Subject: TALC e-update: AB 2444, BRT in SF, more...
From: "Stuart Cohen, TALC" <[email-masked]>
To: TALC email list <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 07 Apr 2006 19:13:56 -0700

Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC)

Coalition Update: April 2005

1. Special TALC regional meeting at Fruitvale Transit Village - May 17
2. San Francisco BRT strategy meeting - April 11
3. Support AB 2444: new funding for transportation and environmental protection
4. TravelChoice launches first outreach of its kind in the Bay Area
5. New TALC report details progress on improving access to health in Contra 
Costa
6. Former Bogotá, Colombia mayor on livability and BRT - June 19
7. "All Nighter" service launches into full gear
8. TALC Summit a success
9. Volunteer or intern for TALC this summer
10. Implementing the Smart Growth Vision - April 13
11. Environmental Legislative Symposium - April 29
12. Bicycle workshops in Marin County - May 6
13. Town hall meeting on creating safe and healthy communities - May 18
14. Bike to Work Day - May 18

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Special TALC regional meeting at Fruitvale Transit Village - May 17
You're invited to attend a special TALC regional meeting: Wednesday, May 
17, 5:30-7:30 pm, with an optional orientation from 5:00-5:30, at Fruitvale 
Transit Village at the San Antonio Senior Center at 3301 East 12th Street, 
Oakland - adjacent to the Fruitvale BART station.

In 2004, after fifteen years in the planning, major construction was 
completed at the Fruitvale Transit Village. The $70 million project, led by 
the Unity Council/Fruitvale Development Corp., came out of a community 
organizing effort to transform the Fruitvale neighborhood from its 
declining status to one of economic vibrancy. Since the first tenants began 
occupying the Village, there have been a variety of challenges. This tour 
and discussion is an opportunity to get an insider view of lessons learned 
from this innovative project and future plans to secure its sustainability. 
Led by Gilda Gonzalez, Executive Director, and Jeff Case of the Unity Council.

View our calendar of events: 
<http://www.transcoalition.org/calendar.html>www.transcoalition.org/calendar.html

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San Francisco BRT strategy meeting - April 11
Frustrated with slow, unreliable transit on Van Ness Avenue or Geary 
Boulevard? Ready for the transit revolution? Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) - 
dedicated bus lanes and the best available technology for speedy and 
convenient service - is on the horizon. At this BRT meeting, the San 
Francisco Transportation Authority will present information about proposed 
BRT projects on Van Ness and Geary. Then join TALC staff and Coalition 
members to discuss how we can help move this important project forward. 
Meeting is from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at the Sierra Club offices at 85 2nd Street, 
3rd floor (near Mission), San Francisco. Dinner provided. Please RSVP to 
Amber Crabbe <mailto:[email-masked]>[email-masked] or 
510-740-3105.

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Support AB 2444: new funding for transportation and environmental protection
TALC is sponsoring its first bill, and we need your help. AB 2444 would 
enable a $10 vehicle registration fee to be placed on Bay Area vehicles, 
raising up to $60 million a year to mitigate air and water pollution caused 
by cars and to reduce congestion with flexibility that could be used to 
build and operate public transit, for bicycle and pedestrian safety, or 
road improvements (but no road widening). We need organizations to endorse 
this bill and supporters to attend an April 11 press conference at 10:30 in 
Oakland at the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency at 1333 
Broadway, Suite 220, and bill hearings in Sacramento on April 17 and 26. 
Contact Marta Anderson at 510-740-3150 or [email-masked] for more 
information.

Take action: 
<http://www.transcoalition.org/legislation.html#ab2444>www.transcoalition.org/legislation.html#ab2444

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TravelChoice launches first outreach of its kind in the Bay Area
TravelChoice, an innovative new program to reduce auto trips that is 
coordinated by TALC, began outreach on April 3 to the city of Alameda's 
East End, the first of two neighborhoods this year. By July, TravelChoice 
will have contacted 6,500 households in the East End and Oakland's 
Fruitvale neighborhood, with the goal of reducing solo driving trips by 9% 
by increasing transit usage, biking, and walking. The educational campaign, 
which uses innovative social marketing techniques, is modeled after similar 
projects around the world, but has never before been tried in the Bay Area. 
If successful, TALC will be looking to launch the project region-wide in 
the next five years. Funding for TravelChoice is provided by the Alameda 
County Congestion Management Agency, The Transportation Fund for Clean Air, 
AC Transit, BART, Alameda County's Public Health Department, and the cities 
of Alameda and Oakland.

Volunteers interested in calling homes to provide further biking, bus 
riding, or other transportation information are encouraged to take part. 
For more information, contact John Knox White or Jonathan Geeter at 
510-740-3150 or <mailto:[email-masked]>[email-masked].

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New TALC report details progress on improving access to health in Contra Costa
A new report documents the progress of TALC's Transportation Equity And 
Community Health (TEACH) Project to improve transportation access to health 
care facilities in two low-income Contra Costa County communities: Monument 
Corridor and Bay Point/Pittsburg. The report, Priorities for Access to 
Health Care (PATH), identified community priorities and recommendations 
which are already being incorporated into Community Based Transportation 
Plans in both communities. For copies of the report or more information 
about TEACH Contra Costa, contact Sandra Padilla at 
[email-masked] or 510-740-3150 or visit TALC's website.

Learn more: 
<http://www.transcoalition.org/reports/path/path.html>www.transcoalition.org/reports/path/path.html

................................................................................................. 

Former Bogotá, Colombia mayor on livability and BRT - June 19
This visit by distinguished former Mayor of Bogotá, Columbia, Enrique 
Peñalosa, will offer an opportunity to hear from and ask questions of a 
leader who has earned an international reputation for transforming 
previously dangerous, blighted public spaces in his city into livable, 
vibrant places. He is an incredibly engaging speaker with a similarly 
incredible story to tell. TALC is cosponsoring this evening with SPUR, The 
Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, and Environmental 
Defense. Monday, June 19, 5:30-8:00 p.m. in San Francisco. You're your 
calendar and stay tuned for final details.

................................................................................................. 

"All Nighter" service launches into full gear
The much-anticipated All Nighter began full operation on March 19, 2006. 
The All Nighter uses regional buses to connect most BART stations at night 
when BART is closed. The service weaves together a coordinated system, with 
timed transfers between late-night bus routes, that is focused around the 
BART system.

TALC coordinated a multi-agency press conference on Treasure Island on 
March 21 to announce the service, which was covered by all five major TV 
stations, Univision, three newspapers, and KCBS radio - including live TV 
reports throughout most of the day.

Conceived of by TALC in 2001 and originally called "Night BART", the All 
Nighter is funded by Regional Measure 2, the one-dollar bridge toll 
increase for public transit TALC helped to pass in 2004.

Learn more: 
<http://transit.511.org/providers/night.asp>transit.511.org/providers/night.asp

................................................................................................. 

TALC Summit a success
Over 200 attendees helped make TALC's 9th annual Summit a big success. And 
with 17 sessions, it was our biggest summit ever. Notes from the four 
campaign sessions are available on the website.

Learn more: 
<http://www.transcoalition.org/cal/summit06/summit.html>www.transcoalition.org/cal/summit06/summit.html

................................................................................................. 

Volunteer or intern for TALC this summer
Volunteers play an important role in helping us accomplish our work to 
create a sustainable and socially just Bay Area. We have a number of ways 
you can get involved this summer. Check the website for details.

Learn more: 
<http://www.transcoalition.org/about/about_intern_vol.html>www.transcoalition.org/about/about_intern_vol.html 

................................................................................................. 

Members in Action

Implementing the Smart Growth Vision - April 13
The Association of Bay Area Governments and the Metropolitan Transportation 
Commission are getting their act together and taking it on the road. After 
failing to reach agreement on a merger, the two regional planning agencies 
have joined with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in a Joint 
Policy Committee and are aggressively pursuing the regional vision 
resulting from the 2002 Smart Growth Strategy/Regional Livability Footprint 
Project. Ted Droettboom, Regional Planning program director for the Joint 
Policy Committee, will describe how the regional agencies hope to make a 
real difference in the Bay Area's future.

