From: adrian@ntmtv.UUCP (Adrian Brandt)
Subject: New BART plan for SFO
Followup-To: ba.transportation
Summary: Now Jordan wants BART station at terminal
Keywords: BART CalTrain SFO Jordan Kopp
Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA
Distribution: ca
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 21:24:45 GMT


From the San Mateo Times, Wed, Jan 27, 1993, front page:

NEW BART PLAN FOR AIRPORT
by Dave Madden

Transit leaders are mulling a new notion for bringing BART into San
Francisco International Airport.

Put forth by San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan, it calls for running
BART trains over the Bayshore Freeway to a station in the new
international terminal planned at the airport.

The alignment is seen as a compromise that brings the Bay Area Rapid
Transit system into SFO without causing major disruption to airport
operations.

It also could heal the rift between Jordan and state Sen. Quentin
Kopp, I-San Mateo/San Francisco, at a time when Jordan needs Kopp's
support for a new baseball stadium for the Giants.

Kopp declined to endorse the two previous stadium proposals rejected
by San Francisco voters, and many observers believe his support could
make the difference this time around.

Kopp wants an internal airport station and says he's prepared to
organize a voter initiative that could force San Francisco leaders to
fulfill that goal.

The initiative and Jordan's stadium measure could end up sharing the
ballot for a special November election in San Francisco.

Jordan, Kopp, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors President Mary
Griffin and officials from SFO, BART, SamTrans and the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission will discuss the aerial alignment today in
a private, informal meeting in San Francisco.

Griffin welcomed the idea of a compromise.

"If an alternative (station) site can be found that satisfies the
needs of the airport and access for BART, then it's a win-win
situation," she said Tuesday.

"It would be the best of both worlds if we don't go to some sort of
mandate that doesn't include decision-makers in San Mateo County,"
Griffin added, referring to the Kopp initiative.

Jordan aide Stuart Sunshine cautioned Tuesday that the aerial
alignment is "just an idea at this point, nothing formal."

Jordan has asked SFO Director Lou Turpen to come up with a scheme that
causes the least amount of disruption to airport operations, Sunshine
said.

"We are looking into other options that would provide a compromise
between what Sen. Kopp wants and what the airport director is
interested in," he said.

BART board President Nello Bianco, who also will attend today's
meeting, said Tuesday that he was unaware of the aerial alignment.

"We have some new ideas also, here at BART, maybe something that could
be agreeable to all sides," he said.

Bianco said he and other directors will continue to push for an
internal station.

"I still feel very strongly that given this opportunity, we should put
the station inside the airport.  We won't get this opportunity again,"
he said.

"If we can put a man on the moon, there's no question in my mind that
we can come up with something to get BART into the airport."

The current plan for the six-mile BART extension from Colma to SFO
includes stations in South San Francisco and San Bruno.  The new line
would end at an airport station west of the Bayshore Freeway.  The
same station would be used by CalTrain and SFO's "people mover," a new
light rail system serving the terminals and airport workplaces.

BART, SamTrans and the MTC approved the plan last year, but left it
open to changes.  The more expensive subways sought by Colma and South
San Francisco, and the Interstate 380 bypass proposed by San Bruno,
could be added if those cities find ways to finance them, the agencies
agreed.

Another option is a second SFO station, somewhere inside the airport.
Kopp has been talking of a subway loop and station beneath the airport
garage, financed, in part, by a new ticket tax on air travelers.

The initiative being talked of now would be the second Kopp has
proposed on the airport station.  He withdrew an earlier version that
appeared to kill plans to link the airport people mover to a new
CalTrain station west of the freeway.

Airport officials claim the people mover connection can be made and a
train platform built by 1997 at a cost of about $20 million.

<end of article>

-- 

Adrian Brandt (415) 940-2379
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