Transportation and Land Use Policy Overview

The Transportation and Land Use program ensures that Bay Area policies support a regionally competitive business climate, maintain efficient transportation and goods movement systems, and ensure a high quality of life for its workers. The Bay Area Council has long recognized that transportation and land use policies are two sides of the same coin, with planning and advocacy work focused on promoting smart, connected urban infill while reducing greenhouse gas impacts on the region. Dating back to the 1950’s, with the creation of the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, and subsequently the BART transit system, the Council has solved the region’s most vexing transportation challenges.

Priorities

• Electrify Caltrain, transforming a 19th Century diesel railroad into a world-class 21st Century commuter rail system that:

     • Attracts and carries more passengers with service that is faster and more frequent.
     • Provides unparalleled commuter convenience with up to six trains per hour in each direction.
     • Provides electrical power infrastructure that will be extended to the Transbay Transit Center.
     • Supports businesses' plans to grow, add jobs, and develop new start-ups along the Caltrain corridor.

• Establish a Bay Area-wide network of convenient, congestion-free highway Express Lanes (also known as High Occupancy Toll, or HOT lanes).

• Support full funding to replace antiquated BART train fleet.

• Support development of the Port of Oakland Logistics Center.

• Ensure that the business and economic perspective is proactively included in the creation of the region-wide SB 375 mandated Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS).

• Fight unreasonable barriers to infill, transit-oriented, and urban development, and ensure that BCDC and BAAQMD regulations do not affect sustainable urban infill development.

RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Supported laws and Federal priorities promoting positive land use policies, including SB 375 and AB 32, passage of AB 1199 (Ammiano) to create infrastructure financing districts, and the HUD/DOT/EPA Partnership for Sustainable Communities initiative.

• Drove a major increase in ferry service to help our region respond and recover after the Big One - and relieve day-to-day traffic congestion - by creating the Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA) with Senate Bill 976.

• Led a coalition that has engaged regional agencies such as the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to beat back regulations that could threaten smart growth, urban infill and the quality of life in the Bay Area.

• Provided the regional voice of business to the recently approved Sustainable Communities Strategy Performance Targets; ensured that an economic target is included in the targets.

• Helped BART and Port of Oakland to secure full funding and a signed contract to build and operate the Oakland Airport Connector rail link.

• Achieved long-sought objective of using variable toll levels (higher during peak commute; lower during off-peak hours) to reduce traffic delay on the Bay Bridge.