Carter Lavin

San Jose Mayor and colleagues seek to improve BART San Jose for riders and for urban design

This afternoon, San Jose City Council will discuss the project bringing BART to San Jose.  Mayor Sam Liccardo authored a memo joined by colleagues Jones, Peralez and Davis urging VTA to take steps to improve the projects from the perspective of urban design and transit connections.  The memo elevates a number of needs that have […]

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ACTION: 10/12 6-8pm Community Meeting Focused on Station Access and Parking Strategies

BART is hosting a community meeting on October 12 from 6-8pm via Zoom. Registration is required in advance by clicking this link. We encourage everyone to register and attend the meeting to learn about BART’s plans and make your voice heard. According to BART, the meeting will start with a presentation covering: The proposed maximum

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East Palo Alto to consider trip cap, bus lanes, and congestion pricing for Ravenswood Business District Specific Plan

East Palo Alto is in the process of updating the Ravenswood/4 Corners TOD Specific Plan. Recently, four significant development proposals within the plan area that total roughly 4 million square feet (MSF) have been submitted. This greatly exceeds the 1.2 MSF of the remaining development allowed in the existing, environmentally cleared plan. Given that East

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East Palo Alto greenlights pilot program to speed buses on University Avenue for 2021/22

The East Palo Alto city council has authorize an intelligent transit signal priority (iTSP) pilot program on University Avenue. The project will allow non-profit Sustainable Silicon Valley to implement transit signal priority, which involves extending the green light for buses, to five traffic signals between Bay Road and Woodland Avenue. This will speed up bus

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San Mateo Bridge M Bus discontinued with no definite plans to restore service

At its July 14 meeting, the AC Transit Board reviewed its priorities for restoring service that had been cut early in the pandemic.    Lines that had the highest ridership and serving disadvantaged communities were understandably given high priority. Unfortunately, this leaves the M bus, which had been the only public transit line on the

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2 ACTIONS: City Council Meeting August 17, Corridor Access Study Open House

At the August 17 city council meeting, agenda item #5A features a study session regarding TOD access strategies, including the possibility of the city creating an on-street parking management program. We strongly support the city creating a parking management program, as it will provide a station access option for BART commuters who must drive, while

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Bus-Only Lane Coming to Berkeley after East Bay Advocates Urge Quick-Build Action

Oakland’s new bus lanes (above) will soon be joined by bus-only lanes on Durant Avenue in Berkeley (photo from Streetsblog). AC Transit, in partnership with the Cities of Berkeley and Oakland, will soon implement quick-build “tactical transit” bus lanes on Durant Avenue in Berkeley and boarding islands on MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland. In May, the

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In Congress now: new federal funding guidelines support world-class regional rail

Around the world rail services commonly use the same train tracks to serve both regional and local trips.  Using the same tracks for more kinds of trips helps to  generate high ridership, social and economic benefits, reduce car dependency and  increasing access to jobs, housing and educational institutions for residents and travelers alike. For the

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Caltrain baby bullet back in August – and more trains – at Caltrain board Thursday

On Thursday July 1, the Caltrain board will receive a presentation about its proposed service restoration for August, timed to increase service when BART does. The proposed new schedule addresses popular demand to bring back baby bullet trains. It continues the Covid-era improved connect to BART at Millbrae.   It also keeps and improves on

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San Jose Accomplishes a Silicon Valley First with “Public Service” Lanes – Also, take action for more Fast Transit in Santa Clara County

As the vanguard of VTA’s Fast Transit program, the City of San Jose is moving forward with “public service lanes” through the En Movimiento East San Jose Multimodal Transportation Improvement Plan. The plan centers around the urban villages on Santa Clara Street near the planned Little Portugal BART station. Santa Clara Street is considered the

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VTA Fast Transit Program Part of Bay Area-wide Push for Faster, More Reliable Transit; Local Government Support Needed for Transit Speedups.

The above photo was an actual slide presented at a February 5th update to advocates regarding VTA’s Fast Transit Program. The program, according to VTA staff, is designed to improve bus speeds on VTA’s existing frequent, high-ridership routes. This includes routes such as the 23 Alum Rock – one of the slowest routes in the

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Comment Period Closes this Friday, Jan. 8th – Advocate for a multi-modal El Camino Real in San Mateo/Burlingame

Caltrans is in the early-to-mid stages of a roadway renewal project for the troubled 4-lane section of El Camino Real extending from San Mateo through Burlingame, and ending at Millbrae city limits. The section has issues with bicycle/pedestrian safety, flooding/drainage, and tree health on the corridor. El Camino Real is a critical transportation corridor that

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MTC on Bay Bridge Transit: Approaches First, Bus Lanes Later

Courtesy of Bay Area Metro On Wednesday Feb 12, 2020, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Bay Area Toll Authority Oversight Committee will review studies exploring options to speed transbay transit trips. The conclusion of their assessment is that delays are longer on the approaches, so the first step should be to speed up the approaches, and

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AC Transit Endorses Bay Bridge Bus Lanes

On January 22, 2020 the AC Transit Board of Directors voted unanimously to endorse bus lanes on the Bay Bridge and its approaches. Board President Elsa Ortiz authored the resolution putting AC Transit, the transit operator that moves over 10,000 bus riders across the Bay Bridge each weekday, on the record supporting prioritizing space for

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