Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Sonoma County Citizens Invited to Comment on Transit Needs

CONTACT:

Catalina Alvarado
510.817.5783

Réka Goode
510.464.7706

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 28, 1999 . . . The Metropolitan Transportation Commission wants to hear from the public in Sonoma County to determine if any transit needs exist within the county that could be met with state and local transit funding.

Sonoma County residents can express their views at a public hearing scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. at 2550 Ventura Ave. (Sonoma County Permit & Resource Management Department, Planning Commission Hearing Room) in Santa Rosa.

The public hearing constitutes a necessary phase of MTC's process of allocating Transportation Development Act (TDA) moneys to transit agencies and local governments for the fiscal year 2000-2001. TDA funds are generated from a tax of one-quarter of one percent on all retail sales in the county, and estimates indicate that approximately $14.3 million in TDA funds will be generated this current fiscal year for Sonoma County.

In setting up the TDA program, the state Legislature intended that the funding primarily go to support public transit, special transit services for the elderly and disabled, and facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians. In the Bay Area's more rural counties such as Sonoma County, these funds can be used for local street and road projects provided that hearings are held to verify that no reasonable public transit need is being neglected. MTC's intent is to identify any public transit needs that could reasonably be funded before allocating TDA moneys for streets and roads to local governments in Sonoma County.

MTC's allocation of TDA moneys will be based on testimony received at the hearing and on review of written comments submitted to MTC, in addition to project consistency with MTC's Regional Transportation Plan, Commission policy, Americans With Disabilities Act paratransit requirements, and the countywide five-year transportation plan.

Written comments will be accepted by MTC until 2 p.m. on Friday,
Oct. 29, 1999, and should be sent to MTC's Public Information Office at 101- 8th Street, Oakland, CA 94607, or faxed to MTC at 510/817-5848, or sent via e-mail to info@mtc.ca.gov. For further information contact MTC's Public Information Office at 510/817-5757.

MTC is the transportation planning and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

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