SVBC joins 31 groups on $16B Regional Strategy for Biking and Walking
On Wednesday, October 23, SVBC joined 31 other organizations in sending a letter outlining a transformational regional strategy for active transportation and micromobility to decision makers throughout the Bay Area including the heads of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), San Mateo City and County Association of Governments (CCAG), and San José Mayor Sam Liccardo.As these Bay Area decision makers consider investments in transportation, the letter’s signatories are asking that priority be given to projects, programs, and policies that benefit people biking, walking, and scootering. Two important opportunities for these sorts of transportation investments include a region-wide transportation revenue measure and Plan Bay Area 2050.The effort to determine this policy platform began this past summer. SVBC invited almost sixty representatives of local groups, organizations, BPACs, Local Teams, and more to participate in a brainstorming session in July. After additional sessions in the North and East Bay, we all came together on a draft in late August. The result is our united platform of strategies that we feel will move the needle to get more people on a bike. See also the press release.Meanwhile, there are three parallel efforts working on different aspects of a regional transportation strategy. SVBC is in communication with the following groups and will consider potential funding sources for this active transportation policy platform over the coming months.Metropolitan Transportation Commission Plan Bay Area 2050 is a long-range plan for the future of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Building on the work of the Horizon initiative, this new regional plan will outline strategies for growth and investment through the year 2050, while simultaneously striving to meet and exceed federal and state requirements. Three bike-related strategies are recommended to move forward in Plan Bay Area 2050:
- Implement Vision Zero Speed Reductions (25 mph on local roads w/in 3 miles of transit)
- Build a Micromobility Network (10,000 miles of protected lanes and trails)
- Invest in Free Short-Trip Service (w/in 3 miles of transit)
SVBC is supportive of these strategies.FASTER Bay Area is an effort by SPUR, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and Bay Area Council to create a plan “to make the Bay Area’s transportation system seamless, faster, reliable and predictable”.San Mateo County FASTER Town Halls
October 29th, 2019, 3:30pm to 5:00pm OR 6:00pm to 7:30pm
San Mateo County Transit District
1250 San Carlos Avenue
San Carlos, CA 94070-1306
Both sessions will have the same content. RSVP here.Voices for Public Transportation is a coalition of non-profit groups and labor unions who are coming together with a vision “that residents of all abilities and incomes enjoy accessible transportation options that reliably, affordably, and conveniently get us where we need to go around the region.” This coalition is particularly interested in having a strong public process to inform any potential regional transportation measure. SVBC has been in touch with participating groups and will consider joining this coalition as the platform becomes finalized.