Want to hear and participate in a thought-provoking discussion about planning regional transportation? Tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. you can head on down to SPUR's (a.k.a. the San Francisco Planning + Research Association) office at 312 Sutter St. (@ Grant), 5th floor. While open to the public, it will cost you $5 if you're not a member (membership details can be found here).

The discussion will involve regional social justice, transit, walking, and bicycling advocates, and is coordinated by the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC), in an effort to influence the next Regional Transportation Plan. Attendees will:

Hear Executive Director Stuart Cohen discuss TALC’s platform regarding equity, safe routes to school, effective transit, and smart growth. . . . the platform also discusses innovative ideas to raise funds for the transportation infrastructure of the region’s future.

Speaking of SPUR: If you're in the mood for a little not-so-light reading, you can check out the public-policy think tank's monthly newsletter, Urbanist -- the August issue focuses on waterfront redevelopment and holds good examples of the policy papers these folks concern themselves with.