Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

I’m not proposing tearing down the highway system. But we must stop building more highways and adding highway capacity if we’re serious about halting climate change.

Electric vehicles are not a solution on their own. We need to also greatly reduce vehicle miles traveled.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

And if you fall in love with El Cerrito tonight at the Car Free Happy Hour, you can move here!

These brand new apartments on Elm Street, a short walk from del Norte BART, just started leasing.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

A major complete streets project is under construction on San Pablo Avenue and streets surrounding del Norte BART.

The protected bike lanes became protected protest lanes during the last No Kings protest and surely will be used again at this Saturday’s protest.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

Just northwest of del Norte BART you’ll see the Mayfair housing development. The market rate units opened a few years ago, and the affordable portion is under construction and nearly complete.

Several multi-family housing projects have been completed on San Pablo Avenue, and many more are planned.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

El Cerrito del Norte BART is one of the pilot stations for regional transit wayfinding.

If you have a few minutes, look around inside and outside the station. You’ll find easy to understand signs and maps.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

El Cerrito del Norte BART modernization was completed a few years ago, and the station is beautiful and much more functional.

The station was expanded, new elevators and multi-stall restrooms were added, bus stops were greatly improved, and gorgeous mosaics of El Cerrito were added.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4h

If you’re coming to Car Free Happy Hour tonight (5:30 at Los Moles), there’s a lot of recent transportation and housing improvements you’ll want to check out around El Cerrito del Norte BART.

🧵

El Cerrito del Norte BART platform with view of Mayfair housing

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Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

Eric Panzer @ericpanzer.bsky.social · 15h

At the risk of opening a YIMBY fault line, I think this plan is a bullshit techno-libertarian pipe dream with a thin urbanist veneer. It's dense sprawl, with NO current plans for public transit/rail connections, leaving residents at the mercy of private shuttles (at best) and taxpayers on the hook

Louis Mirante @louismirante.bsky.social · 21h

Spent some time with the California Forever plans today and it's exciting. If they pull this off, I would absolutely consider moving. First off - they're really locking themselves into 30 du/acre, which is like triple San Francisco's (13 du/acre). That would be sick as hell.

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Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Car free happy hour is tomorrow night in El Cerrito!

Looking forward to celebrating huge legislative wins - SB 63 (transit funding) and SB 79 (more housing near transit).

Join us Wednesday, October 15 at 5:30 pm at Los Moles, near El Cerrito del Norte BART and 72 lines.

Car Free Happy Hour

Wednesday, October 15 at 5:30 pm at Los Moles, near El Cerrito del Norte BART and 72 lines.

Image of bus and people biking

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 17h

I saw that! Can’t find nearly any other local policy position with that much support in Oakland.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 17h

Or we could skip the review and do what we know we need to for financial efficiency and to stop climate change:

1) Stop building new highways
2) Stop expanding highways
3) Remove highways, starting with 980, which has strong support for removal

Burrito Justice @burritojustice.bsky.social · 22h

oooh let’s do this but for highways

Second, SB 63 would require operators and programs receiving funding to undergo a financial efficiency review. This review would be undertaken by a third party under the guidance of a select committee and MTC, and it would seek to identify a menu of specific cost savings that operators and MTO could implement to reduce deficits or improve the financial performance of their services. Based on the results of the review, operators would be asked to develop and submit to MTC a plan documenting their commitment to follow through on identified efficiency actions.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

Car free happy hour is tomorrow night in El Cerrito!

Looking forward to celebrating huge legislative wins - SB 63 (transit funding) and SB 79 (more housing near transit).

Join us Wednesday, October 15 at 5:30 pm at Los Moles, near El Cerrito del Norte BART and 72 lines.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

I was just thinking that I should reread this book.

Highly recommend it. Some of BART’s history is fascinating and wild.

Plus it debunks some widely believed myths about BART - including the myth that Marin didn’t want to be part of the BART district. (In reality, it was more complicated.)

