Friday, September 24, 2004
Sierra Club Position on BART to San Jose
Published September 24, 2004
Letters to the Editor Silicon Valley Business Journal
Sierra Club View of Bart to San Jose
The Sierra Club in a letter to Representative Tauscher, member of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recommends that no federal funds be allocated to extend BART south from Fremont.
The San Francisco Bay Chapter, which includes the three original BART counties, joins the Loma Prieta Chapter in Santa Clara County, home of VTA, in opposing BART to San Jose. It delivers too little and costs too much. The ridership forecasts are deceptively optimistic and are really wishful thinking.
We advocate off-the-shelf alternatives like buses and trains between Fremont and San Jose. They can be implemented quickly and gradually expanded as demand increases and technology improves. They would meet traveler needs at a fraction of the cost of building and operating BART and most importantly, without sacrificing the rest of VTA's light rail and bus service.
We are also concerned that the recent report by the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury to VTA is being disregarded. The Grand Jury also recommended that VTA delay expenditures for BART to San Jose.
The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, is naturally very engaged in transportation issues.
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Lowell Grattan Also ADC member
Sierra Club Transportation Committee
Letters to the Editor Silicon Valley Business Journal
Sierra Club View of Bart to San Jose
The Sierra Club in a letter to Representative Tauscher, member of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recommends that no federal funds be allocated to extend BART south from Fremont.
The San Francisco Bay Chapter, which includes the three original BART counties, joins the Loma Prieta Chapter in Santa Clara County, home of VTA, in opposing BART to San Jose. It delivers too little and costs too much. The ridership forecasts are deceptively optimistic and are really wishful thinking.
We advocate off-the-shelf alternatives like buses and trains between Fremont and San Jose. They can be implemented quickly and gradually expanded as demand increases and technology improves. They would meet traveler needs at a fraction of the cost of building and operating BART and most importantly, without sacrificing the rest of VTA's light rail and bus service.
We are also concerned that the recent report by the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury to VTA is being disregarded. The Grand Jury also recommended that VTA delay expenditures for BART to San Jose.
The Sierra Club, an environmental organization, is naturally very engaged in transportation issues.
=================================
Lowell Grattan Also ADC member
Sierra Club Transportation Committee
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