May 10, 2013

Dear Reader:

In this second and final part of this report, I will detail the three decades’ history of wBART, which will reveal how the politics three decades ago may still be around today.

Following the May 7 Richmond  City Council meeting, Richmond Councilmember Tom Butt put out an E-Forum letter (link) that calls me out and suggests an alignment from El Cerrito del Norte as being a “BART to Nowhere” option.  He also suggests that a 2009 study took place and concluded in a recommendation to extend service from the Richmond BART Station.

The study that Tom Butt refers to actually took place a decade ago in 2003 and focused exclusively on the use of either heavy rail or Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) technology via the Union Pacific (UP) or Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad right-of-ways.  Although the study concluded with ideas about what the best option(s) would be given these limited parameters, policy makers and study sponsors concluded that none of those options were cost- and productivity-feasible.

The last time that an actual BART extension in West Contra Costa County was aggressively considered was in 1992.  Before that, it was 1983.  In both instances, numerous alignments were studied; few passed minimum feasibility/scan tests; and of those that did pass the initial test and later were deemed feasible enough for an extension, the localities along the corridor were not able to come to any consensus on an alignment.  The disagreements were manifested by one locality not wanting service to be extended from anywhere other than its own downtown, another not wanting to have to divide its city and destroy its downtown to support the preceding notion of its neighbor, another fearful about an extension providing a way for persons it classified as unwanted to enter its city limits, and those localities in the middle being – well, stuck in the middle!  This lack of consensus ultimately resulted in the region and BART electing to place its money elsewhere and the region’s most-congested travel corridor falling under the rug.

In 1983 and 1992, there were effectively two alignments that had any competitive potential to them.  Take a look at them through this Google Maps link (here).  One would continue from the Richmond Station and follow Rumrill Boulevard through San Pablo to San Pablo Avenue; cut diagonally through existing development adjacent to Contra Costa College before serving the Hilltop Mall; and then join I-80 near Richmond Parkway before heading on up to Pinole, Hercules, and perhaps the areas of Rodeo and/or Crockett.   The other alternative would have come from the El Cerrito del Norte Station and then followed Interstate 80 all the way.

Now, over two decades since the second time around, this young man who was back-then a five-year-old playground boy, is trying to establish political consensus just to do a data-driven study to relook at a West Contra Costa County BART (or alternative rail) extension.  But it appears that déjà vu may have come upon us and my duties as the West Contra Costa County BART Director – in this particular case, more rightfully the wBART Extension and Study Negotiator – are quickly being built up for me!

Unlike in 1983 and 1992, though, the City of Richmond has annexed so much unincorporated land towards its north and east.  Richmond no longer is a concentrated urban center, but now has several suburban neighborhoods.  In fact, it is primarily these annexed and (some) newly developed neighborhoods – Carriage Hills, Fairmede Hilltop, Greenbriar, Hilltop Green, May Valley, Quail Hill, and many more – that would potentially reap the greatest benefits of any BART extension northward.  As the broader Richmond population becomes more attuned of these politics, I would be surprised if the various northern, northeastern, and eastern constituencies of Richmond allow central city politics to take place at their expense, particularly as a major Richmond election is glowing upon us in less than two years.

As the Contra Costa Times’ Tom Lochner reported on May 7, I have suggested the Interstate 80 alignment from El Cerrito del Norte as an option, but am interested in and committed to having a comprehensive study done so that we can objectively determine which alignment and technology would actually be the most feasible.  Given the size and area of District 7, my job is to press for an alignment that provides traffic relief for the broader West Contra Costa County sub-region and I-80 corridor by establishing a viable and competitive alternative to driving.  This means making BART (or the alternative rail option) as conveniently accessible as possible to as many people along the corridor as possible.  To that end, I cannot justify or support voiding the consideration of any alignment that is prima facie a viable candidate for achieving this purpose.

Hopefully with this historical context, West Contra Costa County can put an end to what has been a three-decade battle of parochial interests and come together for the betterment of our region by pursuing a comprehensive study for wBART.  Then, once all the facts and data are in front of us, perhaps we can more intelligently partake in this discussion and seek out what is in the factual best interest for all of us.  This is the most-congested travel corridor of the Bay Area Region for heaven’s sake!  What is on the minds of the average person is traffic relief.  Let’s put that priority first and foremost, and identify and pursue an extension that can bring us there!

There's no way to know which is best today; only a comprehensive study will tell us.

Truly yours,

 

Zakhary Mallett, MCP
Director, District 7
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART)