Publication Date: Friday, September 28, 2001

Complete the BART project to Livermore. Dump it in favor of building up ACE. Expand bus systems to meet the needs of low-income residents. Give free bus passes to low-income students.

These and other ideas were voiced at a public hearing held by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission at the Pleasanton Senior Center on Monday night, the last in a series held in different Bay Area cities. About two dozen attended, mostly from the Tri-Valley.

The MTC is updating its regional transportation plan for its nine-county area, as it does every three years. The plan covers the next 25 years, during which MTC expects to see daily travel increase by 30 percent.

The 2001 draft plan outlines programs, called "Track 1" projects, that have reasonably secure funding - an estimated expected $82 billion in federal, state and local moneys over this period.

But 90 percent of this money is already committed to existing or voter-approved projects, leaving $7.7 billion up for discussion. About half would go toward regional programs, such as a "smart card" that would work on all Bay Area transit systems; regional transit expansion, including more express buses, transit and road maintenance; and improved freeway highway patrol to help motorists in trouble. The other half would be divided between the counties. Key Tri-Valley projects include I-580 carpool lanes, widening Highway 84, and building the new West Dublin/Pleasanton BART station with a transit village and parking structure.

The MTC also presented some $33 billion in projects that presently have no funds to support them, identified as "Blueprint" programs, a listing designed to help MTC advocate for more transportation dollars.

Pleasanton resident Vaughn Wolffe said he opposed the proposed "t-BART," a proposed temporary and cheaper adjunct rail system to go from Dublin/Pleasanton BART to Livermore. He recommended that the commission should take money intended for BART and put it toward building an alternative better and faster rail system.

"People aren't going to get out of their cars going 50 miles per hour to go 35 miles per hour," he said. "Build up the ACE system to a first-class rail system." Several others also supported more money for ACE. But a few said they'd like to see BART expanded, particularly to Livermore.

Speakers also requested better connections between rail systems, putting in a BART express bus to Livermore, and better bus service in the Tri-Valley.

About nine Spanish-speaking women, mostly from Livermore, speaking through an interpreter said they would like the MTC to put money toward its proposed "Lifeline Transit Network," presently being studied and unfunded. Such a program would work to provide a better transit network for transit-dependent residents, who typically have low incomes and find the present system inadequate to get to work, schools, shopping, medical care and houses of worship.

Lucia Teresa Soto and Miriam Hernandez, who both work at MacDonald's in Pleasanton, said the present Tri-Valley bus service is "really poor" and that the lack of night bus service prevented them from working more hours and earning additional income.

Others in the group described the challenges of getting their children to school, visiting doctors and attending church, sometimes walking long distances or resorting to expensive taxi service. They said buses should run more frequently, longer hours and on weekends. Presently weekend and night service is extremely limited on the Tri-Valley's WHEELS public bus system. They also wanted free bus passes for school children of low-income families.

The Draft 2001 Regional Transportation Plan is available on MTC's Web site at www.mtc.ca.gov. The MTC is accepting public comment until Oct. 3 and expects to issue its final plan in November. For information or to submit comments, call (510) 464-7700 or e-mail info@mtc.ca.gov.