The lunchtime forum will be held at SPUR, 312 Sutter St. (at Grant), Fifth 
Floor, San Francisco, on Thursday, April 13 from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. It is 
located close to the Powell Street BART station and several Muni lines. 
Feel free to bring a lunch. SPUR Forums are open to the public, free for 
members and $5 for non-members.

................................................................................................. 

Environmental Legislative Symposium in Sacramento - April 29
Join the state's leading decision makers in charting out policies that will 
lead California towards a sustainable future at the Planning and 
Conservation League's 2006 Legislative Symposium. Entitled "Climate of 
Change," the symposium will be held on April 29 at the Sacramento Municipal 
Utilities District in Sacramento. The event includes a number of panels and 
speakers, including: Pete McCloskey, Assemblywoman Fran Pavley, 
Gubernatorial Candidate Phil Angelides, Attorney General Bill Lockyer, 
National Wildlife Federation President Larry Schweiger, Redefining Progress 
Executive Director Michel Gelobter, and many others. For more information 
or to register, contact Gerald Perez at 916-313-4522 or 
<mailto:[email-masked]>[email-masked].

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Bicycle workshops in Marin County - May 6
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition will offer two bicycle workshops on 
Saturday, May 6 in Fairfax. The "How to Ride with Youth" workshop will be 
from 9 a.m. to noon for ages nine to adult. Spend three hours with a 
nationally-certified bicycle instructor and learn to teach your children 
how to use their bikes in traffic. Cost is $15 per adult or $30 per family. 
"Bicycle Commuting 101" will be offered from 1:30-3:00 p.m for ages 15 to 
adult. The workshop will demonstrate bike commuting options and solutions. 
Learn about safety, visibility, route planning and simple accessories. Cost 
is $20/person. For details and registration contact Jo Ann Richards at 
<mailto:[email-masked]>[email-masked] or 415-456-3469 x7# or 
visit the MCBC website.

Learn more: 
<http://www.marinbike.org/Events/BTWD2006/Classes.htm>www.marinbike.org/Events/BTWD2006/Classes.htm 

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San Mateo town hall meeting on creating safe and healthy communities - May 18
The Sierra Club and Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo will host 
Communities of Today and Tomorrow: The What, Where, and How of Housing and 
Transportation. The forum will feature speakers on green development, 
transportation planning, regional impacts, and the environment. Speakers 
include: Jeff Oberdorfer of First Community Housing; Don Weden, retired 
chief planner of Santa Clara County; Jeff Tumlin of Nelson/Nygaard; and 
Jeremy Madsen of the San Francisco Foundation (formerly with Greenbelt 
Alliance). The event will be held on Thursday, May 18, from 6:45-8:30 pm at 
the King Community Center, 725 Monte Diablo Avenue in San Mateo. The 
location is three blocks from the San Mateo Caltrain Station and adjacent 
to the SamTrans 292 bus stop.

Learn more: 
<http://www.lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/slu/>www.lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/slu/

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Bike to Work Day - May 18
Thursday, May 18 marks the Bay Area's 12th annual Bike to Work Day, a 
national event that promotes bicycling as a healthy, fun, and viable form 
of transportation. This year up to 100,000 participants are expected in the 
Bay Area alone. From new or leisure cyclists to bicycle hot-shots, the 
event honors every kind of bicyclist during May's National Bike Month. In 
addition to the day's events, the Team Bike Challenge encourages bicycle 
commuters to recruit their colleagues, friends, and neighbors to form teams 
and bike for transportation during May while competing for a grand prize. 
The Bike Commuter of the Year Award honors a resident of each county who is 
committed to making every day a "Bike to Work Day." To register for Bike to 
Work Day, sign up for the Team Bike Challenge, or to nominate a Commuter of 
the Year visit the 511 web site.

Learn more: <http://www.511.org>www.511.org

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About the Transportation and Land Use Coalition (TALC)
TALC is a partnership of over 90 groups working for a sustainable and 
socially just Bay Area. We envision a region with healthy, walkable 
communities that provide all residents with transportation choices and 
affordable housing. The coalition analyzes county and regional policies, 
works with community groups to develop alternatives, and coordinates 
grassroots campaigns.

To contact TALC:
405 14th Street, Suite 605
Oakland, CA 94612
510-740-3150
www.transcoalition.org

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