Our (and other) transit advocacy efforts in Silicon Valley.
Bus Rapid Transit build at Alum Rock/Jackson in May 2015. Courtesy Google Maps.
There goes the Valley Transportation Authority’s (VTA) record of having projects built on-time and on-budget. By now, you’ve probably heard the news about how construction delays along Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose have delayed the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project until Summer 2016.
More on this issue – and how it parallels a past transit project in San Jose – follows.
Your input is still needed to craft a possible ballot measure in 2016. Today at 2:30pm in Gilroy, TransForm (a group we work with) is hosting the first of several forums designed to gather input on what YOU would like to see in a possible transportation ballot measure in 2016.
The last of these meetings takes place this evening from 6pm to 8:30pm at the Mexican Heritage Plaza at 1700 Alum Rock Ave. in San Jose. VTA’s 22, 23, 77 and 522 Rapid bus lines serve the Mexican Heritage Plaza. RSVP for this last meeting this evening.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
Disclosure: Our group is also part of the Envision Silicon Valley group that is putting together a possible transit sales tax measure in Santa Clara County is 2016.
Last week featured a lot of meetings, mishaps, and calls for action in the quest to improve public transit in Silicon Valley. All in a quest to make Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses and light rail a more viable alternative to driving. From community meetings in the Alum Rock section of San Jose, to a city council meeting in Sunnyvale, to our own group meeting in San Jose, here are details on what happened last week as “catch-up” material.
Hotel 22 Trailer from Elizabeth Lo on Vimeo.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)’s 22 bus line runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is Santa Clara County’s only 24-hour public transit service. Because of this, the 22 bus line is infamously known as a place where homeless people who can’t obtain proper shelter end up sleeping overnight. As a result, this bus line is known amongst the homeless population as the “Hotel 22.”
More on the increase in homeless people on additional VTA bus lines and light rail – and what can be done to end homelessness in Silicon Valley – follows.
After at least ten years of planning with some local residents in East San Jose, staff from the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) appeared to have turned the other cheek. It was learned on October 6 that VTA staff have proposed to stop pursuit for funding for a BART stop in the Five Wounds church area (photograph above) in East San Jose as well as a stop in Santa Clara near the Caltrain station there.
The proposal sparked outrage from East San Jose residents and local politicians. Because the community SPOKE UP against on the proposal, VTA has heard residents there and held off on further implementing their proposal. To that end, VTA will have three (3) public meetings in December to further discuss the proposed station cuts, as well as the future of the BART project. Meeting dates, times, and how to get there by bus are below:
If you care about having future BART stops in East San Jose or Santa Clara, come to either or all of these PUBLIC meetings.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users