Map by Brian Stokle
Our region has benefited tremendously from the transportation investments of the previous generation. But at some point we stopped investing in the future, and now we are paying the price. Since the BART Transbay Tube opened in 1974, the Bay Area has grown from 4.3 million to 7.6 million people, yet we have added no new capacity through the tube or on the Bay Bridge. As a result, it’s getting more and more difficult to make trips across the Bay, which threatens the region’s quality of life and its ability to grow. We are succeeding in generating transit demand, but we are failing to add new infrastructure to support our success. A second transbay rail crossing is not inevitable; it’s a commitment today’s leaders must make for the future of the Bay Area. We offer seven recommendations for how to get started now.