From: adrian@ntmtv.UUCP (Adrian Brandt)
Subject: Re: Santa Clara Measure "A"?
Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA
Distribution: ba
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 18:05:06 GMT

In article <1992Oct12.234822.25072@leland.Stanford.EDU>, garygm@leland.Stanford.EDU (Gary Brainin) writes:
|>    I know precious little about the details (only what was in my
|> little election booklet), so I was hoping that someone around here
|> might have an opinion [on measure A].  Anyone?

Speaking as a transit advocate, I'm for Measure A.  It will redirect
an existing 1/2 cent sales tax away from an exclusively freeway/road 
orientation to predominantly (~90%) transit-oriented funding.  So this
means the "new" Measure A will not raise sales tax, it will merely
continue an existing one.

While about 10% of funds raised by the new Measure A will go toward
freeway/road projects, the balance will fund a huge expansion of the
Santa Clara County light rail system and a critical CalTrain upgrade.
Also, Measure A will provide funds for Santa Clara County Transit to
comply with the federally-mandated ADA (Americans with Disabilities
Act).  Without Measure A's passage, it is almost certain severe service
cuts will be required in order to comply with the ADA.

If Measure A fails, the Tasman Corridor light rail extension will be
dealt a severe blow.  Measure A's passage is needed to secure the federal
matching funds to build the line.   The Tasman project will extend LRT
service to the downtown Mountain View CalTrain station via Lockheed in
the west and extend to the vicinity of Capitol and Hostetter in the east.  
This line will link up with another Measure A project that will create
a rail link between downtown San Jose and Fremont/Warm-Springs BART in
Alameda County.

Measure A will provide funds to build several other light rail lines
such as a line to serve the Capitol expressway corridor in east San Jose
and connect it with downtown.  Also, lines extending west of downtown
San Jose connecting with Campbell/Los Gatos and another going out to
the Cupertino area via Stevens Creek Boulevard.  I believe there will
also be funds for running a branch off the Tasman extension into
downtown Sunnyvale (also connecting with CalTrain) and eventually
extending it on or along the 85 corridor to meet up with the Stevens
Creek line in Cupertino.

Measure A will provide funds to electrify CalTrain and dramatically
increase train service both north (to SF) and south (Gilroy service) of
San Jose.

For roads, the new Measure A will provide funds to finish some projects
that the existing Measure A couldn't finish because of a sales tax
revenue shortfall due to the poor economy.  Also, it will fund signal
synchronization of all signals and installation of video cameras at key
intersections on Santa Clara County expressways.  The video cameras will
enable remote intersection monitoring and allow for remote manual
traffic signal control for unusual traffic conditions/situations.  There
are also some funds to widen the 2-lane-per-direction part of 101 between
Morgan Hill and San Jose to 3 lanes per direction.

The 90/10% transit/highway mix was somewhat of a political compromise
and is considered to be very good from a transit funding point of view.
There are certainly Measure A critics, but while it may not be perfect,
I think Measure A is damn good and deserves our support.

Santa Clara County Measure A: YES	(1/2 cent sales tax for transit)

San Mateo County   Measure B: NO	(BART throughout SM County)
San Mateo County   Measure C: YES	(upgrade and extend CalTrain)

California   proposition 155: NO	(toll road boondoggle/state subsidy)
California   proposition 156: YES	(clean air and rail bond act)

--

Adrian Brandt (415) 940-2379
UUCP: ...!ames!ntmtv!adrian
ARPA: ntmtv!adrian@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: ba.transportation