performance, with a grand finale just before the 10 p.m. curfew. Getting there: Driving, directions and parking Stanford Stadium is located on the university campus, with access via El Camino Real. Drivers should turn onto Sam McDonald Road to reach the venue directly. Parking is available near the track and field stadium or at Town & Country Village, which is less than a mile from the entrance. Ride-hailing drop-off and pickup zones will be clearly marked near the stadium. Be prepared for delays after the show due to high demand. Traffic will be heavy. Palo Alto police advise giving yourself extra time to arrive and park. Taking Caltrain Caltrain is encouraging concertgoers to take the train to Palo Alto Station, which is within walking distance of the stadium. Staff will be on-site to assist riders. The last northbound train is scheduled to depart at 11:58 p.m. and the last southbound train at 12:56 a.m. There will be no additional train service and no service at Stanford Station. Caltrain operates on a proof-of-payment system, and tickets must be purchased in advance at machines or through the Caltrain mobile app. Ticket availability Though primary tickets are sold out, resale options remain available, with prices for Saturday's show starting at $267 on StubHub. Sunday seats begin at $242. Weather forecast Prepare for warm, sunny days and cooler nights this weekend. Saturday is expected to be sunny with a high near 87 degrees, and light winds, according to the National Weather Service. Saturday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dipping to around 55 degrees. Sunday will be a bit cooler, with sunny skies and a high near 75 degrees. Sunday night will also be mostly clear, with a low around 52 degrees. Be sure to bring sunscreen, stay hydrated and consider packing a light jacket for the evening. Bag policy Stanford enforces a clear bag policy. Approved bags include: clear plastic, vinyl or PVC, maximum size 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Small clutches with a maximum size of 4.5 by 6.5 inches) are also allowed. Unapproved bags must be returned to your vehicle or checked, if that service is available. Can I bring food or drinks? Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Concessions will be available inside the stadium, including vegetarian and vegan options. Nearby areas including downtown Palo Alto and California Avenue have several late-night food options if you're hungry after the show. Is merchandise available at the venue?
San Francisco Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
N.Y. is using this controversial idea to fight traffic, fund transit and bring life back downtown. S.F. can, too
Five years after the lockdown, San Francisco is still sick with the lingering symptoms of COVID-19. The city has a hollowed-out downtown and a bloody streak of traffic violence that has yet to abate. To make matters worse, BART, Muni and Caltrain — like many other transit operators across the country — are facing major budget shortfalls that could result in devastating service cuts. The only thing fully back to normal, it seems, is vehicle traffic — making life miserable for commuters. No single policy reform will turn things around, but members of the San Francisco County Transportation Authority, who are also on the Board of Supervisors, recently revisited one idea that could come close: congestion pricing. The case for congestion pricing is simple. When people drive into a highly trafficked area, they impose costs on the people around them. Each additional car adds to congestion, degrades noise and air quality, and worsens the risk of harm for pedestrians and cyclists. Congestion pricing forces drivers to mitigate these costs by paying a fee to the public that compensates for the added nuisance, pollution and risk. Proposals for congestion pricing have popped up in San Francisco every few years for decades. But this time is different for two reasons. First: Bay Area transit operators desperately need a cash infusion, and Gov. Gavin Newsom recently spurned transit advocates' pleas for assistance in his May budget revision. Congestion charges could potentially keep the buses and trains running. The second reason is that we have new, real-world evidence of congestion pricing's efficacy; San Francisco policymakers can now look to New York's program for inspiration. New York is much larger than San Francisco, but it's still a useful test case. Like in San Francisco, New York's transit system has been slow to recover from a pandemic-era crash in ridership. As in downtown San Francisco, storefront vacancy rates in Manhattan remain elevated. And like the Bay Bridge, car entrance points into Manhattan, like the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, were highly congested — despite the availability of transit options for commuters. New York's congestion pricing program was approved in 2019, but it remained tied up in public bickering and environmental review for years. Then, when the switch was finally ready to flip last year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, in a legally dubious move, imposed a last-minute delay on the program. Hochul and other critics argued that congestion pricing would effectively erect an economic barrier around the city, locking out middle-class motorists at a time when the central city was already starved of foot traffic and patronage. Hochul eventually allowed the program to move forward. New York is now five months into the experiment, and we can see that the critics were wrong. Since New York began charging a $9 fee for private vehicles to enter Midtown and lower Manhattan, that part of the city has rapidly become less congested, safer and more vibrant. The New York Times recently tabulated all of the high-level data on the city's congestion pricing program thus far, and the benefits have been astounding. To start, the program is reducing congestion: compared to the historical baseline, there are now 2 million fewer car trips per month into the city's central business district. But people aren't simply staying home; transit ridership is up on city buses, subways and regional commuter rail. Reduced vehicle traffic and greater transit ridership, in turn, are making the city safer. Subway crime was down 36% in January 2025, compared to the same