Press Releases

For Immediate Release

PRESS ADVISORY

MTC Responds to Governor's 90-Day Plan

CONTACT:

Steve Heminger
510.817.5810

OAKLAND, Calif., March 21, 2000

Who:	Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
What:	Response to Gov. Dray Davis's 90-day Transportation Plan for the State
Where:	MetroCenter Auditorium, 101 Eighth Street, Oakland
When:	Wednesday, March 22, 2000 10:15 a.m. (Meeting begins at 10:15 a.m.; response to governor's plan will be discussed as agenda item 6)

MTC — the transportation planning, financing and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area — will be considering a proposal at its regular monthly meeting that will give the region a unified voice in response to transportation funding opportunities expected to be offered under the governor's 90-day transportation plan and by pending legislative action at the federal level. The proposal builds on a year-long effort to develop a Bay Area Transportation Blueprint for the 21st Century — MTC's survey of currently unfunded major projects and programs championed by transportation agencies and organizations from throughout the Bay Area.

(See following memo for background information.)



Memorandum


TO: Partnership Board Date: March 20, 2000

FR: Executive Director

RE: Response to Governor Davis' 90-day Plan


As you know, the Commission held a workshop on February 23 to discuss the Bay Area Transportation Blueprint for the 21st Century, a planning effort that parallels our 20-year Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), last updated by the Commission in May 1999. As required by federal law, MTC's RTP is a 20-year budget designed to finance transportation plans and programs. The budget is only big enough to sustain the existing transportation system and make marginal improvements. It is not sufficient to serve the expected growth of the region or to make a noticeable dent in congestion. This fact is a frustration for our Commission and our constituents.

The Bay Area Transportation Blueprint is designed to find ways to relieve that tension. As you know, it is a survey of the major transportation projects and programs championed by our partners that are outside the boundaries of the budget constrained RTP. The first phase of the Blueprint consists of a preliminary analysis of three modal system alternatives: rail, ferry and a rapid bus/HOV system. It tests the impact of an alternative land use projection and a pricing concept as well. The second Blueprint element unveiled at the Commission workshop — the Draft Evaluation Report — evaluates the cost effectiveness of individual projects contained in the prior modal system analyses.

Over the last 45 days, circumstances in Sacramento and Washington have vastly accelerated the Commissionís need to direct the nature and use of the Blueprint. Governor Davis signaled the nature of his forthcoming 90-day transportation plan by announcing a $35 million pledge to purchase Union Pacific right-of-way connecting the East Bay and San Jose on February 17. Since then, the Administration has been aggressively seeking information from transportation agencies and representatives around the state in an exercise that very likely will emerge as a project inventory for specific funding earmarks within his overall plan. On the federal side, Congresswoman Tauscher announced February 7 her intention to forge agreement on the next generation of transit projects now — as MTC's Resolution No. 1876 rail agreement winds down, and reauthorization of TEA 21 winds up. Momentum to make this happen was reinforced in visits with the Bay Area Congressional delegation during our annual advocacy trip to Washington D.C. just last week.

Now is the time to move the Blueprint effort onto center stage — or risk losing valuable funding opportunities at both the state and federal level. Consequently, we are preparing a proposal for our Commission to consider at its regular March 22 meeting at 10:15 a.m. that outlines an initial plan to answer these legislative/funding challenges with a regional voice. The Bay Area Partnership is an essential piece of the coalition we believe must be forged to take advantage of the funding opportunities before us. Therefore, I urge you to attend the March 22 Commission meeting to discuss how the Blueprint can be used to influence these decisions.

Since time is extremely short to meet the Governor's 90-day deadline, it is likely that we will ask the Commission to set a special meeting on or about March 29 to approve our Blueprint-based response. If you are unable to attend these meetings, please do not hesitate to contact me or Steve Heminger at (510) 817-5700.


Lawrence D. Dahms

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