Mayor Kamena: The Time is Now for Livermore to Get BART

Recently, a citizen group submitted the “” ballot initiative with over 8,000 signatures supporting a freeway alignment for the BART extension to Livermore. The Livermore City Council listened. On July 11, 2011, after reviewing the 9212 Report on the impacts of the Initiative, . The 9212 Report identified that the required transit oriented development could be accommodated without changing the City’s Urban Growth Boundary Policy by relocating the Greenville station south approximately 2,500 feet. This location avoids numerous constraints, such as the urban growth boundary, air quality regulations, sensitive habitats and wildlife corridor that exist nearer the freeway. The City Council has embraced the freeway alignment and the Greenville south station site, and has begun advocating for a freeway alignment with BART and the regional funding agencies.

A letter has been sent to informing him of the adoption of the Initiative and requesting that the BART Board expeditiously reconsider the adopted alignment. Additional information is required to show that the freeway alignment meets BART expansion and regional programming policies. BART and the City are already cooperating on developing that information. The City will be proceeding with station area planning around the Isabel and Greenville south station sites to establish zoning that can accommodate the required transit oriented development. The City will be pursuing regional funding and program agencies to review policies and identify how best to meet them with the freeway alignment.

BART announced a proposed first phase BART to Livermore Project at the . The City will be working closely with BART to identify a first phase project concept that is fully compliant with the Initiative, and then advocate for a first phase BART extension to Livermore to be included in the proposed reauthorization of Alameda County Measure B, the 1⁄2 cent sales tax for transportation, called Measure B3. Measure B3 represents a unique opportunity to provide significant funding for a first phase Livermore BART extension project. Measure B3 is being developed for Alameda County voters to consider on the November 2012 ballot. It will include an expenditure plan of transportation projects and programs. Preliminary polling suggests broad countywide support for the Livermore BART extension. There is strong local consensus for the freeway alignment. The time is now for Livermore to finally get BART, as promised when the BART taxes were approved by Livermore voters in the 1960s. The Livermore City Council asks that you support funding in Measure B3 for a first phase BART to Livermore within the I-580 median, and encourage the voters to support the measure in the November 2012 election.

Marshall H. Kamena

Mayor, City of Livermore