Executive Director Steve Heminger's Report to the Commission Meeting of October 24, 2012
CTC Bridge Tour
Oakland, September 26
I joined several members of the California Transportation Commission and Transportation Secretary Brian Kelly on a tour of the self-anchored suspension portion of the new eastern half of the Bay Bridge.
CMA Directors Meeting
San Rafael, September 28
At my regular quarterly meeting with the executive directors of the Bay Area’s congestion management agencies, we discussed ongoing implementation of the OneBay Area Grant program.
“Jam” Francisco
October 6-7
On the weekend when Fleet Week, America’s Cup sailing races, a music festival, and Giants’ playoff games all converged on San Francisco, the region’s freeway network was relatively uncongested, while public transit was packed. We at MTC hope that our 511 traveler information system had a little bit to do with that outcome. The website at 511.org saw an 80% increase in web sessions over a normal weekend, while usage of the transit trip planner jumped by 50% as well.
Transbay Transit Center Briefing
San Francisco, October 9
Alix Bockelman and I received a construction update and financial briefing on this $1.5 billion project from senior staff of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.
Muni Central Subway Celebration
San Francisco, October 11
I joined numerous dignitaries – including U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff, Senator Dianne Feinstein, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, and San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee – at an event near Union Square in San Francisco to celebrate the execution of a $942 million full funding grant agreement (FFGA) in federal New Starts dollars for the Central Subway project. The event was made even more memorable because it was interrupted with news that the San Francisco Giants had won the National League Division Series in Cincinnati. [More info]
TRB Executive Committee
Washington DC, October 16
I have been appointed to the executive committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB) in Washington DC. TRB is an affiliate of the National Research Council. My term begins in January 2013.
ABAG General Assembly
San Francisco, October 18
I attended the Fall General Assembly for the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). At the event, the Bay Area Council Economic Institute released its report: A Regional Economic Assessment of the San Francisco Bay Area. The report was funded by MTC in partnership with the business community, and will assist the Joint Policy Committee in its ongoing work pursuing a regional economic development agenda. An on-line version can be found at www.bayareaeconomy.org.
ITS World Congress
Vienna, October 22-26
I am absent from your commission meeting today because I am attending the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) World Congress in Vienna. I was invited to speak at an executive session on the topic of “ITS enabling future sustainable mobility.”
Map of the Month
The chart shows that although traffic accidents remain a major public safety problem — the biggest killer of people ages 5 to 34 — vehicle travel is far safer than it was a few decades ago, for the reasons listed.
MTC Operational Statistics
The monthly report on the performance of MTC’s operating programs: