URBAN SERVICE INNOVATIONS Public Transit: The One Bay Area Project

May 15th, 2013PA 800

Robin Havens

Role of Government

A local government usually administers and manages public transportation program(s).  This includes: Ensure safety of passengers and

pedestrians Managing the transportation infrastructure

and personnel Securing funding and encouraging ridership

Challenges

Aging Infrastructure Equity Issues

Pricing; availability of service; ADA compliance; distribution of funding, environmental justice

Matching Transit to housing/jobs locations

Multiple sources (Local, State, Regional and Federal), overlapping jurisdictions

Ridership up, funding down Public participation

Innovation: One Bay Area (OBA) “One Bay Area” 2013 plan, three years in the making What is it? – One Bay Area is a legislation-driven (SB 375)

shared regional governance initiative that integrates transportation with land-use planning:

“The purpose of the SCS [Sustainable Community Strategy, in the Bay Area: the “One Bay Area”] is to forge consensus on a preferred long-term region-wide growth pattern.”

(Association of Bay Area Governements (ABAG) and Metropolitian Transportation Commission, 2011, p. 3).”

Innovation: SB 375

Plan Bay Area: Innovative nationally because of connect to landmark California’s climate change legislation: AB 32 and SB 375 AB 32: 2006 Climate Control Legislation – lower greenhouse

gasses (GHG) SB 375: 2008 Required each of the state’s 18 metropolitan areas –

including the Bay Area –  to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.

Mesh Regional Housing Need (RHNA) and regional transportation planning

CEQA streamlined for housing and mixed-use projects“Our state has been working on and finding solutions to our impact on climate since 1988.”“ (State of California, California Energy Commission, 2011).”

Innovation: OBA

“Transportation and land use must work together to promote sustainability if we’re going to leave a better Bay Area for our children and grandchildren” (p.3)

Regional governance coordination: ABAG, MTC Bay Air Quality Management

District, Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC)

Priority Development Areas (PDAs) Infill housing and employment

growth

Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) Preserve open space

Innovation: OBA

Impact – what does it mean? It means is that top-down and bottom-up approaches to regional growth planning are merging and supporting each other in this plan.

“…more holistic regional policies must simultaneously involve top-down and bottom-up processes….Coalitions that work by drawing legitimacy from below while attracting authority from above (Wallis, 2008, p. 121).”

“Under SB 375, local governments are explicitly not required to update their general plans in accordance with the SCS. The SCS does not carry the same authority as Regional Housing Needs Allocation but it will inform the distribution of housing at the local level (Association of Bay Area Governements (ABAG) and Metropolitian Transportation Commission, 2011, p. 1).”

Innovation: OBA “Cities and

counties identified the best places for growth to preserve the character of existing neighborhoods and protect agricultural lands.” he added.”  -ABAG President and Napa County Supervisor Mark Luce

Innovation: Later is now

News Release: “OAKLAND, CA, March 22, 2013 . . . Nearly

three years in the making, Plan Bay Area is an integrated long-range transportation and land-use/housing plan that will support a growing economy, provide more housing and transportation choices, and reduce transportation-related pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area.” (http://www.onebayarea.org)

Final comments dues May 16th, 2013

One Bay Area Grant Program A new funding approach that better

integrates the region’s federal transportation program with California’s climate law (Senate Bill 375, Steinberg, 2008).

Uses federal transportation dollars to reward jurisdictions that accept housing allocations

Example: Will direct $38.8 million in federal funds to San Francisco over the next four years. Streets and Roads Preservation, Bicycle and Pedestrian

Improvements, Transportation for Livable Communities and Safe Routes to School

Conclusion Public Transit, Regionalism and OBA

Offers a critical service for the public Improves quality of life and the

environment Has many challenging opportunities in

different fields for Urban Administrators