Capitol

A group of people on the bus chatting with Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan

Bus Ride with Assemblymember Bauer-Kahan!

By Noor Rizvi — A group of transit advocates organized by Transbay Coalition were thrilled to have State Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan join us for a bus ride-along last week! In a time when politicians and decision-makers seem disconnected from the public, one of the best ways to help elected officials truly understand the transit rider […]

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2024: A Year of Victories, growth, and adventure 

This past year was the most successful year yet for Transbay Coalition’s work to improve transit, biking, and street safety throughout the Bay Area. Thank YOU for helping make that happen. Whether you donated, volunteered, came to an event, or spoke out for a better transportation system in the region, you made our region a

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Regional funding authorizing bill passes Senate with South Bay opposition; more work needed in Assembly

Last Friday May 24, SB1031, the Connect Bay Area Act, passed the Senate Floor and heads to the Assembly with more work to do and South Bay opposition. The next step will be Assembly policy committee hearings later in June. In order to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 16, amendments were added to

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Regional measure bill: SamTrans and Caltrain acknowledge progress, maintain position; VTA board increases opposition; negotiations continue

In board meetings on Wednesday and Thursday this past week, the SamTrans and Caltrain boards acknowledged progress in amendments and negotiations on SB1031, the authorizing legislation for a regional transportation funding measure.  The boards retained their positions to oppose the legislation unless amended, with the rationale that this would provide the greatest amount of negotiating

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Transit boards to revisit Connect Bay Area regional funding legislation after amendments

On Wednesday May 1 and Thursday, May 2, the SamTrans, Caltrain, and VTA boards will review their positions on AB1831, the Connect Bay Area Act.  This important bill would authorize a regional transportation funding measure that would keep transit running at Caltrain, BART, and other agencies facing post-pandemic budget challenges, and would support more frequent

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Bill proposes CEQA exemption for rail electrification; spare other projects from delays that affected Caltrain

A bill in the legislature this year, AB2503 (Lee), proposes to exempt rail electrification projects from the sort of delay that impacted Caltrain electrification.  Back in 2015, the Town of Atherton sued the Caltrain electrification project – which is about to provide a major benefit to the environment by eliminating polluting emissions from diesel trains

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MTC Legislation Committee proposes changes to Connect Bay Area regional funding legislation

On, Friday April 12, the Metropolitan Transportation Legislation Committee approved a set of proposed amendments to SB1031.  The amendments refine the funding formula to ensure funding for all counties including those that have fewer agencies facing post-pandemic fiscal challenges; clean up language about a consolidation study; and set guardrails on MTC’s authority to coordinate service. 

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MTC advances regional funding measure authorizing legislation

On January 24, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission voted to pursue authorizing legislation in 2024 for a regional transportation funding measure that could go on the ballot as soon as 2026, and could be used in future years.  The proposal would authorize MTC to put a measure on the ballot with goals for transit transformation, safe

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State budget helps, doesn’t solve transit fiscal cliff; bridge toll bill advances to prevent cuts

The state budget signed by the governor at the end of June provided helpful funding to avert the fiscal cliff facing major Bay Area transit services. But the funding did not go far enough to prevent cuts and service degradation to agencies with upcoming fiscal cliffs including BART, Caltrain, SFMTA and AC Transit. As summarized

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State budget negotiations on saving transit continue – how you can help

The news on saving California transit last week includes a small amount of progress but not enough to prevent major cuts. Earlier in May, the governor’s updated budget proposal had offered nothing to help save transit. Last week, the Senate Budget Subcommittee on Transportation (proposal) and the Assembly Budget Committee (transit recommendations page 78) approved

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Regional measure polling shows virtuous cycle between transit improvements, voter support

New polling data from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission shows that voters support transit but want improvements – and there’s a virtuous cycle between better transit and voter support. At its workshop in Napa on April 26, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission discussed the new polling about potential ballot measures for public transportation and housing.   Overall, voters

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Tuesday 3/14 and Weds 3/15 – state legislators consider options that could prevent service cuts

This week the state legislature is holding the last two key hearings on transportation funding before the “May Revise” of the governor’s budget proposal. At last week’s budget hearing, there were over 30 public comments supporting funding to prevent transit service cuts and help regrow ridership. Read on for opportunities to take action this week.

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Thursday 3/9 and Wednesday 3/15 – state legislators consider funding to prevent service cuts

This week and next, the California state legislature will start to consider whether to step in to address the fiscal cliff that risks steep service cuts and a spiral of decline for transit in the Bay Area and the state.  Transit agencies including Caltrain, BART, SFMTA and AC Transit face steep budget shortfalls soon as

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Sacramento legislators examine transit crisis and transformation as fiscal cliff comes into sharper focus

The state legislature in Sacramento is looking into the challenges facing public transportation as the fiscal cliff facing agencies comes into sharper focus. On Monday, February 27, a Joint Assembly/Senate Transportation Committee hearing will cover the impending public transportation fiscal cliff that is impacting 72% of transit agencies in California, and opportunities to regrow ridership

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Newsom’s proposed budget undermines transit and climate goals

Governor Newsom’s proposed budget grapples with a projected $22.5 billion state budget deficit by slashing funding for public transportation capital projects  (and other climate investments) while ignoring the fiscal cliff facing transit agency operating budgets, creating risks of service cuts. In California’s multi-step budget process, the governor’s proposal is only the first salvo in a

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Transbay Bus Bill Passes Senate Committee!

Thanks to your help, the Bay Bridge Bus Bill AB 455 (Wicks, Wiener), sailed through the Senate Transportation Committee and it is now on to the Senate Appropriations Committee. We are now one step closer to faster, more reliable, equitable, and greener travel across the Bay Bridge Corridor keeping the Bay Area\’s people and economy

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BIG TRANSBAY BUS NEWS! You can help NOW!

At long last, the Bay Bridge Bus Bill AB 455 (Wicks, Wiener), is coming to a vote in the Senate Transportation Committee this Tuesday, June 14th! Although the bill passed the Assembly in 2021, it got held up in committee and its fate was uncertain. But after much collaboration between the Transbay Coalition, the Assemblymember’s

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Action Alert: Assembly Members Bonta and Wicks introduce Bay Bridge Fast Forward Program

BIG NEWS! Assemblymembers Rob Bonta and Buffy Wicks and Senator Scott Wiener have introduced the Bay Bridge Fast Forward Program. PLEASE SIGN HERE TO ASK THE ASSEMBLY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE CHAIR TO SUPPORT THE BILL. The bill establishes minimum bus speed and reliability targets for the Bay Bridge and its approaches and authorizes a bus and very-high-occupancy-vehicle

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Bus-only lane on the Bay Bridge and Approaches takes a big step forward!

Great news! The language for the bill to improve bus travel times on the Bay Bridge and the approaches has been filled out and is a lot closer to being finalized. You can view the language for the bill, “AB-2824 Bay Bridge Fast Forward Program (Bonta)” here. Before, there was just “placeholder language” which is

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