Barry Bonds may almost have the home run record, but the San Francisco Giants have another milestone that is much more admirable: the first to have a free, convienent, attended bike parking service at all 81 of their home games.

As part of an arrangement with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, you can bicycle to a Giants game at AT&T Park, check your bike with up to 200+ other fans, and go catch America’s pastime. Kash, Valet Bike Parking Coordinator for SFBC, runs the operation and gives us the scoop. As you’ll see, fans overwhelmingly endorse it.

A regulation passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1999 states all events incurring a street closure require monitored bicycle parking if the event anticipates 2000 or more participants. This only makes sense in a city like New York, too. Why not encourage something like this at Madison Square Garden, Yankee or Shea Stadium? Or at the very least, some quality racks in a secure, protected location.

That’s a bus shelter ad from Davis, CA - which according to the League of American Bicyclists is the only Platinum Bicycle city in the U.S. I was there this weekend and in a whirlwind visit and tried to document as much of the city and bike amenities as possible in 36 hours. I really needed to spend another few days, but when I finish the vid I’m sure it will show you how much this city is in love with and has a real deep commitment to bicycling as everyday use, culture and recreation.

After the jump below, check out more photos I snapped while not holding my videocamera. (BTW: I took most of these photos very early on a Sunday, no, the town is not as deserted as it appears!)

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This falls a bit outside of our typical coverage sphere, but this weekend the very mysterious and enchanting “One Night of Fire” beckoned and StreetFilms produced this video essay of the gathering. I can frankly say I have never been in a subway car jammed with so many energetic people or had so much fun walking across the Brooklyn Bridge with thousands of people. It was a beautiful night.

Anytime people gather in public spaces it is a healthy sign of vitality for a city. In a related matter, this summer The Open Planning Project is sending a team to Burning Man to construct a full scale replica of Astor Place in Manhattan. But our version will include public seating, art, expanded sidewalks, greenery and many other amenities we’d like to see spring up to make the asphalt expanse there become more of a public plaza.

Bicycling home from the Village, came across this sign at corner of Washington & Barrow Streets asking peds to obey all pedestrian traffic laws.

Anyone know what this is for? Odd corner; very low traffic volumes. Looks unofficial.

Once again it is our good friend Glenn McAnanama of Upper Green Side, this time explaining what 86th Street means for the Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestition Pricing plan and the benefits to delivery and emergency vehicles.

Here’s an anomaly that runs counter to the trend in many major U.S. cities: a Critical Mass bike ride, without incidents or arrests. And in Brooklyn it has been going on for three years!

Why? No one really seems to have a solid answer. But it was nice to see the NYPD getting along with about 150 cyclists venturing out to celebrate their right to the road. I mean come on, it’s only for a few hours per month.

In a historic first for New York City, the Department of Transportation has replaced three car parking spaces in Williamsburg with bike racks to accomodate about 30 bicycles.

The on-street bike parking, which is right next to the Bedford Avenue stop on the L train, will greatly benefit the burgeoning bicycling mecca of Billyburg. As any visitor or person in the community knows, it is very hard to find a legal spot to lock up your bike there. Hopefully, we will see other places in NYC getting this same treatment.

For more on the history of the project, please see the entry on our sister site Streetsblog.

The Henry Street bike lane in Brooklyn Heights has gone lime!

This is a new high visibility bike lane from NYC DOT. We like. Lots. It gets us psyched. If you can’t have a physically separated lane, then we think curbside with paint like this comes a very close second. Come and take a short virtual journey with StreetFilms.

As many of you may know, I have lived next to the BQE for nearly 16 years. I know my health is lesser because of it.

I am so infuriated by Assembly Member Brodsky’s posturing against Mayor Bloomberg’s Congestition Pricing plan that I did this about an hour ago. I think it speaks for itself.

UPDATE: NY1 played this promo on-air Monday night!

I took a long Saturday bike ride to do some research on how some NYC DOT projects are progressing. I am very happy to report things are very much happenin’!

I was so overjoyed to see so many cool things in progress to help NYC become a better world, I couldn’t wait to share some b-roll with with you. Hopefully, this will get us psyched about things to come.

So check out this quick short on before/afters of 9th Street Bike Lane, DUMBO Pearl Street Plaza Piazza, Broadway Bus Bulbs, Bedford Avenue Parking Swap, and, my personal favorite, bike rack outside my house!

Tuesday, July 10th at 7 PM StreetFilms will be showing twenty of our best and most poignant short films from the last year at the Two Boots Pioneer Theater!

So please join us for our 85 minute program (titled StreetFilms: Intersection Intervention) and then continue the dialogue afterwards at the free beer and pizza reception in the Den of Cin! Theater is at 155 East 3rd Street.

Our first event was great and with so many positive transportation changes underway in NYC this year’s program is sure to encourage a more livable city and inspire lots of discourse. Theater seats 99 people, so pick up tickets early. Please use this link for tickets and more information.

Tonight I found something on my computer that we never posted. A real curio to publish 16 months later as we head into Summer 2007.

Back in Feb 2006, as the largest ever recorded NYC snowfall (26.9 inches) was winding down - although I’ll bet we had some doozies during the Ice Age! - I popped outside with a camera to try to capture some traffic calming, transportation and livable streets lessons.

One caveat: with our new DOT commissioner and Mayor Bloomberg’s ambitious 2030 initaitive, I would not make some of the same comments today. And I realize my “everybody can take the subway” soundbite is a stretch, but check it out - I think you’ll find some merit as we present a StreetFilm from the cutting room floor!