Transportation
Mission
The Transportation Committee focuses on improving accessibility, residents’ options, and the overall structure of the transportation system in the North Bay region. Its leading efforts are to reduce traffic congestion along the 101 corridor by increasing transit
opportunities and adding continuous car pool lanes, which would allow for more express bus service, car and van pooling, and increased public safety. The Committee plays a major role in advocating for new rail service, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Tax Ballot Measure Q.
For more information on the campaign, or to get involved, please visit the campaign website at: http://www.smarttrain2008.org.
For more information on Measure Q, click here.
To download NBLC's 2005 North Bay Employee Transportation Survey, click here.
TRANSPORTATION UPDATES:
NBLC makes every effort to foster partnerships with North Bay and Bay Area transportation agencies in an effort to improve transportation through strong collaborations. 511 Regional Rideshare Program offers traffic updates through their website www.511.org, but did you also know that 511 offers invaluable services to employers and employees including employee commute evaluations and initial employee commute program implementation? For more information visit 511's website or contact NBLC for more information.
Do you have a better way to get to work than in your single occupant vehicle? Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) is currently alerting Marin County residents about the highway 101 improvement construction projects. To help alleviate the congestion during the construction of these projects, TAM is encouraging Marin employers and employees to incent ways to get to work that are commuter and green friendly in their "101 Ways to Work" campaign. In an effort to keep Marin residents informed TAM has developed a fact sheet on the current projects and what is underway. To download this fact sheet click on: "The Road Ahead: Highway 101 Gap Closure Construction Project" fact sheet.
Transportation is one of the top issues for employers and employees in the North Bay region. The gridlock on the freeway in both counties has a negative impact on the recruitment and retention of qualified employees. It hinders the productivity of businesses in the region by causing a loss of manhours when employees are stuck in traffic. The Transportation Committee will continue to advocate for transportation improvements by looking for more funding to complete or implement projects and ways to reduce commute times, in order to create a better quality of life for the residents of the region.
Activities and Accomplishments
North Bay Leadership Council (NBLC) led the charge for funding to widen the Marin/Sonoma Narrows and successfully won $82 million for the Narrows project and $20 million to add a second connector lane to the 580/101 interchange, from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) on Wednesday. Because of NBLC’s and other key players’ efforts, the CTC commissioners ignored their staff’s recommendation to leave the Narrows and 580/101 projects unfunded. Cynthia Murray, President/CEO of NBLC, teamed up with Dianne Steinhauser, Executive Director of the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), to battle for the funding which will help reduce congestion on one of the worst bottlenecks in the Bay Area.
The funding will enable the first phase of construction to begin by 2010. TAM and Sonoma County Transportation Authority staff will be working with Caltrans to evaluate which components the first phase will include and how to leverage the $82 million. Funding is allocated to extend the existing high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes throughout Novato, with the opportunity to execute safety improvements and highway widening north of the Atherton interchange, as financing allows.
The 580/101 connector project can be accomplished concurrently with the San Rafael Gap Closure project now underway. It will reduce the congestion merging from 580 to Highway 101 and improve overall traffic flow. Because of the funding, this project is capable of being completed by the end of 2008.
Murray testified at the CTC hearing on February 20 asking commissioners to reconsider funding these two projects, which were omitted by staff. When the CTC staff released the revised list of transportation projects to receive funding and neither the Narrows or 580/101 project was listed, Murray went into action. She rallied NBLC members, and elected and appointed officials to contact CTC commissioners; spoke with Governor Schwarzenegger’s office; traveled to Irvine to speak with Commissioners directly and continued to work behind the scenes to ensure North Bay transportation funding.
NBLC received special recognition for its role in obtaining North Bay transportation funding. Dianne Steinhauser of TAM singled out the organization as being a critical force in turning around the CTC’s decision to fund the two North Bay projects. The Marin Independent Journal also gave NBLC special mention for its hard work in bringing home much needed funding to reduce congestion in the region.
It’s true — by working together we do accomplish more! Thank you for all of your efforts in obtaining this remarkable amount of money for the North Bay.
Members
Bob Brown Director of Corporate Affairs AAA
Pat Kendall Medical Group Administrator Kaiser Peramanente
Transportation Agencies
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
511 Regional Rideshare Program
AAA of Northern California, Nevada, & Utah (AAA)
Golden Gate Transit District (GGTD)
Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM)
Marin County Transit (MCT)
Marin Airporter
Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC)
Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA)
Sonoma County Transit (SCT)
Sonoma County Airport
Sonoma County Airport Express, Inc. (Airporter)
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (SCBC)