Eugene B

Preview-Last VTA Board Meeting Of 2011

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December 8 (Thursday) at 8:30am the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) will have its last Board of Directors meeting for 2011. Here’s a roster of who sat on the VTA Board of Directors in 2011.

The meeting will be held at the County Supervisors’ Chambers at the County Government Center at 70 West Hedding Street in San Jose. The Government Center is 1 block north of Civic Center light rail station. Also, VTA’s 61, 62, 66, and 181 express bus lines stop nearby at the Civic Center light rail station on N. First Street. Also, there’s a VTA bus stop for the 61 or the 62 bus line service to Sierra & Piedmont in eastern San Jose, only 50 yards from the Government Center’s main front entrance.

More on the last VTA Board Meeting of 2011 after the jump…

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Highlights of FTA Meeting in Berkeley Last Night

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Last night, members of the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) met at UC Berkeley for a public information session on (strengthening) public transit civil rights rules.

During that meeting, FTA staff noted it was the best community turnout seen on public transit civil rights rules amongst its meetings nationwide. The last such meeting will be in Atlanta on November 17.

One FTA official at the meeting challenged regional agencies like the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to engage “environmental justice” populations (minorities and the poor) in making public transit decisions. FTA officials also mentioned that historically low-income and minority people have been negatively affected by transit projects. FTA officials also mentioned that agencies like VTA must include the public and use public input in their transit service decision making.

This is definitely something I will get our group to strongly consider adopting, to help fight future VTA service cuts and fare hikes. More information on what FTA is doing is here.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

Pedestrian & Driver Responsibility In Silicon Valley

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Over the last week, there have been seven (7) pedestrian deaths in Silicon Valley. One pedestrian death was the result of pedestrian vs. VTA 522 Rapid bus incident in Palo Alto on November 8. Another pedestrian death incident involved a pedestrian vs. car incident in Mountain View on November 10. Making matters worse, were two recent pedestrian vs. train incidents within five days in San Jose, with one pedestrian still fighting for his life. One incident involved Caltrain; the other involved VTA light rail.

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Notes From Our Group Meeting Last Night

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About 6 people attended the Silicon Valley Transit Users’ meeting last night. Some notes from that meeting:

Judy P. informed us that our partner, the San Jose Peace & Justice Center, will have a Peace Fair on December 3 in San Jose. We’ll have a small table there.

Chris L. of TransFORM informed us on status on the Valley Transportation Authority’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project along El Camino, Stevens Creek and Alum Rock Ave. While the Alum Rock Ave. portion is 2 years ahead, there are numerous flaws. One flaw along Alum Rock Ave.’s BRT project: sidewalk space is sacrificed for the dedicated bus lane along Alum Rock Ave. in eastern San Jose. There is still time to give input on the Stevens Creek BRT project. He proposed helping us get transit riders in Silicon Valley more involved with the BRT projects.

Megan F. from San Jose Cool Cities echoed Chris L.’s comments and suggestions. She reminded us that Sunnyvale is

We also suggested taking photos inside crowded VTA buses and light rail. This will help counter many of the claims in transit news comment areas that the buses and trains are empty.

Our group is strongly considering support for VTA’s BRT project but will need to correct many of their flaws. More on what BRT is – and what VTA can do to better promote it – are in an upcoming blog post.

Meeting started at 6:15pm and ended at 6:45pm.

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users

We Meet This Thursday in San Jose!

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Our group’s next meeting takes place this Thursday at 6pm.

WHERE: San Jose Peace & Justice Center, 49 S. 7th St. (Off E. Santa Clara St.), San Jose.
GETTING THERE: VTA’s 22, 23, 64 and 522 Rapid bus lines stop 50 yards from the Center. It’s 1/2 block frm San Jose State University and the 72, 73 and Highway 17 Express bus lines.

Agenda:
We will discuss the following at Thursday’s meeting:

  • VTA bus rapid transit (BRT) projects for El Camino Real & Alum Rock
  • The current status of transportation reauthorization in Congress

Any other concerns you have can and must be brought up first.

See you this Thursday!

Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Tranit Users