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NEWS FROM TALC
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Is a zero-emission high speed train system possible?
TALC has been working for the past year to increase the potential environmental
and social equity benefits of the proposed California high speed train. One
concept that emerged was to make it the first zero-emission high speed train
system in the world. Preliminary research shows that it's possible, and wouldn't
be cost-prohibitive to invest in new wind, solar, geothermal, and other clean
energy to meet or offset the train system's electricity demands. At their
February 6 board meeting, the California High Speed Rail Authority will consider
authorizing a study to understand the costs and potential obstacles, so that
later this year they can decide whether to approve this innovative,
climate-friendly policy. Also at the meeting, Professor Elizabeth Deakin will
give a presentation on proposed land use policies and design guidelines. For
questions about TALC's work on high-speed rail, contact Carli Paine at
carli@transcoalition.org or (510)
740-3150 x315.
Learn more about TALC's work on HSR:
www.transcoalition.org/c/sus_hsr
Learn more about the meeting:
www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/meetings
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Speak up for real regional planning
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has asked each of the nine
Bay Area counties to submit lists of projects and programs for possible
inclusion in the Regional Transportation Plan. TALC applauds MTC's new approach
of evaluating projects based on how well they meet the regional goals, including
reducing vehicle travel and greenhouse gas emissions. But counties are pushing
back against this process. In February, the counties will discuss and finalize
their submission lists at public meetings and need to hear their constituents
urging them to prioritize projects that meet MTC's performance goals. To find
out when key meetings are happening in your county, email Carli Paine at
carli@transcoalition.org with a
request to be added to one of our RTP campaign's Google Groups. Be sure to
indicate which counties you are interested in. Visit the webpage below to learn
about the RTP, TALC's platform, and our campaign to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and create a better Bay Area.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/c/sus_rtp/rtp_home.html
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TravelChoice works to shift travel patterns in Berkeley
TravelChoice -- TALC's innovative program to decrease auto trips by providing
information and incentives to residents to shift trips to transit, biking,
walking, and carpooling -- has wrapped up the first phase of its Berkeley
outreach. A squadron of TravelChoice workers contacted over 7,500 households in
the fall of 2007, and 3,900 requested tailored information about their
travel choices. Planning and preparation are now underway for a second phase,
targeting 9,000 additional households in North Berkeley. In 2008, TravelChoice
will be contacting nearly 20,000 households in Berkeley and San Leandro with
funding support from Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority
(Measure B), Transportation Fund for Clean Air, the City of Berkeley, AC
Transit, and BART. Surveys are now underway to determine how effective the
Berkeley outreach was in shifting people's travel patterns, and the data should
be available in the early spring.
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TALC will be changing its name
After a yearlong process, TALC staff and board have decided to change TALC's
name. We're still dealing with the legal aspects of the change, so we're not
disclosing the name yet. We anticipate a major release of the new name in June
2008. Hundreds of you participated in brainstorms, surveys, and focus groups
during the renaming process. Thanks for all of your patience and help! We're
confident that better name recognition will help us build a broader, stronger
movement for transportation choices and livable communities. If you have
questions, contact Marta Lindsey at
marta@transcoalition.org or (510) 740-3150 x321.
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TALC is hiring for 3 jobs: Safe Routes to Schools, Great
Communities, World Class Transit
Education Coordinator, Safe Routes to Schools: TALC is coordinating the
Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools program, which began in fall 2007. TALC
partners with the Alameda County Public Health Department and Cycles of Change
to promote safe walking and biking to school to improve children's health,
safety, and mobility; strengthen communities; reduce automobile trips; and
improve air quality in school neighborhoods. TALC is now hiring an Education
Coordinator who will have responsibility for the education and curricular
components of the program.
Campaign Assistant, World Class Transit: Since 2000, nearly $3 billion in
dedicated transit funds have been redirected in efforts to balance California's
budget. TALC is co-leading a statewide campaign to protect funding for public
transit in the state budget. We are looking for an organized, detail-oriented
person for this part-time, temporary position. There is the potential for this
to be made into a full-time (still temporary) position if funding becomes
available.
