Localize Transport: Support Transit, Bicycling, and Walkable Communities!

Make the Bay Area's Regional Transportation Plan Truly Exceptional

Dear friends,

One of the most important elements of reducing reliance on fossil fuels is learning to get out of our cars. Excellent public transportation, bike, and walking options make that possible.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which holds the pursestrings for many Bay Area transit projects, just launched its draft plan for how to allocate $200+ billion over the next 25 years.

Now is the time to shape the future of transportation in the Bay Area!

According to our partners at TransForm, the draft version of the Regional Transportation Plan includes unprecedented funding for programs and projects that support transit, walking, bicycling, smart growth -- and a huge step forward in the Bay Area's commitment to fighting climate change.

But even with these new investments, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's own modeling shows that the Regional Transportation Plan won't meet the critical new global warming, pollution reduction, and affordability goals.  We can do better.

TAKE ACTION! Urge the MTC to draft a bold transportation plan that will truly make the Bay Area a leader in climate protection and fossil-free transportation! (See below for details.)

Thanks for building a more socially just and sustainable region!

--Aaron, Dave, Ingrid, Kirsten, Nile and the Bay Localize team

LOCALIZE THE BAY AREA'S TRANSPORTATION PLAN!

E-mail the Metropolitan Transportation Commission by 4:00pm on March 2

Send a message to info@mtc.ca.gov (be sure to write "Public Information" in the subject line)  applauding the draft Plan's new investments and to urging them to include policies that will make this Regional Transportation Plan truly extraordinary.

Here are comments to include in your message:

• The draft Regional Transportation Plan shows progress in funding sustainable transportation in the Bay Area. The final plan should include these commitments to programs that support transit, biking, and walking, including doubling funding for the Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC) program, new funding for Safe Routes to Transit and Safe Routes to Schools, and a transportation climate program.
  

• The Metropolitan Transportation Commission should work with county and local transportation and land use agencies to ensure that the region's investments and policies are on track to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets.
  

• Many unsustainable transportation projects in the plan were considered "committed", even if they do not meet regional goals and are nowhere near their construction phase. The final plan should include a commitment to identify and evaluate more sustainable investments in these corridors that will help us reduce reliance on cars.
  

• The Metropolitan Transportation Commission's own modeling found that land use and pricing do the most to help us achieve many of the key regional goals, but the plan is still weak on key land use policies. The final plan should include a policy that prioritizes allocation of funding for programs such as Transportation for Livable Communities and new Safe Routes to Transit funding for designated Priority Development Areas.

Read more about the campaign.  To learn more about what TransForm and partners have been fighting for in the Regional Transportation Plan, read the RTP platform. With any questions about TransForm's RTP campaign, contact Carli Paine. 

Contact Us:

  Bay Localize

  436 14th Street, Suite 1127

  Oakland, CA 94612 USA

  Tel: (510) 834-0420

  Web: http://www.baylocalize.org

  Support our efforts! Go to: https://www.earthislandprojects.org/bayLocalize/donate.html