- Senator Perata
- SB 1995
- Park Bond
- SB 1995
SB 1995
I am pleased to report that the state senate yesterday passed without
opposition my legislation to establish clear, objective measurements for
making transportation investments in the Bay Area.
The bill intends to curtail the "geopolitical" practice of spending transportation funds based upon which areas have the most political clout.
For example, the recent surge in the Silicon Valley job growth and economic potency has allowed Santa Clara county to jump ahead of other counties for BART and other project funds. While perhaps justifiable, such industry/political power plays erode public confidence in good planning and anger communities that have waited years for transit services or other improvements.
My bill is a product of months of public hearings and negotiations with Bay Area transit, city and county transportation representatives. Basically, SB 1995 would:
- Require the University of California Berkeley Institute of Transportation Studies to develop objective, data-driven criteria to measure how effectively new transportation projects are likely to meet congestion and environmental priorities. These would guide the allocation of funds to specific projects.
- Direct the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Caltrans to apply these criteria into a spending plan along the Bay Area's most congested corridors, especially 80,880,580 and 680.
I hope this effort will become the foundation for a more rational use of
money on transportation and transit projects that will limit the amount of
"horse-trading" that now goes into deciding which projects get the top
funding priority at each 
Park Bond
It's been a banner state budget year for community projects. We've been
particularly successful funding park improvements. In the East Bay alone,
approximately $46 million has been set aside to build, expand and restore
our parks and open space, especially along the bay shoreline. This money
will help to create a safe environment for our children, as well as
improving the recreational facilities of these parks. Below is an itemized
list of how the money for these projects will be allocated.
EAST BAY SPECIAL PROJECTS
- $7.4 million East Shore State Park: Complete community planning process, provide design services, and construct public park improvements.
- $5.6 million Robert Crown Park: Lagoon improvements, beach sand replenishment, shoreline renovation, McKay Avenue street paving.
- $200,000 East Shore State Park: Planning for transfer to state.
- $650,000 Albany Landfill: Environmental and aquatic habitat restoration. Once complete it will become part of East Shore State Park.
- $2.1 million Sobrante Ridge Wildlife Corridor
- $12 million Bay Area Conservancy: Preservation of Bay Area open space and park lands.
- $3.48 million Bay Ridge Trail: 14 trail related projects in seven Bay Area counties.
- $2 million West Contra Costa Shoreline Trail: Completion of a major section of the San Francisco Bay Trail, connecting the cities of Richmond, Pinole, Hercules and Rodeo.
- $200,000 Tilden Park: Merry-go-round renovations.
- $275,000 Temescal: Renovation of interior in anticipation of continued public use.
- $400,000 Richmond Natatorium: Seismic retrofit of the Richmond swimming pool.
- $1.5 million Sanborn Park
- $1.5 million Union Point Park
- $600,000 West Oakland Playgrounds (Bertha Port Mini-Park and Willow Park)
- $500,000 Studio One Recreation Center in North Oakland
- $850,000 Martin Luther King Jr. Center (Oakland)
- $320,000 Arroyo Viejo: Stream restoration project.
Sincerely,