Background
Regional Measure 2, formerly SB 916 sponsored by Senator Perata, proposes to significantly expand transit service throughout the Bay Area with an expenditure plan funded by a $1 bridge toll increase to be approved by the voters in March 2004. A $1 toll increase on the seven state-owned bridges (Antioch, Benicia, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland, and San Mateo) raises approximately $125 million annually from all bridges.

What Would the New Funds Buy?
The funds would be used to expand the Bay Area's transit system through an infusion of $1.37 billion in capital expansion, such as new buses, rail extensions, and new ferry vessel purchases. Some highlights of the capital plan include funding for the following projects:

* Seismic strengthening of the Transbay BART Tube which carries about 100,000 riders per day: $143 million
* BART and commuter rail improvements: $532 million
* Express bus infrastructure and service improvements: $517 million
* San Francisco Transbay Terminal which will serve as a key regional hub for an estimated 27 million transit riders annually in 2020: $150 million
* Solano County Interstate 80/ Interstate 680 Corridor Improvements: $100 million
* Ferry Service Enhancements: $107 million
* Safe Routes to Transit - bicycle and pedestrian access improvements: $20 million

In addition to capital investments, the plan invests heavily in sustainable transit operations for commuter rail, express and enhanced bus, and ferry service, recognizing the scarcity of funds available for this purpose. The plan dedicates to transit operations up to 38% of total annual revenues, reaching approximately $48 million annually from 2016-2040. This amounts to $1.63 billion over the first 40 years in operating revenues for new services as well as enhancement of existing transit service. Funds are designated to specific transit operators and to north bay/central-south bay express bus programs. A few highlights include:

* Dumbarton Rail: $5.5 million annually
* Water Transit Authority Ferry Service: $12.6 million annually
* Express Bus (North, Central and South Bay): $12.3 million annually
* AC Transit: $3 million annually
* San Francisco Muni: $2.5 million annually
* Night Owl Bus Service: $1.8 million annually

Regional Measure 2 also recognizes that to reap the greatest benefit from these investments, it's necessary to make transit more convenient and reliable. The bill requires that transit operators receiving funds from the toll increase work together to improve their transfer connections and develop an integrated monthly pass to cover all systems. In addition, the plan invests heavily in new technology that allows transit riders a single card to access all systems and provide real time transfer information at key transit centers:

* MTC's TransLink® Smart Card: $42 million
* Real-Time Transit Information: $20 million

The bill also provides $5 million in funds for MTC to market federal tax savings opportunities for employers and employees under Internal Revenue Code 132 (f)(3). Under current federal law, employers may offer their employees a pre-tax transit deduction to reduce the cost of transit commuting, saving participants up to 35% on their monthly fares.

How Were the Projects Selected?
The Senate Select Committee on Bay Area Transportation, chaired by Senator Perata, initiated hearings in 2002 on the subject of bridge tolls. An advisory committee was formed, consisting of the nine counties' congestion management agencies, the seven largest regional transit operators, the Water Transit Authority, Caltrans, Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC) and other stakeholders representing business, environment, and social equity, and MTC and legislative staff. During the Fall 2002, the Advisory Committee held 15 meetings to review proposed projects. The expenditure plan proposed in Regional Measure 2 evolved from the pool of projects presented during these meetings. The projects were evaluated based on performance measures such as number of new transit riders, impact on congestion, cost effectiveness, transit connectivity, project readiness, sustainability, environmental impacts, land use opportunities, safety, social equity, and other considerations.

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"Regional Measure 2 does more to promote World Class Transit for the Bay Area than any plan we have seen to date. It is up to the entire environmental community to ensure this bridge toll increase to support transit gains voter support in March 2004."

Stuart Cohen,
Executive Director, Transportation and Land Use Coalition,
and primary author of World Class Transit for the Bay Area.

Fifty Years of Sprawl
For the past fifty years, the Bay Area's transportation investments have paved over open space, promoted sprawl, and led to downward spirals for bicycle and pedestrian safety and urban transit. Even now, we are predicting that by 2030 there will be 60 million more miles of driving on Bay area roads each and every day. This 49% increase in car travel would greatly exceed the predicted 19% increase in population.

Continuing down this road will result in higher emissions of particulate matter and carbon dioxide into our air, greater toxic loading in the Bay from roadway runoff, and accelerated loss of open space due to road projects and the low-density development they facilitate. Finally, those members of the community who are most in need -- the elderly, low-income families, and the disabled -- will have a harder time accessing jobs, health care, education and other essential activities.

Measure 2 is the Sustainable Solution
To create a sustainable transportation system and stem sprawl we need to pursue three strategies. Regional Measure 2, on the ballot in March 2004, addresses all three:

1) Create greater transit connections with cost-effective projects - Many people avoid the Bay Area's fragmented public transit systems because they are uncoordinated, confusing to use, and often much slower than driving. Measure 2 will create a fast, reliable, and seamless regional system by focusing on cost effective projects - revitalizing urban transit, greatly expanding our rail network by using 600 miles of existing freight track and creating a regional web of express buses.

2) End subsidies that encourage excess driving - The cost of driving should reflect its true environmental and health costs. Measure 2 will bring us closer to this goal by raising the toll on seven state-owned bridges to $3. It avoids the most popular ways to pay for transportation - regressive sales taxes and state general fund raids.

3) Create the infrastructure for Smart Growth - Measure 2 will promote transit-oriented development instead of sprawl by creating new transit centers and funding innovative programs like Safe Routes to Transit that will reduce the need for parking by creating excellent bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and City CarShare pods at major transit centers.

