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TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

Transactions 1991
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February/March 2000

Transactions Retrospective

While MTC has published a newsletter almost since the agency's inception in 1971, the publication took a quantum leap forward with an overhaul in 1991. Coinciding with the MTC's 20th anniversary, the makeover resulted in a periodical that attempts to stand out from the public agency pack in terms of both graphics and content.

Over the past decade, Transactions has honed a trademark style that is notable for its large format, contemporary graphics and specially commissioned imagery -- produced by some of the top names in photography and illustration. While the emphasis has been on local talent, we've been known to go to Baltimore or the Ozarks to find an artist with just the right touch for the subject at hand.

The bold graphic look has gone hand-in-hand with a decidedly nongovernmental, nonbureaucratic approach to choosing and writing the content. Throughout the 1990s, we aimed to report the important news and trends of the day in a lively style that invites readership and deciphers the often arcane world of transportation planning and finance. We didn't shy away from controversy, be it about the proposed toll road that would have cut through rural eastern Contra Costa and Alameda counties, plans for replacing the aging Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, or various designs for the new east span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. From time to time, we tried to insert some humor, fun and practical advice into the mix: A comprehensive guide to transportation museums and attractions throughout California, a story about creative ways some local commuters get to work, and a first-person account of riding the Eurostar high-speed train through the Chunnel come to mind as examples.

In this issue, MTC looks back at the top stories and most memorable covers of the 1990s. If you want to see the full text on a recent topic, an archive dating back to 1997 is available on our Web site.

Looking ahead, 2000 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for several MTC efforts, from the Blueprint for the 21st Century to the TransLink® smart card transit ticket. And, transportation issues promise to remain high on the agendas of commuters, voters, researchers and policy- makers at all levels of government for the duration of the decade. We'll be there, reporting key developments in words and pictures, and hope you will come along for the ride.
-- The Editors, editor@mtc.ca.gov

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