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Executive Director's Report

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE HEMINGER’S REPORT TO THE
COMMISSION MEETING OF JANUARY 26, 2011

SUMMARY OF EVENTS:

Public Infrastructure Advisory Committee
Los Angeles, December 16

At the invitation of outgoing Transportation Secretary Dale Bonner, I made a presentation about the Bay Area express lane network before this panel created under state law to review proposals for public-private partnerships.

Alameda County Transportation Commission Workshop
Hayward, December 17

At the request of Chair Haggerty, ABAG Planning Director Ken Kirkey and I briefed the Alameda County Transportation Commission on the ongoing development of the Sustainable Communities Strategy required by SB 375.

Vallejo Transit Center Tour
December 23

I joined Commissioners Dodd, Kinsey, and Spering on a tour of the new intermodal transit center under construction in the City of Vallejo.

High-Speed Rail Authority Appointments
Sacramento, December 31

In one of his last official acts, Governor Schwarzenegger reappointed former Assembly Speaker and Mayor of Anaheim Curt Pringle to the board of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. The Governor also appointed two new members to the board: Thomas Richards, a Fresno developer, and Matthew Toledo, publisher of the Los Angeles Business Journal. One of the latter seats had been held by Rod Diridon, Sr., a former MTC chair, since the creation of the Authority in 1996.

Governor Brown Released First Budget
Sacramento, January 10

Governor Jerry Brown released a FY 2011-12 budget proposal that contains many sweeping changes, but largely holds transportation funding steady at the levels anticipated in last year’s gas tax swap. The budget outlines nearly $13 billion in General Fund spending cuts that could double in size if the voters do not approve a proposed ballot measure later this year to extend various temporary taxes due to expire.

CALCOG Director’s Association
Sacramento, January 13

I attended the first meeting of the recently reorganized California Council of Governments (CALCOG) Director’s Association in Sacramento. Following the retirement of long-time executive director Rusty Selix, CALCOG has hired Bill Higgins (formerly with the League of California Cities) as our new director and the organization also has decided to focus more on policy development and less on legislative advocacy in the years to come.

Save Caltrain Summit
Palo Alto, January 21

I was invited to speak at this special summit meeting convened by the Silicon Valley Leadership Group to confront the financial difficulties facing the commuter rail service on the San Francisco Peninsula. My remarks focused on MTC’s Transit Sustainability Project and the broader regional context for the challenges facing Caltrain. Presentation (PowerPoint)

ABAG/MTC Anniversary Gala
Berkeley, January 21

Numerous current and former commissioners and staff were present at the Claremont Hotel for this gala celebration of ABAG’s 50th and MTC’s 40th birthdays. The video prepared for the event is available on MTC’s website, but candid photos of the dancing portion of the evening thankfully are not. I join ABAG executive director Ezra Rapport in thanking our two staffs for all the hard work and collaboration necessary to bring off such an occasion.

TRB 90th Annual Meeting
Washington DC, January 24-28

I led a contingent of MTC staff to the latest installment of the largest transportation conference on Planet Earth at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board.

Map of the Month

The map of the month shows the annual vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita on California’s state highway system in 2008. The map shows that the Bay Area has among the lowest VMT per capita of any metropolitan area in the state.


MTC Operational Statistics

The monthly report on the performance of MTC’s operating programs:


Upcoming Events

February 1-2 — Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance, Toronto
February 8 — “Big 4” MPO Directors Meeting, San Diego
February 11 — Special Commission Meeting, Oakland
February 16 — Bay Area Partnership, Oakland
February 21 — State of the Valley, San Jose

Executive Director's Previous Reports