Credit Union City
Union City voted last Tuesday, February 27, to divert $125 million in biking, walking, and public transit funding to build the East West Connector. The $100 million per mile road feeding the I-880 freeway would spend all 27 years of the city’s share of Measure BB funds designated for biking and walking improvements and potentially halt plans to develop Union City BART station into a multi-modal transit hub.
Bike East Bay volunteers helped win Measure BB to fund biking, walking, and public transit for Alameda County in 2014. We need your help again to prevent highway robbery of voter-approved funds. The East West Connector is not a priority in any transit, walking or bicycle plan. Write your city and county representatives and hold them accountable for building sustainable transit options in Union City.
More Background
Bike East Bay delivered a letter of opposition and joined the Sierra Club, Greenbelt Alliance, Save Union City Hills, Bike Fremont, Friends of Caltrain, and over 30 residents in protest of the East-West Connector at City Council. Despite community opposition, Union City voted to finalize agreements with the Alameda County Transportation Commission to transfer all of Union City’s Measure BB transportation funds for the East-West Connector” roadway. The plan would divert $75 million earmarked for improving Union City BART, $40 million to improve express bus service across the Dumbarton Bridge, $10 million in bike/ped funding for Union City, and $65 million in other monies.
The proposal diverts Measure BB transportation dollars designated for bicycling and walking improvements throughout Union City. Spending millions to build a freeway connection jeopardizes opportunities to improve biking infrastructure as laid out in its 2012 bicycle and pedestrian plan. Without local funding, high priority bike projects—such as protected bike lanes on busy Decoto Road—would be at a disadvantage for state-level funding through the Active Transportation Program.
Union City has failed to conduct any public outreach, engagement or discussion of how this bicycle, pedestrian and transit money should be diverted. The diversion of funds to build an expensive highway connection is an egregious breach of voter trust.
Please contact your Union City Councilmember or County Supervisor Richard Valle to oppose the diversion of biking, walking and public transit funds and cc’ Advocacy Director, Dave Campbell at dave@bikeeastbay.org.
Alameda County
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Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle: rvalle@acgov.org
Union City
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Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci: carold@unioncity.org
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Vice Mayor Pat Gacoscos: patg@unioncity.org
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Councilmember Emily Duncan: emilyd@unioncity.org
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Councilmember Lorrin Ellis: lorrine@unioncity.org
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Councilmember Gary Singh: garys@unioncity.org
Frenont residents, please contact your Fremont City Councilmember as well.
Talking Points
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Union City’s unilateral decision to redirect funds for biking, walking and public transit projects to build a massively expensive roadway is a breach of voter trust
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The nominal bike-ped improvements in the East West Connector are not a priority in Union City’s Pedestrian and Bike Master Plan
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You are harming the potential of the Union City BART Station District development by eliminating its planned, approved and funded walking, bicycling and transit improvements