Published Thursday, April 12, 2001, in the Contra Costa Newspapers
Road, trail wish lists discussed
People talk about their transportation ideas at a Pleasanton meeting
By Bonita Brewer
Times Staff Writer
PLEASANTON -- John Whitehead of Dublin wants an easier, safer way to
bicycle to Livermore. Mike O'Dorney of Danville wants more frequent
Altamont Commuter Express trains to Silicon Valley.
Although skeptical, Pleasanton Mayor Tom Pico hopes hundreds of
millions of dollars can be secured to continue upgrading the
Interstate 580-680 interchange to handle growing amounts of traffic.
And Livermore Councilman Tom Vargas hopes for enough money to
complete planned Vallecitos Road safety and capacity improvements.
Valley residents and elected officials aired their wish lists during
a transportation workshop in Pleasanton on Tuesday night. The
session, designed to help update countywide and regional
transportation plans, was sponsored by the Alameda County Congestion
Management Agency and the Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation
Commission. Another workshop will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
today at Hayward City Hall, 777 B St.
The regional plan will determine how federal, state and regional tax
dollars should be spent in the next 25 years to manage, maintain and
improve the Bay Area's transportation network.
"There's going to be a lot of tough choices," Therese McMillan of the
MTC told about 30 people at the Pleasanton workshop. Although
billions of dollars is expected for transportation, "there are
competing needs, and there's really not enough money to go around."
O'Dorney, a Silicon Valley worker who boards ACE each morning in
Pleasanton, said that trains should run more frequently and that
there should be more contingency transit options for people who miss
the last train home.
"Getting out of Silicon Valley, you've got to get that 7 o'clock
train or you're there for the night," he said.
Whitehead said the Iron Horse Trail, a bike path extending south from
Contra Costa County on a former railroad right of way, should be
extended to Livermore. He noted that the trail stops at the Dublin-
Pleasanton BART station. From there, bicyclists have to get on Santa
Rita Road in Pleasanton, "and that's kind of like taking your life in
your hands."
A survey taken at the workshop showed stronger support for investing
in transit than in roads and highways. But Vargas said some road
projects are needed to complete the valley's roadway network. He said
extending Dublin Boulevard east to North Canyons Parkway in Livermore
would help transit work better, too.
When it comes to the valley's east-west roadways, "Basically, you
have I-580 and Stanley Boulevard, and that's it," Vargas said.
Bonita Brewer covers Tri-Valley growth and transportation. Reach her
at 925-847- 2120 or bbrewer@cctimes.com.
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