MTC Releases Draft Transportation Plan, Invites Public Comment

Public Hearings Slated in San Francisco, Oakland

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ – The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) invites residents throughout the nine-county Bay Area to review and comment on a draft long-term plan detailing policies, programs and projects to guide Bay Area transportation through 2035. The Draft Transportation 2035 Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area charts a course to meet the challenge of balancing limited resources with the mobility demands of a growing population and an aging network of infrastructure.

Centered around three primary goals of invigorating the Bay Area economy, enhancing the environment and improving social equity, the draft plan — and a companion Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) — establishes a blueprint for investing some $223 billion of local, regional, state and federal funds from 2010 through 2035.

To save costs as well as paper, the Commission encourages residents to visit the MTC Web site at www.mtc.ca.gov/T2035 to view the draft plan and the draft EIR online. Hard-copy versions of the documents can be requested via e-mail to library@mtc.ca.gov or by calling the MTC-ABAG Library at 510.817.5836. MTC will also conduct two public hearings next month to record comments about the draft plan and the draft EIR. The first will take place Tuesday, Jan. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 609 of San Francisco State University’s Downtown Campus at 835 Market Street. The other public hearing is at 10:05 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28 during MTC’s regularly scheduled January meeting. The Commission meets in the MetroCenter Auditorium at 101 Eighth Street (across from the Lake Merritt BART station) in Oakland.

MTC asks those planning to attend either meeting to RSVP by e-mail to info@mtc.ca.gov or via phone at 510.817.5757, and to leave one’s name, address, phone number and e-mail address, as well as which hearing the respondent plans to attend. Sign-language interpreters or readers will be provided if requested at least three business days in advance. MTC will make every effort to provide interpreters for non-English speakers if requested at least five business days ahead of time.

MTC is expected to adopt the final Transportation 2035 Plan at its March 25 meeting.

Written comments on the draft Transportation 2035 Plan must be received by MTC no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, March 2. These may be sent via regular mail to the MTC Public Information section at 101 8th Street, Oakland, CA 94607, by fax to 510.817.5848 or by e-mail to info@mtc.ca.gov. Additional comments on the draft plan can be made before the Commission at any of its public meetings prior to adoption of the final plan. Written comments on the draft EIR must be received by 4 p.m. on Monday, February 2 and should be sent to Ashley Nguyen of the MTC Planning Section at 101 8th Street, Oakland, CA 94607. Comments on the draft EIR also may be faxed to Ms. Nguyen at 510.817.5848 or e-mailed to anguyen@mtc.ca.gov.

MTC is the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area’s transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency. Assisting MTC in development of the draft Transportation 2035 Plan are the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission