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| FEATURED VIDEOS & PHOTO GALLERIES |
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| REMEMBERING JOHN F. FORAN, THE “FATHER OF MTC” |
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Former state Senator John Foran wrote the bill that created MTC. Photo: MTC Archives
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| The Bay Area transportation community is mourning the loss of John F. Foran, aka the “Father of MTC.” The longtime California legislator authored the 1970 bill that created MTC, and introduced many other bills that greatly improved the Bay Area’s transportation network. He died in his San Francisco home on September 11.Read more about his life, laws and legacy, and watch an oral history recorded in 2011 for MTC’s 40th anniversary. |
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| COLORFUL MAP BRINGS PLAN BAY AREA TO LIFE |
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| Picturing Plan Bay Area is easy with a map made by MTC Graphic Designer Peter Beeler. |
| Visualize Plan Bay Area with a brand new, large-format map from MTC. The colorful map brings to life the elements at the heart of the Plan: the Priority Development Areas clustered around major transit lines, and the Priority Conservation Areas that support open space. Be the first on your block to snag the 40″ by 40″ map, which also comes in a more portable folded-up version. Copies are available at the MTC library at 101 8th Street in Oakland, while supplies last.See the digital version here. |
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| BIKEMOBILES FIX BIKES ON THE GO |
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| The BikeMobile mechanics visit communities throughout the region to fix bikes and teach youth how to do so themselves. Photo by Noah Berger |
| Is your kid’s bike gathering dust in the garage because you don’t know how to tune it up? You’re far from alone — hence the popularity of the Bay Area’s two BikeMobiles. The roving mechanics set up shop at schools and parks throughout the region, teaching youths and their parents how to repair their bikes and ride safely. They focus on low-income communities where geographic and financial barriers often inhibit bike use. The BikeMobile is funded by MTC and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Spare the Air Youth program. Read more and find out where the BikeMobiles will be this month. |
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| PLAY TRANSIT TRIVIA WITH NEW REPORT |
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| A PDF of the Statistical Summary is available online. |
| Did you know there are over 2,500 public buses on Bay Area roads? And over 420,000 daily trips taken on BART? Those tidbits come from the recently issued 2014 edition of MTC’s annual Statistical Summary of Bay Area Transit Operators. One of MTC’s most requested documents, the report is packed with financial and operating data for 23 public transit agencies. See the report online. |
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| HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY, EAST SPAN! |
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Old and new bridges stand side by side in the sunset. Photo by Sam Burbank
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| One year ago, the first cars traversed the new East Span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. At the opening celebration over Labor Day Weekend 2013, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom cut the ceremonial chain, inaugurating the world’s largest self-anchored suspension span. With its striking 525-foot tower and canopy of white cables, the structure has already become a Bay Area landmark. And just one day after the bridge opened to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians took to the East Span as well, enjoying the breeze and the views of the Bay from the brand new bike path. These days, construction crews are keeping busy building new ramps, completing the bike/ped path connection to Yerba Buena Island and demolishing the old East Span. Stay tuned to Facebook to see updates on that work. And let us know how you are celebrating the span’s first birthday by sharing memories of the old bridge and photos of the new one — taken from the passenger seat while you’re crossing the bridge, or from the bike/ped path, Treasure Island or other vantage points around the Bay. Read more. |
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| BRINGING THE BAY TO THE CLASSROOM |
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| The Bay hits the road via the BayMobile, a traveling aquarium and lab. Photo by Blair Bazdarich |
| Thanks to the BayMobile, students no longer have to go on a costly field trip to interact with starfish and sea cucumbers or learn about climate change and tidepools. Last spring alone, the BayMobile, which travels to classrooms, summer camps and libraries, reached 4,500 students. The 18-foot-long van comes with a marine lab and staff members who teach hands-on lessons tailored to each age group. Educators at any Bay Area school can schedule a visit. The BayMobile is funded by MTC and BAAQMD’s Spare the Air Youth Program. Read more. |
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| TEST DRIVE THE LATEST IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES |
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| Shamar Theus gives an EV a whirl at an Experience Electric event in Berkeley. Photo by Karl Nielsen |
| California is charging ahead of the rest of the nation when it comes to electric vehicles (EVs). Drivers in this state have purchased over 100,000 plug-in EVs in the past four years, according to data from the California Air Resources Board. Curious what all the electric excitement is about? It is easy to find out, without any pressure to purchase, at one of the remaining Experience Electric ride-and-drive events. The campaign has brought the latest EV models from trusted manufacturers to cities throughout the Bay Area since the beginning of the summer. Read more and find an event near you. |
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| SPEAK OUT ON MTC’S PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PLAN |
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| Residents show their support for Plan Bay Area at the public adoption meeting in 2013. The updated PPP will further engagement opportunities for the public. Photo by Noah Berger |
| MTC is updating its Public Participation Plan (PPP), which lays out a strategy for involving Bay Area residents in the agency’s projects and decisions. The document will serve as a blueprint for public involvement in the next update to Plan Bay Area, MTC’s long-range plan. Naturally, input from the public is crucial in developing a PPP, and a workshop on Wednesday, October 8, at 6:30 p.m. will provide residents with an opportunity to share ideas. Can’t attend? Comment online. Read more. |
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| ON THE MOVE: A CREATIVE LOOK AT TRANSPORTATION |
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| “The Sailboat of Love,” a mosaic by Anna Smith, is featured in the show. |
| The latest exhibit to hit the MTC Community Art Gallery is “On the Move,” a colorful take on the Bay Area’s transportation network. The mixed-media pieces explore the diverse means of movement — by ground, water or air — available to the region’s residents, as well as challenges to mobility. The artists are all participants in Artful Steps, a visual education program for adults with developmental disabilities. Catch the show weekdays (except holidays) through January 9, 2015, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., on the third floor of the MetroCenter, at 101 8th Street in Oakland.Read more. |
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| FOLLOW MTC ON INSTAGRAM |
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| MTC’s Instagram account often provides behind-the-scenes access to major transportation projects in process, like the Presidio Parkway Project, documented on MTC’s account. |
| Stylish streetcars, Bay Bridge beauty shots…MTC supplies a large and colorful collection of images on Instagram, all highlighting the region’s transportation offerings and natural scenery. Follow @MTCBATA on Instagram to see them all. And share what you admire about the area by tagging us in your own shots. Follow us on Instagram. |
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| ON THE CALENDAR |
Pencil in these important upcoming dates.
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