MEASURE 2 CONNECTS REGIONAL TRANSIT
Spearheaded by Senator Don Perata, Regional Measure 2 will raise the toll by $1 on the seven state-owned Bay Area bridges. It will appear on the March 2004 ballot in the seven Bay Area counties where bridges are located (all Bay Area counties except Napa and Sonoma), and it needs 50% of the vote in order to pass.

A Toll Bridge Advisory Committee was set up by Senator Don Perata to "develop a consensus on an expenditure plan" and included representatives from transit agencies, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC) and Sierra Club. The plan was put together after intensive analysis was completed on the best projects and programs that break down the barriers to using transit, including poor connections, dozens of different tickets and fares, and prices that are often higher than driving. This plan is specifically designed to get commuters out of their cars and onto transit, making our streets less crowded and more safe while reducing the demand for parking.

Measure 2 Closes Gaps in Services
It funds critical projects including:

* A Caltrain extension to a beautiful new Transbay Terminal in San Francisco that connects MUNI with the peninsula, regional express buses, and future high speed rail.

* Significant funding towards seismic retrofit of BART's transbay tube and NightBART bus service along the entire BART corridor because workers and others need 24/7 transit.

* Massive expansion of cost-effective transbay buses to downtown.

Measure 2 Creates Seamless Connections
Measure 2 requires all transit operators to coordinate schedules for timed, seamless connections. It funds a universal transit ticket to be accepted by all Bay Area operators and calls for a monthly transit pass to make regional rapid transit easier and less costly for working families.

Measure 2 Funds Are Stable and Secure
Measure 2 provides annual funding to ensure the long-term operation of all new services. Bridge revenue is very stable so it won't be subject to economic cycles such as the recent downturn that caused transit cutbacks. Best of all, state politicians can't raid the funding to backfill the budget deficit.

How to Help
Have your group endorse Measure 2, and volunteer with the campaign. For more information contact Amber or Stuart at the Transportation and Land Use Coalition at 510-740-3150.

To endorse the measure go to www.Measure2.org

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Spearheaded by Senator Don Perata, Regional Measure 2 will raise the toll by $1 on the seven state-owned Bay Area bridges. It will appear on the March 2004 ballot in the seven Bay Area counties where bridges are located (all but Napa and Sonoma), and it needs 50% of the vote in order to pass.

The Measure 2 plan was put together by a committee of representatives from transit agencies, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC), and the Sierra Club. Intensive analysis identified the best projects and programs to break down the barriers to using transit, including poor connections, dozens of different tickets and fares, and prices that are often higher than driving. This plan is specifically designed to get commuters out of their cars and onto transit, making our streets less crowded and more safe while reducing the demand for parking.

Why Should Labor Care about Measure 2?
Most bay area workers are faced every day with gridlock of nightmare proportions – spending an ever-increasing amount of their unpaid time simply getting to and from work. Extra time in traffic is bad for human and environmental health, and a major source of stress and reduced quality of life for those who have nearly no free time for family, social, and community involvement. Measure 2 breaks down the barriers to using regional transit by making it fast, reliable, affordable, and seamless.

Measure 2 Closes Gaps in Existing Transit Services
It funds critical projects that will make transit easier to use, like
> A Caltrain extension to a beautiful new Transbay Terminal in San Francisco that connects MUNI with the peninsula, regional express buses, and future high speed rail
> New rail service across the Dumbarton bridge
> New direct ferry service across the Bay, with increased local bus service to the ferry terminals
> Massive expansion of the cost-effective regional express bus network

Measure 2 Creates Seamless Connections
Measure 2 requires all transit operators to coordinate schedules for timed, seamless connections. It funds a universal transit ticket to be accepted by all Bay Area operators and calls for a monthly transit pass to make regional rapid transit easier and less costly for working families.

Measure 2 Keeps Transit Moving With Stable and Secure Operating Funds
Transit operating funds keep transit moving, but operations and maintenance needs are chronically under-funded, and new sources of funds for operations are particularly hard to come by. Measure 2 provides annual funding to ensure long-term operation of all new services. Bridge revenue is very stable so it won’t be subject to economic cycles that caused recent transit cutbacks. Best of all, state politicians can’t raid the funding to backfill the budget deficit.

Measure 2 Projects Will be Built and Run with Union Labor
Major infrastructure projects funded by Measure 2 will be built with union construction, and the major transit operators funded by Measure 2 are all unionized. Funding for transit operations and maintenance creates stable, long-term jobs at good wages that are plowed directly back into the local economy--for every $10 million invested in transit operations, there is a $32 million increase in business sales.

Measure 2 Improves Transit for Swing Shift Workers
The bridge toll will provide NightBART bus service along the entire BART corridor, giving many workers a new transit option to get to and from work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Measure 2 Helps Workers Who Need to Drive
Some bay area workers need to drive to be able to do their jobs effectively, especially those whose jobs directly involve driving, or require carrying tools or other items. Driving-dependant workers are suffering by being forced to spend hours in traffic sitting behind people who could take public transit but find current transit options inadequate. Measure 2 will help clear the road for those who need to drive.

How to Help
> Have your local endorse Measure 2 at:  www.Measure2.org
> Put information on Measure 2 in your local's next newsletter

TransitWorks is a new coalition of Bay Area transit unions, working together to educate and involve transit workers in full regional transportation decisions, and to build public support for an effective, reliable transit system that serves working families. For more information, contact Amber Crabbe, or call 510.740.3100.

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Update: 06.21.06