Transportation Justice

TransitWorks! wins victory for Bay Area Transit
On June 30, the 2007 budget that includes a transportation package was signed into law by the Governor. This package brings an additional $137 million in funding for Bay Area transit and paratransit operators! Thanks to the many activists from around the region who made phone calls to the Governor and the efforts of the 26 TransitWorks! members from Urban Habitat and TALC, who went to Sacramento, and who were among the first to alert dozens of legislators about the spillover issue. The budget reverses six years of funding grabs from public transit and establishes a precedent for so-called "spillover" funds to be rightfully used for public transit. A 1971 law states that when revenues from the gas tax rise more rapidly than other taxed items the additional spillover revenue must go exclusively to mass transit. Next year, TALC will work with legislators to permanently protect the spillover.

MTC passes two of four proposed Environmental Justice Principles
In March, MTC Commissioners passed two of the four Environmental Justice Principles proposed by the Minority Citizens Advisory Committee (MCAC).  Subsequent to the passage of the two principles, the Commissioners directed MTC staff to do an analysis on identifying and defining inequities.  Over the past five months, TJWG members have submitted a proposal and suggested a methodology to analyze and identify inequities.  TJWG members and Urban Habitat continue to support MCAC’s efforts to direct MTC staff to do a substantive analysis of equity in Bay Area transportation planning and operations.  We are working towards the passage of the remaining two Environmental Justice principles and set forth standards in data collection for the region in identifying and subsequently mitigating inequities.

Update on Darensburg v. MTC lawsuit
AC Transit bus riders of color filed a federal class action lawsuit in April 2005 to challenge MTC’s discriminatory funding practices.   They have alleged, among other things, that AC Transit riders, 80% of them people of color, receive a public subsidy of only $2.78 per trip, while BART passengers receive more than double that subsidy ($6.14) and Caltrain passengers nearly five times more ($13.79).  MTC made two unsuccessful attempts to have the case dismissed, the last of which was rejected by Judge Elizabeth Laporte of the U.S. District Court in January.  

The lawsuit has proceeded into the discovery phase, with MTC turning over some 150,000 pages of internal documents to date.  Plaintiffs will file their motion for class certification in January.  A trial date has not yet been set.

For more info, please contact Richard Marcantonio rmarcantonio-(at)-publicadvocates.org or Guillermo Mayer gmayer-(at)-publicadvocates.org at Public Advocates, or Adrienne Bloch abloch-(at)-cbecal.org at Communities for a Better Environment.

East Oakland & West Berkeley Community Based Transportation Plans begin
The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency will begin East Oakland and West Berkeley’s Community Based Transportation Plan (CBTP). The CBTPs are studies commissioned by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to identify barriers to mobility and work to overcome them. Local participation is key to make these plans truly reflect the community needs. TJWG members will actively participate and support organizations who want to engage in these planning processes. Please contact Lila Hussain for more information: 510-839-3716, lila-(at)-urbanhabitat.org.

West Oakland & Monument Corridor Community-Based Transportation Plan Completed
The West Oakland and Monument Corridor Community-Based Transportation Plan has been completed.  Baypoint/Pittsburg recently kicked off their project in early summer, so there is still an opportunity to participate in the official planning processes.  Marin and Bayview Hunters Point CBTP is not slated until the Fall.  Martinez will begin their plan in early 2007.