VTA is trying hard to sell resell the 2000 Measure A.
An honest agency would at least try hard to deliver as much as the agency can with what it has, before asking the voters for more taxes. VTA does things the other way: ask voters to put pay twice as much to VTA in sales taxes for the same projects. And the worse part is that VTA has yet to collect one cent from the 2000 Measure A!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
VTA's so-call "investment program"
Late last week, VTA released on its web site a document called Long Term Transit Capital Investment Program to justify putting a new VTA 1/2 cent sales tax on the ballot. It is basically a recap of the projects listed in the 2000 Measure A. After four years, could VTA have reevaluated its projects based on merit in light on recent economic condition? Of course not.
Besides of what VTA considers to be a mandate, such as the San Jose deep tunneling project, VTA also included $1.3 million to study "new rail corridors" this year, and almost $3 billion to construct "at least two" of these new corridors:
• Sunnyvale/Cupertino;
• East Valley Extension to Guadalupe LRT;
• Santa Teresa/Coyote Valley and potential extension south to Morgan Hill;
• Stevens Creek Boulevard;
• West San Jose/Santa Clara;
• North County/Palo Alto;
• Vasona LRT to Vasona Junction.
I doubt any of those on the list has any merit. The most ridiculous corridors to be included are Santa Teresa/Coyote Valley and the North County/Palo Alto. These corridors are already served by Caltrain in which VTA is not interested to support. Also, if these light rail projects were built, the travel time from Palo Alto and from Coyote Valley to Downtown San Jose would likely take over an hour.
Although as usual planning for rail is a long process and that eventually there may not be any funding available to do whatever VTA wants, but studying new corridors now clearly demostrates where VTA's priorities are.
Besides of what VTA considers to be a mandate, such as the San Jose deep tunneling project, VTA also included $1.3 million to study "new rail corridors" this year, and almost $3 billion to construct "at least two" of these new corridors:
• Sunnyvale/Cupertino;
• East Valley Extension to Guadalupe LRT;
• Santa Teresa/Coyote Valley and potential extension south to Morgan Hill;
• Stevens Creek Boulevard;
• West San Jose/Santa Clara;
• North County/Palo Alto;
• Vasona LRT to Vasona Junction.
I doubt any of those on the list has any merit. The most ridiculous corridors to be included are Santa Teresa/Coyote Valley and the North County/Palo Alto. These corridors are already served by Caltrain in which VTA is not interested to support. Also, if these light rail projects were built, the travel time from Palo Alto and from Coyote Valley to Downtown San Jose would likely take over an hour.
Although as usual planning for rail is a long process and that eventually there may not be any funding available to do whatever VTA wants, but studying new corridors now clearly demostrates where VTA's priorities are.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Welcome to VTA Watch
Welcome to VTA Watch.
After the November 2000 election, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has gone down the wrong track when it comes to transit planning and operation. During the last five years, VTA experienced dropped ridership, increased fares, and reduced service, yet VTA is still pretending that the agency is doing well. It is not. It is time to demand a competent governance and management for VTA.
With the increasing noise from the special interests like the SVMG against common sense transit policies. Now is the time where the other side gets heard.
After the November 2000 election, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) has gone down the wrong track when it comes to transit planning and operation. During the last five years, VTA experienced dropped ridership, increased fares, and reduced service, yet VTA is still pretending that the agency is doing well. It is not. It is time to demand a competent governance and management for VTA.
With the increasing noise from the special interests like the SVMG against common sense transit policies. Now is the time where the other side gets heard.
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