CONTACT: Colin Parent
(858) 442-7374
[email protected]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 24, 2016
Circulate San Diego Supports SANDAG Ballot Measure after Significant Improvements Adopted
Today, the SANDAG board voted to make significant changes to advance transit in their proposed 2016 ballot measure. Over the course of the last nine months, advocates for transit, active transportation, the environment, workers, and social equity advocated to improve SANDAG’s proposed 2016 ballot measure.
Advocates from Circulate San Diego among many other organizations were able to accomplish a substantial amount, changing the course of literally billions in potential funding.
Circulate San Diego will now support the ballot measure, in recognition of these significant improvements.
"Today's vote represents a serious victory for transit advocates and the environment," said Colin Parent, policy counsel with Circulate San Diego." SANDAG has finally turned a corner and made commitments to advancing transit in its plans."
How the ballot measure is better than SANDAG’s 2015 Regional Plan:
Many advocates, including Circulate San Diego, opposed the Regional Plan adopted by SANDAG in 2015. The ballot measure makes substantial improvements to that plan. Improvements include:
- Commitment to build all priority transit projects within 15 years of ballot measure’s passage, including the new Purple Line trolley.
- Advancing trolley service improvements to 2019 (Orange) and 2017 (Blue and Green), a 16 and 18 year improvement respectively.
- Increased total bicycle and pedestrian funding by $540 million
- Full commitment of $ 7.5 billion to fund public transportation
- Full commitment of $ 2 billion for habitat preservation
How the ballot measure improved from draft-to-draft through the advocacy:
SANDAG’s ballot measure evolved over time, going through multiple iterations. Advocacy dramatically shifted elements of that plan, resulting in large improvements for transportation choices, the environment, and the local workforce. Improvements include:
- Commitment to build all priority transit projects within 15 years of ballot measure’s passage, including the new Purple Line trolley.
- Agreement to add those with experience from organized labor and environmental/transit advocacy to Taxpayer Oversight committee
- Advancing trolley service improvements to 2019 (Orange) and 2017 (Blue and Green), a 16 and 18 year improvement respectively.
- Creation of $460 million fund to advance priority transit projects
- Bicycle and pedestrian funding increased by $176 million from first expenditure plan draft
- Commitments to use toll road surpluses on transit and safe routes to transit programs
- Commitments from SANDAG to active transportation funding equitably year-to-year
- Establishment of local hire goals
- Added requirements for skilled and train workforces
- Removal of SR-94 expansion as a required outcome of the ballot measure
- Commitment not to perform any improvements on SR-94 until after completion of pilot program and study
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