The San Mateo County Transportation Authority is looking to identify funding for a handful of transportation projects over the coming years, though the specific plans are yet to be determined.
During a San Mateo Sustainability and Infrastructure Commission meeting Nov. 13, the TA discussed its Corridor Connect program, which aims to “prioritize congestion management” along Highway 101 in the county. The initiative falls into two broad categories, including one — the multimodal strategy — which would identify underfunded projects, ranging from vehicle and transit to biking improvements. The other, Active 101, would more narrowly focus on projects that are a “human powered” means of transportation, such as biking or walking.
Many potential projects are being discussed and are awaiting more public input, but none have been finalized, though the idea is “tying different modes of transportation together,” said Amy Linehan, government and community affairs officer at the SMCTA.
“The most relevant improvement that people want to see are improved roadway conditions, in terms of infrastructure and infrastructure to address congestion,” Linehan said. “There was also a conversation about improved access to more affordable transit.”
There are still many uncertainties within the program, which may also include a new corridor along part of Highway 101. That has left some county residents concerned. During the public comment period, Mike Swire said he hoped the bulk of investment would shift away from vehicle-based infrastructure.
“Only 3 to 5% of [TA’s] spending goes towards projects that focus on the safety of those who walk and bike in that area. Most of the bike and pedestrian projects that will be considered through this program will b relatively small. Meanwhile the TA and C/CAG, with Caltrans, focuses the majority of its spending on nine-figure projects that widen highways and encourage more people to drive instead of taking Caltrain, BART, SamTrans or walking and biking,” Swire said. “If we truly want to reduce auto congestion, we should stop spending billions of dollars on projects that expand highways and encourage people to drive.”
Commission Chair Kimiko Narita said she was concerned that, despite the overarching goal of reducing congestion, there doesn’t seem to be any mechanism to quantitatively track if and by how much congestion is reduced with any of the projects.
“Please look into health data when looking at projects. Please figure out GHG [emission] potential at some point. It seems like there is a dead zone in planning when it comes to these types of projects,” Narita said to the TA. “If we can’t prove or measure the improvements that current projects or past projects have achieved, we are undercutting ourselves and our ability to tell that compelling story.”
