Category: Advocacy

Our (and other) transit advocacy efforts in Silicon Valley.

National Championship Transit Options

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Levi’s Stadium, east of Great America light rail station.

College football’s national championship game comes to the Bay Area for the first time.  On January 7 at 5pm, college football’s National Championship game will take place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.  The Clemson Tigers face the Alabama Crimson Tide for major college football’s national championship.

This post will help detail Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) public transit options to and from fan events in San Jose and Santa Clara on January 4-7.  These options help you beat expected traffic gridlock, parking woes, and potential road rage incidents at the events.  This post will also help detail a local guide for first-time public transit riders – especially those visiting San Jose and Santa Clara from out of town.  Read on below for more information…

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This Thursday, Sam Comes To Our Club

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The Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Chair will see some of his managers this week.  San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo – also VTA Board Chair this year – will be our guest at our group’s upcoming meeting this Thursday in San Jose. 

TIME/DATE: Thursday, April 26 at 6pm
PLACE: San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 48 S. 7th Street (between Santa Clara and San Fernando Streets), San Jose
GETTING THERE: Many VTA bus lines like the 22, 522 Rapid, 72, 73 and Highway 17 Express stop near the Peace and Justice Center.  There is limited bicycle and automobile parking behind the building, so it’s advisable to take public transit to and from the building.  There is also wheelchair access behind the building.

The agenda and a toll-free dial-in number to the meeting follow…

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Fight For Bike Lanes On El Camino Real In Palo Alto

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Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss. Photo courtesy of City Of Palo Alto.

Live in Palo Alto?  Do shopping or other business in Palo Alto?  Ride a bicycle in Palo Alto?  Andrew Boone from East Palo Alto posted this message in a Facebook group.  As a public service, I am forwarding this message here.

Do YOU want BIKE LANES on El Camino Real in Palo Alto?

Call Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss at 650-888-8671 and respectfully request that the “El Camino Real Complete Streets” project to re-envision the Royal Road between Stanford Avenue and Lambert Avenue to “create a safe and healthy place for pedestrians and bicyclists” be placed on an upcoming Palo Alto City Council agenda. The city won a grant in 2016 to re-design El Camino Real and has begun the public input process, but the project hasn’t ever been discussed by the City Council.

It’s important for the Palo Alto City Council to hear from the public and then discuss this project even if they are not making any decisions about it soon. We need City Council support to have any hope of achieving the project’s goals.

What do YOU think about Palo Alto creating a safe and accessible El Camino Real for people of all ages using all modes of transportation in accordance with state Complete Streets law? Do YOU think Palo Alto should follow state law, or continuing ignoring state law?

Palo Alto Mayor Liz Kniss
telephone 650-888-8671
email: liz.kniss@cityofpaloalto.org

City of Palo Alto project page has more information on the proposal.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

San Jose Mayor Liccardo Wants More VTA Service Cuts

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San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo wants to repeat failed history.  In his first Chairperson’s Report at the January 4 Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors’ meeting, he advocated for further reductions in VTA transit service to help close a $20 million operating deficit this fiscal year, and a $26 million operating deficit in 2019.  He announced the formation of a committee to address VTA’s structural operating deficit, and provide solutions.  The gist of Mayor Liccardo’s comments start at the 2:00 mark of the audio clip above.

Learn more about how this service cut strategy fails to resolve any VTA operating deficit – and what YOU can proactively do to change history in your favor – below.

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December 7, 2017 VTA Board Of Directors’ Meeting Highlights

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The last Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board Of Directors’ meeting of 2017 took place on December 7.  There, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo was voted unopposed as the VTA Board Of Directors’ Chair for 2018.  Also, Santa Clara City Councilmember Teresa O’Neill was voted 9-2 over Cupertino’s Sadia Vaidhyanathan for Vice Chair in 2018.

You can view all four hours of the last VTA Board Of Directors’ meeting of 2017 here.  Or, read on for a summary of what was decided at this VTA Board Of Directors’ meeting.

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