HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12042001 - C.154 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
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FROM: DONNA GERBER, DISTRICT III ' =- `:.
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DATE: December 4, 2001 ^°- y
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SUBJECT: Referral of the BART/Santa Clara County extension agreement and the East
County Transit Study to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION ,
RECOMMENDATIONS
Refer the BART/Santa Clara County extension agreement and the East County Transit
Study to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee.
FISCAL IMPACT
None to the General Fund. In the long term, a regional agreement on the BART Santa
Clara County extension could have funding implications for new transit services to be
developed through the East County Transit Study.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
Two major transit-related issues have emerged that should be brought to the Board of
Supervisors for review and comment: These are the recent agreement between BART and
the Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority (VTA) regarding a BART extension to San Jose,
and the East County Transit Study that is evaluating commuter transit alternatives for East
County.
The BART Board of Directors on November 13 ratified an agreement with VTA for a BART
extension from Fremont to San Jose. Under the terms of the agreement, VTA would
finance the annual operations and maintenance of the route, once it begins service. This
commitment from VTA was sought by BART before it would agree to a San Jose
extension. VTA already has committed to raising capital funds for the $3.7 billion
extension, through a sales tax measure approved by Santa Clara County voters in
November 2000. Federal funds also will be sought to help finance extensi
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATUR
ACTION OF BOARD ON in/ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED _ OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
SHOWN.
Contact: John Greitzer (925/335-1201)
cc: Community Development Department (CDD) ATTESTED e_r
JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY c , DEPUTY
S:\transportation\board order transit dec 4.doc
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REFERRAL OF ITEMS TO TRANSPORTATION, WATER AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
DECEM,8ER 4, 2001
Page 2
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (CONTINUED)
The remaining step in the decision-making process will occur on December 19, when the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is scheduled to act on a regional rail
extension program that is expected to include the San Jose BART extension. The program
will outline the rail projects for which MTC will seek federal funding.
The BART/VTA agreement doesn't include funding from VTA for long-sought BART
extensions to Antioch and Livermore, as East County interests had hoped. However, MTC
has indicated it may seek funding for these extensions as well, as part of its regional rail
extension program. Staff is seeking clarification from MTC on this point.
Such a commitment from MTC would relate to the East County Transit Study, which is
evaluating rail and bus commuter transit alternatives for. East County. The study was
funded through state legislation in 2000. The Contra Costa Transportation Authority
(CCTA) and BART are co-lead agencies for the study. The study will result in short-,
medium-, and long-term recommendations for extending commutertransit service into East
County beyond the Pittsburg/Bay. Point BART Station. The study also will develop an
implementation program and make recommendations on possible funding sources.
Coordination with MTC's regional rail program is advisable.
I recommend the BART extension and the East County Transit Study both be referred to
the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee for discussion on December 10.
The Committee then may develop recommendations for the Board to provide comments to
MTC and other agencies on these items. I will ask the Committee to schedule a report to
the Board of Supervisors on December 11 so the Board can provide input to MTC before
MTC makes its decision on the regional rail program.