Legislative Update

Regional Measure 2 Passes

Bay Area voters’ approval of Regional Measure 2 on March 2, 2004 will raise an estimated $125 million each year to implement the Regional Traffic Relief Plan — a comprehensive strategy for addressing congestion in the transbay bridge corridors and enhancing the convenience and reliability of the Bay Area’s public transit system. Funds for the Regional Traffic Relief Plan will be generated by a $1 increase, effective July 1, 2004, in tolls on the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges.

Transit projects receiving Measure 2 funds include a BART link to Oakland Airport and the first leg in the planned BART extension to Silicon Valley; redevelopment of San Francisco’s Transbay Terminal, seismic retrofit of the transbay BART tube, expanded Caltrain service along the Peninsula and the introduction of commuter rail service over a rehabilitated Dumbarton rail bridge. Measure 2 fund also will support express and local bus service, and new ferries for expanded transbay service. Highway projects to receive Measure 2 funds include a fourth bore for the Caldecott Tunnel, reconfiguring the Interstate 80/Interstate 680 interchange in Solano County and upgrading the U.S. 101/Sir Francis Drake Blvd. interchange in Marin County. For a complete list of the projects funded by Measure 2, click here.

In addition to capital investments, the Regional Traffic Relief Plan dedicates up to 38 percent of total annual Measure 2 funds to providing operating funds for commuter rail, express and enhanced bus and ferry service. Operating funds are a critical element in improving transit service, and this cash infusion is expected to total some $1.63 billion over the next 35 years. These funds are currently held up by a provision in federal law that restricts toll revenues on bridges that have used federal funds to highway and transit capital expenditures. In 2000, the Davis Administration opted to use federal funds for seismic retrofit work on three of the toll bridges: the Benicia-Martinez Bridge, the Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge, and the Richmond-San Rafael. MTC is currently pursuing an exemption to this provision, similar to that enjoyed by the Golden Gate Bridge.

The results by county are as follows:

County	“Yes” Votes	Percent “Yes”	“No” Votes	Percent “No”
Alameda	164,497	56%	131,098	44%
Contra Costa	121,167	51%	114,766	49%
Marin	51,285	64%	28,487	36%
San Francisco	115,891	69%	53,214	31%
San Mateo	81,381	55%	65,986	45%
Santa Clara	178,540	60%	121,231	40%
Solano	30,980	41%	44,584	59%
Total	743,741	57%	559,366	43%
Source: County Registrars, 3/30/04