SFMTA (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) hosted members of APTA (American Public Transportation Association) for their annual meeting in San Francisco earlier this month. The conference included educational and financial illustrations for support of public transportation locally and nationwide. Including a 25th year anniversary for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) celebrating public transportation services and accomplishments.

A preliminary plan has been addressed and reached between three major parties involved with the new arena for NBA Champions Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. The new arena proposal involves discussion with community and business leaders regarding traffic congestion and public transportation necessary within neighboring areas. The local communities were able to share transportation and traffic matters with San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, UCSF Administration, and Golden State Warriors.

Interesting findings during the oversight committee meeting in Sacramento later part of last month at California Department of Transportation. The oversight committee for San Francisco Bay Bridge development has unanimously agreed to fine contractors for lack of quality services with legendary bay area bridge. Some people feel public safety is questionable especially with bolts and anchoring deficient problems on the bay bridge. Despite the contractor penalties, committee members are suggesting and leaving open the fact of who should pay for corrective action.

As we posted previously about transportation in San Francisco Bay Area comes in many types of ways and means of support. Ferry services to travel across the bay area has been increasing at nearly 53% since 2012 and needs more financial support because of ridership increase. Some ferry boats must have backup shuttle buses for passengers missing the boat and needs traveling across San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area ferry services has been transporting two million passengers across the bay every year to terminals in Oakland, San Francisco, Alameda, South San Francisco, and Vallejo.

The California State Department of Transportation (Caltrans) have been working on improvement projects for San Francisco Bay Area highways and local roadways. Another Caltrans roadway project is within southern San Francisco Bay Area in Santa Clara County along Highway 9 and Highway 35. Construction project is ongoing to provide local residents with retaining walls and improving existing roadway lanes for motorists and bicyclists.

The ridership for passengers on BART in San Francisco Bay Area is higher and looking to expand services for working class people. San Francisco Bay Area BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is expanding services to help provide some relief on traffic congestion within bay area roadways. Including flexible services to Contra Costa County during commuting hours because crossover train lines have been recently completed. The BART improvement plan includes lengthening commuter trains in the morning and evenings, and maintaining commuting trains for additional 15 minutes on weekday mornings.

The San Francisco Bay Area BART has received $750,000 federal workforce development grant for accessible employment pathways partnership. Funding will provide the TCLT (Transit Career Ladders Training) Program to help employment development aligned with Workforce Investment Boards and partnership agencies. This fund is generated to help disadvantaged communities to assist with transit transportation employment development. The TCLT Program will promote transit related careers and fostering a culture of innovation for veterans and low-income communities.

Upgrading public transportation systems in San Francisco Bay Area is costing more money considering traffic congestion issues. CTS (Cubic Transportation Systems) is a business corporation system assisting San Francisco Bay Area BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) with the revenue management system. Allocated $12.6 million funding for CTS will be utilized to upgrade several management systems within BART, and making it convenient and efficient for passengers. Reports identify the new Cubic management system will save passengers and tax payers money by an upgrading system.

The Google Shuttle buses transporting workers in San Francisco is becoming a permanent project as determined by city officials. San Francisco MTA (Municipal Transportation Agency) initiated the project as a pilot until further determination and pending the impact on local communities. Local city advocates opposing the project filed a lawsuit against the city and SFMTA for not complying with CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act).

The City of Sunnyvale and Santa Clara County are joining to seek answers to ongoing traffic problems in southern part of San Francisco Bay Area. The joint partnership had public meetings to hear from people about ways and means of support regarding traffic control. The Silicon Valley booming developments for working people is making traffic along Highway 101, Highway 237 crossing over Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale is tougher than before.