The Caltrain electrifying project has to provide an appropriate environmental report for consideration during procedural process. We posted previously about Caltrain filing a petition with a federal agency, to avoid the EIR (Environmental Impact Report) in the process of electrifying its train cars. However, the federal agency Surface Transportation Board (STB) rejected Caltrain's request of avoiding an EIR, and making it a requirement to have an EIR as part of the process.

The Caltrain Board of Directors may have to consider how to have bathrooms on trains or at train locations along the railway routing pathway. Because ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) may raise issues of compliance without bathrooms for disabled commuters, seniors, and children as necessary. Caltrain officials recommended a bathroom on every train cars and the board denied it because of passengers capacity space. They also asked for more information on having bathrooms at train locations including costing impact and other optional resolutions.

The traveling major airlines industry is under investigation for possible higher rates and limited seating for passengers. The U.S. Government Justice Department is blowing the whistle and communicating with major airlines such as Delta, United, American, and Southwest regarding an investigation. All inquiring major airlines are complying with a civil antitrust investigation process and following procedural format accordingly. Some of these investigative matters are related to stock market values regarding shareholders percentage rates within each airline capacity. The U.S.

As the new state fiscal year 7/1/2015-6/30/2016 begins, it also begins with new transit rates within San Francisco Bay Area for public transportation. That means new toll fees at Gold Gate Bridge, some local bus service fees increase, and Golden Gate Ferry services including drivers with fast-tracking devices. Commuters crossing the Golden Gate Bridge everyday will have to pay 25 cents more every time across the iconic bridge. People riding on the Golden Gate Ferry will pay 50 cents more including fare increase for bus lines transportation.

The state transportation agency has approved allocation funding to improve transportation infrastructure within San Francisco Bay Area. The CTC (California Transportation Commission) has approved state funding for transportation improvement and encouraging people to take public transportation when necessary. Alameda County is getting allocation funding of $4,453,000 for Highways 580 and 24 interchange into the City of Oakland along Ashby Avenue freeway exits.

Public transportation elements in San Francisco Bay Area is on interactive web-based viewing for people to visualize how it works including data reviewing information. The MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) launched the Vital Sign on January 2015 regarding data based information, as a monitoring aspect for bay area housing, economy, and transportation. During last week MTC released a new interactive data web-based monitoring key indicators for San Francisco Bay Area with a transportation module.

Traffic congestion and bicycle extension in eastern bay area regions was almost a give away to approve having Richmond-San Rafael Bridge as part of Bay Area Plan 2040. We posted previously about a public hearing for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge becoming part of the plan and still open for input from people until July 20, 2015. However, MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) and ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments) has approved the bridge being part of an improvement plan as traffic congestion relief project.

The Bay Area Council has been proactively involved in transportation development and traffic congestive areas within San Francisco Bay Area. They are moving forward with planning strategic projects to overcome traffic problems on Highway 101 within the bay area. Some of possible improvement projects include freeway interchangeable lanes and overpasses, and electrifying Caltrain cars serving from San Jose to San Francisco.

The transformation of Doyle Drive in San Francisco northern waterfront area at Presidio Parkway is coming along as scheduled and planning more roadway closures. The Doyle Drive redevelopment project has been a traffic pain for some people and some people are excited about the progressive project initiative. The roadway redevelopment second phase is soon to be completed within two to three weeks and opening Doyle Drive for vehicular traffic. Doyle Drive will be closed on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 10 PM to Monday, July 13, 2015 at 5 AM for other project constructing elements.

The new millennium types of cars are on roadways in Mountain View - talking about Google self-driving cars after years of study and research of such vehicles. Suburban street neighbors and residents in Mountain View are having the first eye-view of Google self-driving cars during street testing this week. The testing model types of these cartoon look alike cars are two passenger seats, driving up to 25 miles per hour around Google Headquarters and neighboring streets in Mountain View.