News, Views and Analysis from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments
As Caltrain deliberates possibilities for a new revenue source, a poll by the agency shows support for a sales tax from about two-thirds from residents in three counties. Read More
Earlier this month, Caltrain instituted a “Bikes Board First” procedure at all stations. Read More
Caltrain has been awarded almost $4 million toward installing an important safety system as it works its was toward electrification. Read More
A new report from MTC's Vital Signs initiative shows the health of bus, ferry and train fleets around the Bay Area. Read More
While Caltrain is working toward installing a key safety system, a North Bay rail line already has the feature. Read More
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission held its monthly meeting on Wednesday, May 23. Highlights included the Commission offering a "Support and Seek Amendments" position on a State Assembly bill related to BART transit-oriented development (prompting a lively debate on regional housing and local zoning control), as well as approval of a pilot program that will provide 20 percent fare discounts to low-income adults on several major Bay Area transit operators.
Read on for all the Commission actions of the day, as well as links to the video recording of the meeting and all the handouts. Read More
Last week was a big one for transportation in California, with the state announcing grant award recommendations or winners for four different programs funded by Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the state’s landmark transportation funding law signed in 2017.
The nine-county Bay Area did very well. The region is currently on track to receive a total of $2 billion in funding over the next 10 years to support 23 critical Bay Area transportation projects. These projects range from a host of improvements along U.S. Highway 101, including Express Lanes and express buses through the heart of Silicon Valley and HOV Lanes through the Marin-Sonoma Narrows; a planned BART extension from San Jose to Santa Clara; new rail cars and capacity for SF Muni and BART; Caltrain electrification and expansion; increased frequency for trains along the Capitol Corridor; extending SMART to Larkspur and Windsor; express regional bus service in Solano County; plus improvements at the Port of Oakland, new clean zero-emission buses, and pedestrian projects, among many others.
Continue reading to find out more about the state's grant award recommendations and grant award winners and what it means for the Bay Area. Read More
MTC and ABAG have released their first-ever joint annual report to Congress for 2018, urging lawmakers in Washington D.C. to honor long-standing bipartisan commitments to transportation, housing and disaster relief. The report, Accelerating Progress: Strong Partnerships Move the Bay Area Forward:
For more detail on these and other issue areas and initiatives, download the report. Read More