Human Transit in San Jose & San Francisco

Jarrett Walker, author of the Human Transit blog and a new book by the same name, will be in San Jose and San Francisco next week to talk about developing effective public transportation systems. This talk is not just for wonks — as a long time transit professional with a PhD in theater arts from Stanford, Walker writes and speaks jargon-free English and has a very approachable, common sense style, which is why I’m a fan of his blog.

Human Transit book cover

Walker believes transit can be simple by focusing on the underlying geometries that all transit systems share. His book Human Transit provides the basic tools, the critical questions, and the means to make smarter decisions about designing and implementing transit services. It explains the fundamental geometry of transit that shapes successful systems; the process for fitting technology to a particular community; and the local choices that lead to transit-friendly development.

During his visit to the San Francisco Bay Area next week, Walker will discuss how to define quality public transit and how to achieve it.

You can meet Walker in San Jose at 6 PM on Monday night, June 4, 2012 at SPUR San Jose in San Pedro Square, 87 N. San Pedro St. That’s directly across the street the huge 1400 space parking garage on San Pedro (he wryly notes). That’s two blocks from St. James Light Rail Station and within two blocks of nearly a dozen VTA bus routes including 22/522, 65, 66, 68, 71, 73, and 82. The San Jose event is Co-presented with Island Press (Walker’s publisher) and supported by the City of San Jose.

Those of you in that smaller, more transit friendly city at the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula can meet Mr Walker at SPUR San Francisco at 6 PM on Tuesday evening. SPUR SF is located at 654 Mission Street, which is about halfway between 2nd and 3rd Streets and a little closer to Montgomery Street BART than Powell Street BART. This event is Co-presented with Island Press.

This is free for SPUR members; non-members pay $10 at the door. SPUR is new to San Jose but they’ve been doing good, thoughtful stuff in San Francisco for years now.

If you’re interested in making transit better in your city, I encourage you to read Walker’s book Human Transit. I’ll try to remember to bring my Kindle to the San Jose event so the author can sign the back of it.

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