month last year, and the tolled congestion zone had fewer than half as many crashes in early January 2025 as it did during the same period in 2024. Despite the predictions that fewer cars would lead to less commercial activity, business seems to have improved in the relief zone. Broadway attendance, restaurant reservations and retail sales have all risen in the central business district since congestion pricing was implemented. Meanwhile, New York's congestion fee raised $159 million in the first three months since its implementation. The city's transit agency projects half a billion dollars in revenue over its first year. That money will largely go toward shoring up the city's struggling public transit network and closing its $3 billion deficit. San Francisco needs a similar program to jumpstart its long recovery from the pandemic. Getting people out of their cars could boost foot traffic in commercial areas and help tame the city's spike in traffic violence. And the revenue could go toward supporting Bay Area transit systems. In fact, congestion pricing revenue could do even more than just save Bay Area transit. New York is using congestion price revenue to implement sorely needed transit improvements: bus electrification, subway station renovations and the extension of the Second Avenue Subway into Harlem and East Harlem. Imagine what a similar funding stream could do for San Francisco. No doubt, congestion pricing would face fierce resistance in San Francisco, just as it did in New York. But even drivers who revolt against the program would ultimately benefit from less traffic on the road and a quicker, safer commute. Despite the fears of some local businesses, they too would end up better off thanks to increased pedestrianism and the new customers that would come with it. Every so often, policymakers are lucky enough to find a rare win-win that makes everyone better off. Congestion pricing is one of those ideas. Few American cities stand to gain more from its implementation than post-pandemic San Francisco.
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bay to Breakers 2025: These maps show race route, street closures and transit impacts
Thousands of runners will crowd San Francisco streets in creative costumes Sunday for the Bay to Breakers race, wreaking havoc on traffic and public transportation as participants parade from the Embarcadero to Ocean Beach. Runners reveling in the party-like atmosphere will depart at 8 a.m. Sunday from the downtown starting line at Howard and Main streets. The westward route cuts through SoMa, Hayes Valley and Haight-Ashbury before cruising through Golden Gate Park and ending at the coast with a view of crashing ocean waves. Meanwhile, the 12-kilometer race will prompt street closures, bus reroutes and other service impacts that could snarl traffic and hinder anyone attempting to navigate San Francisco this weekend. Bay Area public transit agencies, including Muni, BART and Caltrain, plan to provide extra service to help people get to, from and around the race. Here's everything to know — for those trying to reach the race or avoid it altogether — about road closures and public transit service changes happening this weekend. Getting to the race on public transportation Four special BART trains running Sunday morning will drop riders off at Embarcadero Station about an hour ahead of the race, according to the agency. People can board the limited-service trains at 16th Street Mission, Bay Fair, Daly City, El Cerrito del Norte, Dublin/Pleasanton, MacArthur, Millbrae, Pleasant Hill/City Center and West Oakland. BART parking is free on Sundays. Caltrain is also offering two pre-race trains that will deliver South Bay residents to downtown San Francisco ahead of the race. From the Caltrain station in San Francisco, people can either hop on the N-Judah train or walk 1.4 miles to the race start line. The agency recommends that people purchase tickets ahead of time, expect large crowds and arrive 20 minutes before their departure time. Muni will add service to and from the race on several bus routes, including the 5X, 5R, 28, N-Judah and S-Shuttle, which runs from West Portal to Embarcadero. The Market Street subway will open at 6 a.m. Sunday for early service. Muni will also open the West Portal, Forest Hill, Castro, Church, Van Ness and Embarcadero stations at 6 a.m. Sunday. The Civic Center, Powell and Montgomery stations, meanwhile, will open at 7:40 a.m. for normal weekend service starting at 8 a.m. Other public transportation service changes Muni encourages people not participating in the race to avoid impacted areas Sunday morning due to major reroutes and delays in train and bus service. Routes that cross the race course will be split into two sections, with no service between them, according to Muni. Those bus routes include the 14, 14R, 19, 22, 24, 27, 33 and 43 lines. People can disembark from one section, walk across the race and catch the bus on the other side. The 30 and 45 buses will not serve the South of Market neighborhood, and the 49 bus will not serve areas south of Van Ness Avenue and McAllister Street or anywhere north of Van Ness Avenue and Market Street. Some bus routes on Market and Mission streets, including the 6, 7, 9, 14, 49 and KLM Owls, will end at Market, 10th or 11th streets, according to Muni. Bus riders can cross Golden Gate Park on the 18, 28, 29 or 44 routes, although they should expect delays due to 'heavy ridership and traffic.' Muni also warned that routes operating parallel to the course, including the N-Judah train and 5, 28, 29 and 31 buses, will probably experience crowding and delays. Street closures Some roads located near the start and finish lines will be closed Saturday night: Howard Street between Embarcadero and Beale Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Steuart Street south of Mission Street closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Spear Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday Main Street between Mission and Folsom streets closed from 7 p.m. Saturday to 5 p.m. Sunday La Playa Street between Cabrillo and Fulton streets closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Westbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 46th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Eastbound Fulton Street between the Great Highway and 48th Avenue closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday Lincoln Way between the Great Highway and La Playa Street closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday The Great Highway between Sloat Boulevard and John F. Kennedy Drive closed from 9 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Sunday More roads located along the race route will close starting early Sunday:
