I am proud to announce that two key members of congress have joined their names in support of major rail and highway improvements to the Dumbarton Transportation Corridor.
Check out the press release below, announcing Rep. Jackie Speier (CA-14) and Rep. Eric Swalwell's (CA-15) support of Dumbarton Transportation Corridor:
Two Key Members of Congress Add Their Support for Dumbarton Corridor
(Redwood City, CA) Peninsula Congresswoman Jackie Speier (District 14) and East Bay Congressman Eric Swalwell (District 15) headline a growing list of regional leaders signing a letter to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) urging support for the proposed Dumbarton rail and highway projects. In addition to Speier and Swalwell, San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting, Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, San Leandro Mayor Pauline Russo Cutter and Palo Alto Mayor Greg Scharff have joined with 20 leaders from the West Bay and East Bay who signed the letter in October.
According to Congresswoman Speier, “The Dumbarton Corridor is a prime example of an underdeveloped asset. We could move thousands more with express buses and ultimately create a new cross-bay connection via rail. It’s time to tear the cobwebs off the old bridge, rebuild it along modern lines, and get commuters from as far away as Stockton out of their cars. This study proves the old adage: Where there’s a will, there’s a way. However, with every passing year, solutions become more expensive, so it’s also a case of ‘use it or lose it.’ It’s long past time to use the Dumbarton Corridor to its fullest potential.”
Congressman Swalwell said, “The Dumbarton Corridor already is a crucial artery for my 15th Congressional District and the rest of the Bay Area, but it could be so much more. Planning for the future involves building on what we have, and this is the time to expand our thinking about the best uses for this crucial pipeline. We have an opportunity here to change a lot of Californians’ lives for the better.”
According to Carol Dutra-Vernaci, Union City Mayor and MTC Commissioner, “Alameda County voters approved Dumbarton Rail being built in 2004, because they recognized that the rail bridge was already there, but unused, while traffic congestion kept getting worse. We are now in the position of citizens and elected officials agreeing that rail, along with other traffic improvements, must move forward. Addressing east-west traffic between southern Alameda and San Mateo counties will benefit the entire region.”
In December, the SamTrans Board of Directors unanimously approved the recommendations from the feasibility study completed last summer. The project will include rail, highway and bus components. In addition, Board members expressed support for finding a safe way to include a bike and pedestrian pathway along the corridor.
San Mateo County Supervisor and MTC Commissioner Warren Slocum, who has spearheaded the effort, added “We now have 26 leaders from all around the Bay Area including elected officials at all levels of government supporting Dumbarton. With the approval by SamTrans and a strong and growing interest on the part of the California State Transportation Agency to participate in the Bay Area regional rail network, including the Dumbarton rail corridor, I believe we are laying the foundation for this project to become a reality.”
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