Program Assistant, Great Communities: For this full-time position, the
Program Assistant will spend about 60% of his/her time with the four other staff
who focus on the Great Communities Collaborative and about 40% supporting the
Executive Director on a variety of projects and programs. The position requires
strong organizational, administrative, and communication skills.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/about/about_jobs.html#job
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Do you have a digital camera to donate?
TALC is looking for a new digital camera. Do you have one you can donate? We
need the camera to be at least four megapixels and prefer it to have an optical
zoom and to be easy to use. You will receive a donation receipt for tax
purposes. If you can donate a camera, please contact Seth Schneider at
seth@transcoalition.org or (510)
740-3150 x310. Thank you!
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UPCOMING TALC EVENTS
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Todd Litman to speak at TALC's February 21 regional
meeting -- RSVP today!
NOTE: change of date and location!
What matters more if you want to reduce emissions: what kinds of cars
people own or how many miles they drive? Todd Litman, the well-known sustainable
transportation policy researcher, will talk about how better fuel efficiency
tends to stimulate more driving and why strategies to reduce how much people
drive tend to be overlooked by policymakers. Todd, the director of the Victoria
Transport Policy Institute, will also discuss how transportation emission
reduction strategies can be evaluated in a way that fully captures their
economic, social, and environmental benefits. We expect a high turnout for this
regional meeting, so RSVP now to
rsvp@transcoalition.org so that we can provide enough food. Arrive early to
guarantee getting a seat. The meeting is free and open to the public. In case
you can't make it, we will be videotaping the event to post on our website. The
regional meeting will be held on Thursday, February 21 from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Please note it will NOT be held at the
Sierra Club. It will instead be held at 312 Sutter Street (at Grant), home of
SPUR (San Francisco Planning + Urban Research), the event co-sponsor.
Learn more about VTPI: www.vtpi.org
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Register now for TALC's 11th Annual Summit -- Saturday,
April 5
Join advocates and practitioners for TALC's 2008 Summit, Healthy
Communities, Healthy Planet. The day will include presentations and
participatory sessions on how we can achieve healthier communities and a
healthier planet through transportation choices and walkable neighborhoods.
Online registration is now available -- with an early-bird price of $15 until
March 14. Session topics for this year include: learning from the Safe Routes to
Schools model, health impact assessments, and strategizing for the Regional
Transportation Plan, plus many others.
Learn more:
www.transcoalition.org/cal/summit08
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OTHER EVENTS
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Transportation solutions to climate change -- Friday,
February 22
The League of Women Voters of the Bay Area will hold Transportation Solutions to
Climate Change, its annual Bay Area League Day, on Friday, February 22. The
event will include panels about Regional Transportation Plan 2035 and climate
change, funding options, safe routes to schools, and sub-regional bus service
and pedestrian/bicycle options. It will be held in downtown Oakland from 9:00
a.m. - 2:30 p.m. and costs $15-30.
Learn more:
www.lwvbayarea.org/BALD.html
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Bay Area TransitCamp -- February 23-24
TransitCamp is a user-generated conference that is open and participatory and
whose content is provided by participants. The event, which has its roots in
internet technology "Bar Camps," will focus on encouraging more people to use
public transit. It will bring together transit officials and citizens to
discuss: getting schedules on the go, the future of the region's transit system,
experiences and observations, websites, cool ideas for attracting riders, and
more. The event will be held at 655 High Street in Palo Alto and is free.
Learn more:
www.barcamp.org/TransitCampBayArea
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NEWS FROM TALC MEMBER GROUPS
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New member groups bring safety to the streets
Joining more than 100 TALC member and affiliate groups is CC Puede and Walk
Oakland Bike Oakland. CC Puede ("Cesar Chavez, Yes We Can!") is a coalition of
neighbors, merchants, parents, and transportation advocates working to make
Cesar Chavez Street more livable. WOBO is working to improve Oakland's
pedestrian and bicycling infrastructure by educating residents, workers,
business owners, and commuters.
Learn more: www.ccpuede.org and
www.walkoaklandbikeoakland.org
