Executive Director's Report

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR STEVE HEMINGER’S REPORT TO THE
COMMISSION MEETING OF FEBRUARY 25, 2009

SUMMARY OF EVENTS:

Governing Conference
Washington DC, February 3

I participated in a roundtable panel discussion on the fiscal issues confronting state and local governments at this national conference sponsored by Governing magazine.

Bay Area Partnership
Oakland, February 6

This special meeting of the Bay Area Partnership was convened to review the proposal for spending the region’s federal economic recovery funds that is before you for action today.

Solano Transportation Authority
Suisun City, February 11

Andy Fremier and I made a presentation to the Solano Transportation Authority on the High Occupancy Toll (HOT) network, after which the board of directors acted to endorse the concept.

State Budget Impasse Ends
Sacramento, February 19

Sacramento lawmakers finally reached agreement on how to close an estimated $42 billion shortfall (through June 2010) in the state’s General Fund. The adopted package was a combination of program cuts, tax increases, and borrowing. Unfortunately, one of the major cuts was to eliminate the State Transit Assistance (STA) program for the remainder of FY 2008-09 and all of FY 2009-10. The loss to Bay Area transit operators and programs in the current fiscal year amounts to $55 million. When compounded with declining revenues from other sales tax-based sources such as the Transportation Development Act (TDA), the Legislature’s action is likely to result in both fare hikes and transit service reductions throughout the Bay Area.

TRB Study Committee on Equity
Irvine, February 23

I joined Richard Katz, former chairman of the Assembly Transportation Committee, in presenting our views on the role of equity issues and environmental justice in transportation decision-making before this study committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB).

Infrastructure Report Card

The American Society of Civil Engineers has issued an updated report card assessing the state of our infrastructure in the United States, and the nation’s overall G.P.A. is a miserable D. In the transportation arena, America’s bridges earned the highest mark of C, railroads were a C-, public transit was a D, and roads got the worst grade at D-.

Map of the Month

According to a report being prepared by the Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission ("Living with a Rising Bay: Climate Change Impacts on San Francisco Bay and Adaptation Strategies," available in 2009), the sea level in the Bay could rise a foot or more, inundating some communities and covering both the San Francisco and Oakland airports, state highways, and other key road and transit infrastructure.

• Shoreline Areas Vulnerable to Sea Level Rise: 2040-2060 (PDF)
  

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

• MTC Operational Statistics (PDF)
  
  

Upcoming Events

February 26-27 — AMPO Board of Directors Meeting, Las Vegas
March 9-11 — APTA Legislative Conference, Washington DC