NMA Legislative Alerts

Dear Northern California and Bay Area Members, The Metropolitan Transportation Commission planning to place tremendous financial burden on Bay Area drivers The MTC, responsible for the oversight of Bay Area transportation corridors, is promoting widespread tolling and congestion pricing as a means to control traffic patterns in the region, now and well into the future. The agency’s plan includes lowering freeway speed limits to 55 mph. Where have we heard that before? It’s all rooted in the Plan Bay Area 2050 project which plans to tackle traffic congestion by the brute force methods of taxing motorists and restricting their movements until it is economically unfeasible to drive. The Commission is pressuring each of the county transportation authorities in the area to support the plan. We urge you to write to the individual commissioners of the MTC and to the directors/commissioners/board members of those county agencies (or at least those in the county of your residence), linked below, and urge them to reject the implementation of tolls and congestion pricing. The MTC and Plan Bay Area 2050 have systematically failed to fully investigate other means to mitigate traffic congestion that don’t place an immense financial burden on the essential mobility needs of Bay Area commuters. San Francisco County Transportation Authority San Mateo County Transportation Authority Alameda County Transportation Commission Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Contra Costa Transportation Authority Transportation Authority of Marin Napa Valley Transportation Authority Solano Transportation Authority Sonoma County Transportation Authority This alert that we sent to you last week contains many arguments against congestion pricing. Choose two or three that resonate with you and put them in your own words. Similarly, this article from NMA Founder Jim Baxter provides ammunition against tolling schemes. The only thing that is going to stop this push to tax drivers out of their vehicles is a loud and concerted outcry from Bay Area residents. The momentum is building for the MTC’s plans, so don’t procrastinate in expressing your displeasure, in writing or by phone calls, to the regional and county transportation agencies. Encourage fellow residents to do the same.