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TRANSACTIONS NEWSLETTER ONLINE

Summer 2010

BRIEFS

Summer Brings Toll Hikes For Seismic Safety


Photo: Noah Berger

Traffic flowed smoothly on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on July 1, the first day of the span’s new variable-toll schedule that calls for the price of crossing to switch four times in 24 hours. Under the congestion-pricing demonstration, drivers crossing on weekdays during peak hours now pay a $6 toll, while off-peak weekday travelers continue to pay $4. On the other six state-owned bridges in the Bay Area — and on the Bay Bridge during weekends — the July 1 start of the new fiscal year saw bridge tolls rise from $4 to $5. And carpoolers now pay a first-ever toll of $2.50 on all seven state-owned bridges (while carpool lanes are operating).

MTC’s Bay Area Toll Authority instituted the toll hikes to complete the seismic strengthening of the region’s toll bridges as well as to offset declining toll revenues and anticipated higher bonding costs for bridge projects.

For more details on the toll schedule, go to mtc.ca.gov/tolls.

Virtual Tools

Traffic and Transit Info In Your Pocket

If you’re heading out the door or already on your way, you can access some of 511.org’s most popular features on your smart phone or mobile device. With 511 Mobile, you can plan your public transit trip, check real-time traffic conditions on the live traffic map and get current driving times for the most popular routes in the Bay Area.

Go to m.511.org from your mobile device to get started. For helpful tips, go to “Mobile & Apps” tab at the top of the 511.org website.

New App Tracks Bike Trips

While May’s Team Bike Challenge and Bike to Work Day have come and gone, gung-ho cyclists can keep track of their mileage and minutes biked — and compare their stats with those of cyclists around the region — all year long using the new iBikeChallenge app. Register at youcanbikethere.com/user/register and then download the free iBikeChallenge iPhone app at the iPhone store and start recording your rides using your phone’s GPS. No iPhone? No problem. You can record your trips at youcanbikethere.com/iBikeChallenge by clicking on the “Create a Ride” link.

“One Bay Area” Initiative Unites Region for Sustainability

If you care about sustainability, you’ll want to bookmark OneBayArea.org, a new website dedicated to fostering a more livable, climate-friendly region. The website is the public interface for a multilayered effort — involving city, county and regional jurisdictions — to encourage compact, transit-oriented development.

MTC is spearheading the One Bay Area initiative together with three partner agencies: the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission. The One Bay Area campaign was unveiled at an Earth Day Summit in Oakland this past spring, and it has been gaining momentum and traction ever since.

Driving the ambitious effort is Senate Bill 375, landmark legislation passed by the California Legislature in 2008. The bill calls on California’s metro areas to reduce green- house-gas emissions from cars and light trucks by curbing sprawl, and doing a better job of synching new housing with transportation investments.

The state Air Resources Board is scheduled to adopt an emission-reduction target for the region this September, at which point the One Bay Area coalition will begin in earnest to develop a Sustainable Communities Strategy to meet that target. Sign up at OneBayArea.org for updates and receive a handsome One Bay Area poster (while supplies last).

Transactions Summer 2010 Issue: Contents