Report to the Commission: September 25, 2024
Personnel
New Appointments
- Katie Lan, REAP 2 Program Coordinator, Bay Area Housing Finance Authority section.
- Zaccary Bradt, Regional Transit Planner, Regional Planning Program section.
- Eyas Abdeen, Principal Program Manager, ABAG Power in the Energy Program section.
- Anne Ablaza, Technical Program Manager, FasTrak Customer Service Center in the Toll Operations section.
- Lisa Thomas, Employee and Labor Relations Manager, Administration and Human Development section.
- Bindu Parekh, Technology Project Manager, Technology Service section.
- Veronica Cummings, Principal Public Information Officer, Legislation and Public Affairs section.
Updates
MTC Engages the Public for Plan Bay Area 2050+ Input
Through August, MTC and ABAG staff conducted public engagement to seek feedback on the Plan Bay Area 2050+ Draft Blueprint and Transit 2050+ Draft Network. Staff visited more than 40 locations across all nine Bay Area counties, including transit centers, farmer’s markets and community-based organizations. Following an analysis of public input, the Commission and the ABAG Executive Board are anticipated to consider approval of the Final Blueprint in late 2024. That milestone is followed by an Environmental Impact Report process, as required under the California Environmental Quality Act. Commission and ABAG Executive Board approval of the final Plan Bay Area 2050+ and final EIR is slated for October 2025.
MTC Receives $500 million in Transit Funds Secured in Last Year’s State Budget
MTC received $535 million as a first installment of $1.1 billion in Senate Bill 125 funding coming to the Bay Area to avert the transit fiscal cliff and shore up funding for two capital project priorities that are leveraging billions of dollars in federal matching funds – BART to Silicon Valley Phase II and BART Core Capacity. Approximately $400 million of the $1.1 billion, in combination with a regional contribution of $300 million, will be used to sustain transit operations through FY 2026.
Fourth Meeting of Transportation Revenue Measure Select Committee
Chaired by Commissioner Spering, the Transportation Revenue Measure Select Committee held its fourth meeting on September 23rd. The members of the committee are working to build regional consensus for state legislation that would authorize Bay Area voters to consider a 2026 revenue measure to preserve and enhance public transit in the region.
Big 4 MPO Meeting and SB 375 Discussion
On August 19, I had a chance to spend a day meeting with my colleagues from the so-called “Big 4” regional agencies from Los Angeles, San Diego and Sacramento. We met with the leaders of several state agencies, including Tomiquia Moss, Secretary of the CA Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency; and senior staff from the Air Resources Board, the Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.
The major topic of discussion was our long-range plans and the future of SB 375, the law that established all the current rules for how metropolitan planning organizations in California develop their sustainable communities strategies. We believe it is time to engage with our regional partners and state agencies in a dialogue about how we move forward on SB 375 and conduct these long-range planning processes. Last week, the four agencies sent a joint letter to the Air Resources Board requesting them to pause their current SB 375 target-setting process and guidelines update, and to engage in a deeper dialogue about the best ways to improve the law. (See Attached)
INFRA/MEGA Awards
Some good news coming from Washington, D.C. and your Bay Area Infrastructure Grants Strategy: Contra Costa County Transportation Authority’s Innovate 680 project secured $166 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s large MEGA Grant Program. The Commission endorsed the project for large MEGA through the Bay Area Infrastructure Grants Strategy.
Priority Sites Loan Helps Complete Funding for Affordable Housing Project for Seniors
BAHFA closed its first Priority Sites Pilot loan in August to East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation to help fund the construction of 97 affordable senior housing units at Lake Merritt BART Station, including 44 apartments for chronically homeless seniors. This development is part of a master-planned redesign of the BART plaza that will eventually include over 460 units of new housing. BAHFA and RPP are working on multiple additional new construction Priority Sites loans and technical assistance projects, as well as the preservation of affordable housing with REAP 2.0 funds in San Jose, Marin County and San Francisco. BAHFA expects to close more loans over the next several months.
Napa Valley Vine Trail Ribbon Cutting
It was my privilege to participate in an August 16 ribbon cutting for the 8-mile Calistoga-to-St. Helena section of the Napa Valley Vine Trail. Other speakers included Congressman Mike Thompson, former MTC Chair and current state senator Bill Dodd, and Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. The event was emceed by NVTA Executive Director and former MTC staff member Kate Miller.
New Electrified Caltrain Ride-Along
Commissioner Canepa, Commissioner Chavez, Commissioner Dutra-Vernaci and Commissioner Papan were among the VIPs riding the first electrified Caltrain on August 10. Others involved in the celebration included Governor Newsom, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and San Francisco Mayor London Breed, as well as MTC's Alix Bockelman and Rebecca Long.
Celebrate Transit Month this September
September is Transit Month in the Bay Area, and MTC is the presenting sponsor of the monthlong event. Residents and visitors alike have been enjoying a regionwide ride contest and prizes, and a calendar full of transit-themed activities. Riders are invited to participate in a Ride Contest by logging their trips to earn badges and for a chance to win prizes. Riders logged almost 17,000 transit trips during the contest in 2023.
Green Complete Streets Technical Workshop in Campbell
On September 12, MTC and ABAG hosted Embrace the Future: Green Complete Streets Technical Deep Dive in Campbell. Over 130 people attended, including Commissioner Abe-Koga and public agency staff from Santa Clara County up to the North Bay. The workshop focused on holistic design approaches and practical implementation tools to help public agencies build people-centric, climate-resilient infrastructure consistent with state design guidelines.
2024 Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy Achieves Record Numbers
The fourth annual Norman Mineta Bay Area Summer Academy, a paid work experience sponsored by MTC, ABAG, BCDC and the Air District, wrapped up last month. 200 participants from high schools across all nine Bay Area counties were introduced to the public sector and learned how regional agencies work across jurisdictions on challenging issues like environmental justice, housing and transportation equity, community health, and social justice.
Bay Area Metro Center Building Update
The 1st Floor Reconfiguration Project has been completed on time and within budget. The project involved the reconfiguration and expansion of the Yerba Buena and Ohlone conference rooms to increase capacity and enhance technology, the expansion of the warming kitchen, and the conversion of the PG&E vault room into additional storage space for equipment and supplies.
Per San Francisco Ordinance AB-110, BAHA contractors have inspected the exterior of the building and identified several areas needing repair due to the building's age and extended exposure to environmental conditions. The Capital Projects team has developed a multi-year construction plan that offers the most comprehensive, safe and cost-effective solutions to extend the building’s lifespan. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2026.