This is a big summer weekend in Silicon Valley. First, there’s the 2017 Gilroy Garlic Festival in South County happening this weekend. Also, you have two concerts this Saturday and Sunday night at the SAP Center in downtown San Jose. Finally, there is a San Jose Earthquakes soccer match vs. Colorado at Avaya Stadium in San Jose on Saturday afternoon at 4:45pm.
This transit guide will detail the bus and rail alternatives to traffic gridlock and parking hassles.
Huge changes to your bus and light rail service in Santa Clara County will be discussed this week. At Thursday evening’s VTA Board of Directors’ meeting, the Board members will further discuss what VTA staff proposed under the “Next Network” transit service restructuring proposal.
If you haven’t done so already, read up on VTA’s “Next Network” proposal. Learn whether or not it may be made harder for you to reach your job, school, or doctor by public transit in Santa Clara County this fall. This is especially true if you live in Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Almaden Valley, or some parts of Palo Alto, Mountain View or Sunnyvale. This is also true if you take any of the VTA express buses from Fremont, as they are proposed to be eliminated when BART opens in December.
VTA staff member presentation at Santa Clara City Council Feb. 7.
The week of February 12 will be of note in parts of San Jose and Gilroy. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will hold the last three (3) public meetings for its “Next Network” transit service restructuring proposal on Feburary 13, 15 and 16. The meetings start at 6pm and last about two (2) hours. VTA has published additional information on your input regarding the “Next Network” so far.
Not only do we have talking points and site information for these three meetings the week of February 12, we also have additional news that has come up. More information follows…
The first Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors’ meeting in 2017 will have a different site. Due to a power outage at the County Government Offices, the VTA Board meeting was moved to the auditorium at VTA’s headquarters at 3331 N. First Street in San Jose. Elaine Baltao, VTA Board Secretary, informed me around 11:30am about this move.
You can get to VTA’s headquarters by taking light rail to River Oaks light rail station, or the 58 bus line. Here is a map of the area.
Up for discussion at this Board of Directors’ meeting:
Note the new meeting place for tonight’s VTA Board of Directors’ meeting. See you this evening.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users
On behalf of our group, I want to wish you a Happy (and safe) Thanksgiving.
Want to help make public transportation in Santa County better for everyone? Please join us on Tuesday, November 29 for our last meeting of 2016. At our last meeting for 2016, we will discuss:
TIME & DATE: Tuesday, November 29 at 6pm SHARP
PLACE: San Jose Peace and Justice Center, 48 S. 7th Street, San Jose
GETTING THERE: It’s about 50 yards south of E. Santa Clara Street in downtown San Jose, and near many VTA bus lines like the 22, 64, 522 Rapid, 72 and 73. It’s also a short walk from the Santa Clara (Street) light rail stop. Here is a map of the area around the Peace and Justice Center in downtown San Jose.
Bring a pencil or pen and paper so you can take down notes on what to do.
Approving sales tax ballot measures every few years to improve transit is never enough. Whining from behind your keyboard changes nothing. Better only happens when we learn TOGETHER and fight TOGETHER in person.
Power to the people. See you on Tuesday.
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users