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The
SBCAG board approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ventura
County Transportation Commission (VCTC) to continue joint funding
of the Coastal Express transit service. Started as a three year
pilot program in August 2001, the Coastal Express has grown rapidly
into a vital intercommunity transportation link that is expected
to carry over 90,000 passengers in 2004, up from 66,089 in 2003.
Ridership has grown steadily as the service has matured.
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Coastal Express E-purse, a convenient pre-paid bus pass. |
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In response to the popularity of these routes, this fall express service will be expanded by one morning and two afternoon routes, designed specifically for commuters currently driving the heavily congested 101 corridor. The result will be a total of 24 daily weekday trips between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, with slightly less-frequent service (18 trips) on Saturdays and Sundays. The
Coastal Express features comfortable, charter-style buses with
reclining seats, reading lights, individual air conditioning,
overhead storage, bicycle racks, onboard restrooms, and state-of-art
low emission engines. Individual trips are $2, monthly passes
are $75, and a rechargeable, non-expiring "E-purse"
is available at a 10% discount. Visit www.goventura.org
or call 800-438-1112 to learn more about this important
intercommunity transit service. |
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Transportation
Funding Outlook Improves in
Governor's Revised Budget Proposal
On May 13, Governor Schwarzenegger released the so-called May Revise state budget proposal for the FY 2004-05. Although the newest proposal does little to help cities and counties with growing road maintenance and repair needs, it represents a significant improvement for transportation funding over the budget proposal presented by the administration in January.
The Governor is proposing a suspension of Proposition 42 to provide additional revenues for the state's struggling general fund. Proposition 42-approved overwhelmingly by state voters in 2002-requires that all sales taxes generated by fuel sales be used for transportation purposes. This requirement can be suspended when a "budget emergency" is declared which has been done in the last two state budgets. Unlike the administration's earlier proposal for permanent suspension of Prop 42 in the budget year, the May Revise proposes that the suspension be treated as a "loan" to the general fund, to be repaid in future years. The suspension results in a loss of more than $1.1 billion in transportation revenues for the budget year. Santa Barbara County and local cities will lose more than $2.0 million in road maintenance expected from Prop 42.
On the positive side, the administration is proposing to allocate nearly $400 million in 2004-05 to partially pay back prior year Prop 42 loans. The additional funding would be used in part to fund State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) projects that are ready to go to construction, but have been delayed-in some cases for more than a year-due to the ongoing funding shortfall.
Despite
the short term loss of revenues, transportation officials were heartened
by progress in getting recognition that improving transportation is
critical for the state's economic recovery and that the state must continue
to invest in its transportation infrastructure. "It's a long way
from ideal," said Jim Kemp, SBCAG Executive Director, "but
the May Revise is a big turnaround from the administration's earlier
transportation funding proposals. It shows that transportation is back
on the Governor's list of state budget priorities."
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Intercommunity Transit is on its Way!
The
SBCAG Board unanimously approved a plan to implement a new North County
intercommunity
transit service at its May meeting. The service will link Lompoc,
Vandenberg Air Force Base and Santa Maria with daily bus service between
5:45 a.m and 6:45 p.m. It is being implemented initially as a three-year
pilot program and its performance will be evaluated annually. Funding
will come from the region's share of federal Congestion Management Air
Quality (CMAQ) funds and Transportation Development Act funds. It is
expected that the City of Santa Maria will operate the transit program
through an agreement with SBCAG, Lompoc and the County of Santa Barbara.
The pilot program will be implemented as a two-step process that will
involve the City of Santa Maria leasing the vehicles, followed by an
on board performance evaluation. If the service is determined to be
successful, SBCAG will work with the City of Santa Maria to permanently
acquire the buses. The pilot program is expected to begin in early 2005.
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SBCAG Computer Monitors Get
a Second Life
During regularly scheduled hardware upgrades, SBCAG recently donated all outdated computer monitors to San Marcos High School. These monitors are still in good working order and will be an asset to the local students as they use them for their studies. For information regarding computer hardware donation, visit the lessismore website.
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Progress on Federal Transportation
Funding Reauthorization
Reauthorization of the six-year Federal transportation funding legislation known as TEA 21 is again making headway in Washington. The Senate and the House versions of the bill have both been approved and sent to a conference committee consisting of 21 Senators (including California Senator Barbara Boxer) and unnamed Representatives. The committee will meet to reconcile significant differences between the two versions of this critical transportation funding legislation. Both the House and Senate TEA 21 spending totals exceed the Bush Administration's target of $256 billion. The House version is currently estimated at $284 billion and the Senate's target is $319 billion. President Bush announced his intention to veto legislation that would exacerbate the nation's increasing federal deficit
Federal
transportation funding legislation originally adopted in 1998 has been
continuing at existing funding levels under short term extensions approved
by Congress.
Resolution
of the differences in total spending levels is the most significant
policy issue confronting conference committee members. Another reform
many seek is a change in the rate of return States receive on highway
dollars. Some states receive substantially more funds than they contribute
in tax receipts. Donor states, like California, feel shortchanged by
the existing funding formulas and are actively lobbying for a more equitable
distribution process. Environmentalists also want to preserve key protections
for local communities that highway industry and other interests have
described as project impediments.
An issue of great importance to Santa Barbara County will be whether
communities that have finally achieved air quality attainment will continue
to be eligible for Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds.
Santa Barbara County only recently met the federal air quality standard
for ozone and loss of CMAQ funds could jeopardize the effort to maintain
air quality. The Senate version of TEA 21 continues language that would
allow continued CMAQ eligibility for new attainment areas while the
House version of the legislation does not.
| June 2 | South Coast Subregional Planning Committee | SCSPC |
2:00 PM |
| June 3 |
Technical Transportation Advisory Committee |
TTAC | 9:00
AM Buellton City Council Chambers 140 West Highway 246 |
| June 9 |
North County Transit Advisory Committee |
NCTAC | 1:30
PM Central Coast Water Authority Conference Room 255 Industrial Way Buellton, California |
| June 11 | South
Coast Transit Advisory Committee |
SCTAC |
1:30 PM |
| June 17 | SBCAG Board | SBCAG BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
8:30 AM |
All meetings are open to the public. Individuals needing special accommodations to participate in the meeting should contact SBCAG at least three work days prior to the scheduled meeting. Various other meetings, workshops, and public hearings are held periodically. For meeting locations, agendas or questions, call SBCAG at (805) 961-8900 or visit sbcag.org/Meetings
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Mojo Coffee's First Bike to Work Day Site |
Bike to Work Day 2004 More than
800 bicyclists registered at Bike to Work Day sites on May 19th,
though many more are believed to have participated in the event.
The Bike to Work Day event unites communities throughout the county
with the goal of introducing bicycle commuting to those who don't
regularly ride their bike to work. Cyclists were treated to pastries,
juice and an opportunity to win prizes at each of the thirteen
sites. Bike to Work Day was part of a month-long effort to increase
bicycle commuting. Other biking events in the month of May include
the Corporate Bike Commute Challenge and Bike Commute Safety Classes.
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One of the new Bike to Work efforts was the Human-Powered Delivery/Pick-up Day, which utilized cyclists and their bike trailers to deliver many of the events' food items and prizes. The City of Goleta hosted its first Bike to Work Day event, attracting 60 participants, while Mojo Coffee in Goleta had 45 visitors to their first Bike to Work Day effort. The 2004 Bike to Work Day event's success was the result of many volunteer hours and dedicated community service. Traffic Solutions appreciates all of the support from the community to make Bike to Work Day a success, including prize donation, volunteer time, site hosting and coordination. |
City of Goleta had a turnout of 60 cyclists! |
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For
more information about Bike to Work Day or to purchase a T-shirt
from the event visit: www.sbbikeweek.com.
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INFORMATION REQUESTS FILLED
April 2004
| Countywide Bike Map | 828 |
| Regional Transit | 35 |
| Vanpool | 1 |
| Carpool Matchlist | 13 |
PROGRAM UPDATES
BICYCLE SAFETY TRAINING
Join our certified bicycle safety trainers and learn the basics of bicycling for transportation. Bicycle Safety Training classes are provided to the community free of charge. Contact Erika Lindemann for more information about how you can enroll: elindemann@sbcag.org
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VANPOOL OPPORTUNITY
A
new van is being organized that will travel from Santa Maria to downtown
Santa Barbara, serving an 8am-to 5pm work schedule. Open seats are still
available! For more information about this new van email Kimberley Couch
at kccouch@co.santa-barbara.ca.us.
Send an email with your name and address to info@trafficsolutions.info to get a Santa Barbara County Bike map or Transit map mailed to you, please specify how many you would like.