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Celebrating ‘Bike to Wherever Day' on Caltrain
(KRON) — KRON 4 is putting the Focus on Transit during the morning commute this week, with Joey Horta reporting live from Caltrain today. Caltrain, the oldest continually operated rail system west of the Mississippi, is making strides in safety by incorporating AI technology. Cameras installed in Palo Alto and Burlingame can detect obstacles on the tracks, such as cars or pedestrians, aiming to prevent accidents. 'It is a nice way to start the day, essentially, you know, just chill, take a deep breath, think about what I need to get done and hopefully I can plan my day ahead essentially,' said Mark Lee, a passenger on Caltrain. SF Nintendo Store grand opening Thursday Stuart Abbott, another passenger, noted improvements in the service, saying, 'Well, it's quiet. Normally it's gotten so it's on time. And I mean, when they first roll it, when they first change it back to September, they had some trouble with the schedules. But it's gotten very efficient now.' Caltrain has been a staple of Bay Area transportation since 1863, continually evolving to meet modern needs. The recent implementation of AI technology is part of its efforts to enhance safety and efficiency. Before the installation of the new cameras, crews had to remove cars from the tracks approximately every three months. Now, cameras reveal that about three cars per week attempt to beat the train at crossings, highlighting the need for improved safety measures. Caltrain is also transitioning from diesel to electric power, marking a significant shift in its operations. This change is part of a broader effort to modernize the railway and reduce environmental impact. On Thursday, Caltrain is celebrating 'Bike to Wherever Day,' expecting an increase in passengers bringing bikes on board. This initiative encourages sustainable commuting options and aligns with Caltrain's commitment to supporting eco-friendly transportation. All facts from this article were gathered by KRON4 journalists. The article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KRON4 staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
03-05-2025
- New York Post
California railroad executive used public funds to build secret apartment inside train station
A California railroad executive stole public funds and built a lavish apartment inside a historic train station where he lived while working eighty hours each week. Joseph Navarro was found guilty of using $42,000 to create his own private living space inside the Burlingame train station, 16 miles south of San Francisco, the San Mateo County District Attorney announced Thursday. Navarro, the former deputy director at Caltrain, furnished the private pad with a bedroom, living room and gym. 3 The Burlingame train station in Burlingame, California, where a former Caltrain worker built an apartment using public funds. Google Maps The 67-year-old conspired with former station manager and TASI worker Seth Worden to approve building expenses to convert a part of the historic building into a dwelling, under the guise of an office remodel. Worden, 62, was also accused of using an additional $8,000 to construct his own living space at the Millbrae station, 3 miles down the track. The pair schemed the backroom projects between 2019 and 2021. Caltrain officials were alerted to Worden's digs in 2020, but were left in the dark about Navarro's place until receiving an anonymous tip in 2022, the rail service said. The two men were arraigned in March 2024, nearly three years after the project was completed. 'The misuse of public funds for private use is a violation of the law, Caltrain policy and the public's trust,' Executive Director Michelle Bouchard said after the arraignments.. 3 The Burlingame Station is a registered landmark in California and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. pikappa51 – 'Caltrain investigates every claim of such misconduct, and in cases where there is evidence of unlawful conduct by an employee or a contractor, we immediately act to rectify the situation and hold the individuals who are responsible accountable.' Navarro's attorneys argued the statute of limitations had expired, but the jury ruled the charges were filed within the three-year timeframe. Worden pleaded no contest to misdemeanor embezzlement by a public officer in January and agreed to testify against Navarro. While living in the station, Navarro had his then-girlfriend stay with him while she recovered from surgery. His assistant also had a key to the room, sparking debate on whether Navarro hid the secret apartment from anyone. During the trial, prosecutors alleged Navarro and Worden schemed to cover up their tracks by not leaving a paper trail and keeping invoices below $3,000, the threshold needed for further approval, according to Mercury News. 'This is a case about abuse of power and abuse of authority. … Mr. Navarro abused his authority as rail operations director in multiple ways, multiple times, affecting multiple people,' Deputy District Attorney Joseph said in his closing arguments. 'His abuse of power did not just affect him.' 'Turning a historic train station into your personal crash pad is 100% a conflict of interest,' Cannon said. 'That's just common sense.' 3 San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe discuses the secret apartment built inside the historic train station. NBC Bay Area Burlingame Station was built in 1894 and was designated as a registered landmark in the state in 1971 for its Mission Revival-style building, according to the state. The Bay Area station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Navarro, who has been living in Pennsylvania, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11. He faces up to 4 years in prison, but a judge could instead hand down probation to the former executive.
