Transportation agency adopts list of projects for ballot Transportation agency adopts list of projects for ballot (March 24, 2004)

By Marion Softky
Almanac Staff Writer

After almost a year of study and debate, San Mateo County's wish list for transportation funding for the next 29 years is almost ready to go to the voters.

On March 18 the San Mateo County Transportation Authority unanimously approved the list of transportation projects to be included in a November vote on re-authorizing Measure A, the half-cent sales tax passed in 1988.

By the time it expires at the end of 2008, the present Measure A will have pumped $1 billion into transportation projects, ranging from acquiring the Caltrain right-of-way and building grade separations, to supporting buses, shuttles, and local street improvements. That $1 billion has drawn another $1.2 billion in federal and state matching grants, so that a total of $2.2 billion is improving transportation in the county.

If approved by two-thirds of the voters, the new Measure A will provide $1.5 billion over 25 years for a complicated mix of projects. The list approved last week includes funds for Caltrain, buses, shuttles, highway improvements, grade separations, and local street projects, as well as services and facilities for bicyclists, pedestrians, and the disabled.

The new list includes money for two projects not included in the present Measure A. Two percent would go to support the new BART service north of the San Francisco International Airport, and 2 percent would support new ferry service to South San Francisco and maybe Redwood City.

In another change from the present Measure A, the Transportation Authority voted to extend the measure from 20 to 25 years, and to direct 22.5 percent to local city street and transportation projects, instead of the 20 percent originally proposed. The extra money would be transferred from the highway category. A recent survey showed that local street and pothole projects are popular with voters.

There is still some opportunity to tweak the list before the Board of Supervisors puts it on the ballot in July. Next it goes to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to see that it fits in with regional plans. Then it must be approved by half of San Mateo County's 20 cities, representing half of its population, before the supervisors can put it on the ballot.

Fifteen speakers mostly supported the list, although some asked for changes. Onolee Trapp of the League of Women Voters noted the list has pulled many different constituencies together. "It may not be perfect, but we need to move forward," she said. "We need to come together and do what is best for the county."

What's in it?

The money to be raised from the new Measure A would be divided among six categories: transit, 30 percent; highways, 27.5 percent; local cities and county, 22.5 percent; grade separations, 15 percent; pedestrian and bicycle, 3 percent; and other congestion-relief programs, 1 percent.

Major projects in the South County would include rebuilding the intersection of U.S. 101 and Woodside Road in Redwood City; and a contribution to the new Dumbarton rail service that will be funded by Regional Measure 2, the $1 increase in bridge tolls approved by voters March 2.

The new list would allocate 16 percent of the future sales tax revenue to Caltrain, including electrification of the Peninsula line. Unlike the present Measure A, money from the new measure could also support operation of the Caltrain service.

The 15 percent of the new funds allocated to grade separations could go to any of 41 places in the county where city streets cross the railroad line. Two of these are in Atherton, and four in Menlo Park. In addition, grade separation money could go to the streets crossed by the new Dumbarton rail line: Marsh Road, Chilco Street, and Willow Road in Menlo Park; and University Avenue in East Palo Alto.

BART

With BART a contentious issue in San Mateo County, the Transportation Authority modified the earlier wording for the use of the 2 percent of funds going to BART. Money could go for capital and operating funds for the existing BART line between Daly City and the San Francisco Airport, but not for a feasibility study of extending BART farther down the Peninsula.

"We heard the message loud and clear that nobody supports the study," said SamTrans General Manager Mike Scanlon.

Mr. Scanlon denied this was a bail-out for BART in the high-profile squabble between BART and SamTrans over who should pay for the losses incurred due to low ridership on the new airport line. "We have to keep focus on the people who use our transportation system; BART still carries 24,000 people a day," he said.

Transportation Authority members also wanted to make it hard for future boards to divert transit funds to BART or ferries. "People are concerned we have the camel's nose under the tent with BART and ferries," said Supervisor Rich Gordon. "We should set percentages solidly (among transit categories)."

The Transportation Authority unanimously required that any change in the percentage of funds within the transit category would have to be approved by both the Transportation Authority board, and by half the cities representing half the population.

"There is mistrust in the community," Mr. Scanlon said. "This will give a very public airing (to any changes.)

If we don't have two-thirds of the voters in November, we have nothing."

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