Category: News

AUDIO: Silicon Valley’s Housing & Transit Crisis

On March 31 in Mountain View, more than 40 people gathered at the Adobe House near the Mountain View Caltrain station. There, they heard Kim Mai-Cutler speak about the affordable housing and transit shortages currently affecting Silicon Valley.  The speech and gathering were organized by the Friends of Caltrain.

As you will hear in the recording above, some of the solutions discussed by Ms. Cutler and the audience, besides the need for additional, affordable housing, include:

  • Citizens must better educate themselves on who the decision-makers are at the city and transit (VTA) level, and lobby for improvements at both levels.
  • Citizens must also educate themselves on where the money goes at the local and state level NOW for housing and transportation. (A future blog post will have more on the transportation aspect of this.)
  • Citizens must realize that they cannot complain about increasing traffic and diminishing quality of life while blocking anything to improve both.

Please comment your own solutions to Silicon Valley’s affordable housing and transit shortage crisis below. Also, comment what YOU would be willing to do at the local government level to make such solutions happen.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

VTA Bus Service Changes As Of TODAY

Bus service in Santa Clara County is changing to enable more connections with Caltrain’s new schedule. To that end, VTA has made several changes to bus service in several areas to make that happen. Here are more details on these and other bus service changes effective today.

Another highlight of these changes involves the 61 or 62 bus lines. These bus service changes re-enable true 15 minute frequencies – particularly along Bascom Avenue between San Jose and Campbell.

What do YOU think about these bus service changes that VTA has made today? Will it help you leave your car and take the bus?  What would have to happen Please comment below.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Coming Up…

Here is what is coming up on the site:

  • More on the VTA bus service changes effective on Monday (April 11)
  • The 40-year anniversary of the first transit sales tax for Santa Clara County, in 1976
  • A VTA budget challenge of our own
  • More on Kim Mai-Cutler’s speech in Mountain View on March 31 detailing the housing and transit crisis
  • Additional Silicon Valley transit news that has come up recently

Please enjoy the rest of this weekend. Don’t forget to follow @svtransitupdts on Twitter for up-to-date transit information.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Recent Silicon Valley Transit News

One VTA Board of Directors’ member replaces another that retired after Super Bowl 50.  A new Caltrain schedule will feature three bicycle cars on some trains. Cupertino and Palo Alto want their own local taxes to relieve traffic congestion. An online vote to help name a future BART station in East San Jose.  Details on all this are below as we catch up on some recent transit news in Santa Clara County.

Fatal Greyhound Bus Crash In S. San Jose

Tuesday morning’s commute from south of San Jose proved to be a nightmare. At around 6:30am this morning, a Greyhound bus from Los Angeles to Oakland overturned and crashed on Highway 101, just south of Highway 85 in southern San Jose. As of 8:30am, two people have died and 18 have been injured.

The resulting traffic gridlock on Highway 101 northbound has caused at least 30 minute delays on VTA’s 121 and 168 express bus lines from Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Also, delays are expected on Monterey-Salinas Transit’s 55 and 86 bus lines between San Jose and Monterey County.

See your favorite news outlet for more information regarding this tragic bus crash. One definitely must consider use of public transportation like VTA or Caltrain today, if you have not done so already. Let this also be a reminder to SLOW DOWN if you must drive.

Stay safe out there…

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users