Published Friday, April 18, 2003,


Even historically opposing groups like Oakland lawmaker's idea

By Sean Holstege
Staff Writer

A plan to raise Bay Area bridge tolls to $3 and use the extra money to launch new mass transit service throughout the region got a warm reception when Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland, unveiled details Thursday. That matters because the idea has to survive the Legislature, the governor's desk and Bay Area voters next March before tolls climb by a buck.

Transportation officials throughout the area said Perata's proposal, which he will introduce as Senate Bill 916 next week, hit the mark in its aim to knit together the Bay Area's disjointed transit network.

Perhaps more significantly, his plan appeared to get political backing from factions in transportation circles that have been historical adversaries. And Perata trotted out a new opinion poll from late January that confirms findings of two years ago: Bay Area voters favor the plan by a 2-1 ratio.

If the toll increase gets as far as the March ballot, then it would only need majority approval.

"He has hit a grand slam. What you won't find in the senator's plan is a lot of expensive ribbon cuttings. The increase is fair and it benefits those who pay," said Stuart Cohen, Executive Director of the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, a group that has historically criticized the region's planners for spending too little on transit.

'Fantastic' idea

On the opposite end of the spectrum is the often highway-leaning California Alliance for Jobs.

"Conceptually, this is fantastic. We are very supportive of anything that raises money for transportation," said Ethan Vaneclausen, the group's transportation lobbyist.

He pointed out that two years of public negotiations had led to a better plan with more road improvements, notably more carpool system improvements in the East Bay and a new I-80/680 interchange just north of the Carquinez Bridge.

The heart of Perata's plan is improving mobility on the seven state-owned bridges by increasing tolls and using the $140 million a year to add trains, buses and ferries in the vicinity. Perata's novel
approach is to spend half the money to operate the new service his bill would create. He says 100,000 cars a day would be taken off the highways.

The plan's political success could hinge on timing, perception and details.

The bill would raise money for new transit systems as agencies throughout the Bay Area are slashing local bus and rail service. Some voters may question why.

On any given weekday, only 6 percent of the car trips in the Bay Area crosses a bridge. A slim minority would be paying to help improve transportation for the entire region. Some voters will question the fairness.

Some quirks

And there are some quirks.

For instance, voters would spend $50 million to build a new Benicia-Martinez Bridge. But in 1988, they already voted to raise tolls once for that work, which is in midcourse. The new money would cover cost overruns from killing endangered fish and halting work last year in the Carquinez Strait. Instead of taking the money out of a new I-880/92 interchange in Hayward, it would come out of the new measure.

There's also money to move ahead with zoned monthly transit fares for the region, even as transit agencies are scrapping passes and debating the merits of zoned fares. The idea came from Perata's
office, not transit agencies.

Contact Sean Holstege at sholstege@a...