Text from BART by Michael Healy, describing that BART Board asked Marin to pull out of the BART district, and the County Supervisors voted to do so but noted they were doing it involuntarily.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 1d

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thanks Senator Wiener and @jessearreguin.bsky.social for leading on transit funding.

Now let’s work to pass this funding measure! The economic and climate future of the Bay Area and the entire state of California depend on it.

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: The Governor signed our legislation to authorize a Bay Area regional funding ballot measure for transit.

SB 63 is critical to avoid massive service cuts at Muni, BART, Caltrain & other systems. We need to stabilize & modernize these systems for the Bay Area’s future.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Transit is quite robust in LA. Could it be better? Of course. But it has improved so much.

I was amazed at how easy it was to get from Long Beach to Studio City yet, riding two trains and one buses. Easy to navigate, short wait times for transfers, and got dropped off a block from my destination.

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Absolutely, that’s why we need more housing! Costs have risen so much because demand far exceeds the supply.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

I’m frequently blown away by how cheap it is to ride @metrolosangeles.bsky.social.

My ride today, all the way from Long Beach to Universal/Studio City on two rail lines, costs $1.75!!!

Imagine how many more folks would ride transit in the Bay Area if our fares were this low.

Metro route from Long Beach to Universal

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 4d

Riding @metrolosangeles.bsky.social from Long Beach for the first time, imagining how much more housing there will be around these stations in a few years thanks to @scottwiener.bsky.social’s SB 79.

And with more housing near transit there will be more transit riders and fewer car trips.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

Contra Costa and all tier 3 counties were removed in the last set of amendments. 😐

Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

I’m at a California League of Cities presentation on building trust right now and I am super tempted to shout out that SB 79 was signed!

Not going to do that, but trying to figure out how to frame a relevant question and slip in that SB 79 was signed.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

Oh well. We don’t need state law to change to get us to approve housing.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

Woo hoo!!!!

Huge congratulations to Senator Wiener, @cayimby.bsky.social, and everyone who worked to pass SB 79.

Though it doesn’t apply to El Cerrito, we’ll continue to build lots of housing near transit. Look forward to more of our neighboring cities doing the same.

Senator Scott Wiener @scottwiener.bsky.social · 5d

MAJOR NEWS: @GavinNewsom signed SB 79, my bill allowing more housing near public transit — rail, subway, rapid bus.

It’s a huge step for housing in California. It’ll create more homes, strengthen our transit systems & reduce traffic & carbon emissions.

Thank you, Governor!

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 5d

Seal Beach wanted to increase rates at their beach parking lot.

They submitted the proposal to CA Coastal Commission in October 2023…and it wasn’t approved until May 2025!

Increasing parking fees based on demand INCREASES coastal access.

The approval process is clearly broken & needs to be fixed.

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Reposted by Rebecca Saltzman

Californians for Electric Rail @calelectricrail.org · 6d

This one highway is projected to cost 85% of what CA has spent on high-speed rail over 15 years and hundreds of miles. If we can afford this, we can afford high-speed rail.

Alfred Twu @alfredtwu.com · 7d

The entire proposed Highway 37 Solano-Marin super bridge is estimated to cost $11 billion, all to replace an existing road between a couple of suburbs. And it's proposed at 114 feet wide.

For comparison, the Golden Gate Bridge is 90 feet wide.

Warren Wells, AICP @warrenjwells.bsky.social · 7d

Caltrans has released a cross section for the ultimate (raised viaduct) version of SR-37.

Now maybe I'm just being paranoid, but if you were building a road that you planned to keep at 4 lanes wide, I don't think it would look like this.

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Rebecca Saltzman @rebeccaforec.bsky.social · 6d

Obama Administration FTA put out draft rules to make regional planning boards (MPOs) more representative, including mandating transit agency reps.

MPOs, including Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission, fought the rule change and it was super watered down.

Clearly, change is still needed:

Saad Asad @realsaadasad.bsky.social · 7d

America’s regional planning boards are stacked against transit riders.

New research from Urban Institute. And here is
@cayimby.bsky.social's summary:

cayimby.org/blog/how-ame...

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