Voters Approve $14 Billion In Bay Area Transit Improvement Projects
LAFAYETTE (CBS SF) -- Bay Area commuters may be the big winners in this election. Voters approved big money for transit projects, including BART.
From sidewalks to roadways to BART - one winner in Tuesday's election were Bay Area commuters.
Randy Rentschler with MTC said, "About $14 billion worth of measures were approved."
$3.5 billion to overhaul of the aging BART system - new buses for AC Transit - sidewalk and road repairs in Albany and Mill Valley, express lanes are going to get built in Santa Clara County, Caltrain is also going to be improved.
And in San Jose, Santa Clara County Supervisor Dave Cortese said, "Potholes fixed. Expressways fixed and getting BART extended all the way through downtown and into Santa Clara.
Cortese said, "You are going to have a smoother drive - you will replace your shock absorbers less often."
Even president elect Donald Trump appears to be on board for more money.
Trump said, "Rebuild our highways, bridges tunnels, airports...we are going to rebuild out infrastructure."
But what about money for mass transit projects like buses and BART?
Not likely to be the priority in a Republican Congress
And Washington's new view of California's push for hybrids and electric cars?
Rentschler said, "We are going to have a different four years there is no doubt about that."
Interesting to note - suburban Contra Costa County - which has some of the Bay Area's longest commutes fell short on the vote to pass its transportation bonds.
Ordina City Councilmember Amy Worth said, "Those additional taxes are a challenge for people."
So all those people in Contra Costa County are going to be stuck in traffic with crumpling roads worth - pretty much.
