Press Releases

For Immediate Release

Nine Public Workshops to be Held on Plan for 21st Century Transportation Improvements

CONTACT:

Joe Curley
510.817.5847

Doug Kimsey
510.817.5790

OAKLAND, Calif., October 29, 1999. . . The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) will join with congestion management agencies in each of the nine Bay Area counties to hold public workshops on the"Bay Area Transportation Blueprint for the 21st Century." The Blueprint is an ambitious MTC planning effort to improve and expand the regional transportation network — beyond the levels provided for in current plans.

"It's no secret that the dynamic Bay Area economy is placing great strains on the region's transportation system," said MTC Executive Director Lawrence D. Dahms. "A number of proposals have come forward to improve the system and deal with the projected increase in demand for transportation services, but no consensus has emerged. In the Blueprint, MTC is taking a hard look at a wide range of possible transportation improvements and evaluating them for feasibility and cost-effectiveness." Ideas under study include a significant expansion of the regional ferry system, the institution of new express bus services to better utilize existing and prospective high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lanes on Bay Area freeways, and targeted extensions of the region's intercity and commuter rail network.

The upcoming workshops will feature presentations outlining some of the proposed improvements, with special attention at each meeting to the challenges facing individual counties. New funding opportunities also will be explored.

"Development of the Blueprint is a cooperative effort that depends on the participation of all transportation stakeholders and members of the public," stated James T. Beall Jr., MTC's chair and a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. "These public workshops will be an opportunity for local elected officials and interested citizens to review our preliminary findings, and to comment on the candidate projects and funding approaches proposed for the Blueprint plan."

The dates and locations of the workshops are:

Sonoma County
(co-sponsored by the Sonoma County Transportation Authority)
Thursday, November 4, 1999, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Sonoma County Administration Center
(Planning Commission Hearing Room)
2550 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Alameda County
(co-sponsored by the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency)
Monday, November 8, 1999, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Joseph P. Bort MetroCenter (Auditorium)
101 Eighth Street, Oakland, CA 94607

Santa Clara County
(co-sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority)
Monday, November 15, 1999, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
City of Santa Clara Council Chambers
1500 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, CA 95050
(Workshop will be televised on local cable television.)

Napa County
(co-sponsored by the Napa County Transportation Planning Agency)
Wednesday, November 17, 1999, 5 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Yountville Town Hall Council Chambers
6550 Yount Street, Yountville, CA 94559
(Workshop held in conjuction with NCTPA board meeting,
which begins at 2 p.m.)

Contra Costa County
(co-sponsored by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority)
Wednesday, November 17, 1999, 7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Contra Costa Transportation Authority (Suite 150)
1340 Treat Boulevard, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(Workshop to follow immediately after completion of items on agenda of CCTA meeting, which begins at 7 p.m.)

Marin County
(co-sponsored by the Marin County Congestion Management Agency)
Thursday, December 2, 1999, 7:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
San Rafael City Hall (Council Chambers)
1400 Fifth Street, San Rafael, CA 94915

Solano County
(co-sponsored by the Solano Transportation Authority)
Wednesday, December 8, 1999, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Suisun City Hall (City Council Chambers)
701 Civic Center Boulevard, Suisun City, CA 94585
(Workshop to follow completion of STA meeting,
which begins at 5:30 p.m.)

San Mateo County
(co-sponsored by the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County)
Thursday, December 9, 1999, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
San Mateo County Transit District (2nd floor auditorium)
1250 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos, CA 94070
(Workshop will be held prior to C/CAG board meeting,
which starts at 7 p.m.)

San Francisco
(co-sponsored by the San Francisco County Transportation Authority)
Tuesday, December 14, 1999, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
San Francisco County Transportation Authority (25th Floor)
100 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102

For more information (including directions to the meeting locations), contact the MTC Public Information Office by telephone at 510.817.5757, or by e-mail at info@mtc.ca.gov, or visit the agency's Web site at <www.mtc.ca.gov>.

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

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