Access to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and its connection with far away places has taken center stage in the growing excitement over the long-awaited opening of BART's Peninsula extension. However, for many riders, the connection to other parts of the Bay Area will be the most important feature. The intermodal station at Millbrae, which will serve BART, Caltrain and SamTrans riders, may become the Peninsula's Grand Central Station, mingling tourists, local travelers, and commuters.
The southernmost station on the extended BART line, Millbrae will be a transit hub, providing a critical transfer point for Caltrain riders and many SamTrans riders. Served by five SamTrans bus routes, the Millbrae Station will allow SamTrans riders to transfer to many other SamTrans routes, or, by entering the station, to access the entire Caltrain and BART systems from adjacent platforms. For those going to SFO, a dedicated train will run between Millbrae and the SFO BART station every 20 minutes, replacing the free shuttle buses formerly operated by the airport.
Until now, access to SFO for BART riders has involved either a bus trip on SamTrans from BART's Colma station, or a transfer to Caltrain in San Francisco, which requires travelling several blocks on foot or riding Muni from a downtown BART/MUNI station to the Caltrain station. Travelers to SFO from the East Bay will now have direct service on the Dublin/Pleasanton line, or they can bypass the airport and go directly to the Millbrae station by riding the Pittsburg/Bay Point line. Passengers may transfer to these lines at several points in the BART system. BART's Molly McArthur comments, "What the Millbrae Station does so beautifully is to take best advantage of existing infrastructure while adding greater connectivity with the new infrastructure."
While Caltrain and SamTrans are likely to lose some San Francisco-bound riders to the direct BART service, they will gain riders transfering to Caltrain at Millbrae for the continuing ride south. According to Jayme Maltbie of Caltrain and SamTrans, new riders are anticipated because of the new, seamless connection between transit serving the Peninsula and transit from the East Bay and San Francisco. Passengers entering the Millbrae Station from buses or parking will be able to purchase tickets for BART and Caltrain on the concourse level to use in the faregates, while those transferring from one line to the other will find ticket machines located at platform level.
Many BART riders will use the Millbrae Station as a transfer point to reach Caltrain stops farther south, while Caltrain riders from as far south as Gilroy will also be able to reach San Francisco and points in the East Bay with one simple cross-platform transfer (southbound riders will need to go from one part of the station to another to transfer). Because of this, it is anticipated that Millbrae will become the busiest extension station. Of the 70,000 new daily trips projected by 2010 for the four new stations, 33,000 daily trips are expected to begin or end at Millbrae.
To support the Millbrae Intermodal Station's role as the Peninsula's first major transit hub, Caltrain made schedule changes in March and some SamTrans schedules will change on June 22 to connect with BART service to the new stations. At Millbrae, most Caltrains will arrive seven minutes before the next BART train to allow time for ticket purchases and transfers. SamTrans routes will also shift when the extension opens, with lines which previously connected with BART at Colma going to South San Francisco, and other lines along El Camino Real and in San Bruno changed to serve new BART stations as well. According to Maltbie, "The point of having all these transit systems is to make them converge, not duplicate one another."
Travelers currently using one transit service will need to familiarize themselves with the procedures and features of another as they add transfers to their trip. For example, BART's hours of operation are more extensive than those of Caltrain or most SamTrans routes, raising the possibility that, without advance planning, a rider could reach Millbrae and find it difficult to continue the trip south. However, bicycle hours on BART are more restrictive than Caltrain. Regular BART riders, used to station restrooms whose use has been restricted by security concerns, will be pleasantly surprised to discover on-board restrooms on Caltrain.
When the first passengers cross the Millbrae platform between BART and Caltrain, they will represent a new era in Bay Area transportation. The cross-platform transfer between passenger rail, Caltrain, and commuter rail, BART, is the first such connection west of the Mississippi River, although BART and Amtrak share a station in Richmond. East Bay workers commuting to Silicon Valley, Stanford students visiting rivals at UC Berkeley, or a San Jose woman with grandchildren in Oakland, will all find transit more attractive thanks to the transfer point at Millbrae.
Leslie Stewart
Six agencies have been responsible for various aspects of the BART/SFO project: US Department of Transportation, California Transportation Commission, Metropolitan Transportation Commission, San Francisco International Airport, SamTrans, and BART.
For more information:
Molly McArthur, BART, 650-689-8411, mmcarth@bart.gov
Jayme Maltbie, SamTrans/Caltrain, 650-508-6238, maltbiej@samtrans.com
With recent gas prices, an offer of free gas is appealing. The Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance hopes that it is appealing enough to get people to carpool to work, at least two days per week for two months. In return for that pledge, carpool participants receive a gas card worth $40.
The offer is available to any two drivers over 18 years old. Existing carpools can add a third member to become eligible for the offer. The program covers drivers with trips to, from or through San Mateo County, provided they have not previously participated in Alliance incentive programs. The program was inspired by a similar program operated by Community Alternatives Network, which applies to carpoolers who live, work or travel through Contra Costa County. The programs are supported by grants from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Transportation Fund for Clean Air.
For more information:
Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance, 650-588-8170; http://www.commute.org
Leah Becker, Community Alternatives Network, 925-407-0355
Free parking may be even more attractive than free gas. Now vehicles in San Jose which use little or no gas may entitled to free parking in city garages and at parking meters on city streets. Electric vehicles which carry the California Highway Patrol sticker identifying them as clean air vehicles have been entitled to free parking for the past two years under a pilot program. In April, the city council extended the program to hybrid gas-electric vehicles which have been purchased in San Jose. Drivers who purchase vehicles from San Jose dealers receive a sticker exempting them from the parking fees.
For more information: David Vossbrink, City of San Jose, 408-277-5800
Baffled by trying to match landscaping sprinkler schedules to the changing seasons, many property owners go for a single setting and stick to it, wasting water in the winter and sometimes underwatering in summer heat. In October, Metropolitan Water District (MWD) in southern California unveiled an online water sprinkler calculator and index on the agency's Website. The calculator allows residents to customize their outdoor irrigation schedule based on soil conditions, plants and the weather, while the index provides regular updates on sprinkler settings.
The calculator was developed by the City of San Diego. After asking a few questions of the user, it produces a customized watering schedule that estimates how many minutes of watering each station will need on a month-to-month basis.
Most newer model timers allow users to set maximum watering times for each station, and then reset all stations to the appropriate percentage of that maximum with one adjustment. The weekly sprinkler index is based on historical and daily evapo-transpiration data which show how much moisture is lost to the atmosphere, and indicates what percentage of maximum watering time is needed for the current week. Agency officials hope that residents will check the index weekly and make the quick adjustment necessary.
MWD estimates that 30 to 70 percent of residential water use in its service area is outside the home, and that seasonal adjustments can save significant amounts of both water and money for customers and the district.
For more information: Metropolitan Water District, http://www.mwdh2o.com—look for the index percentage on the home page, and the calculator on the conservation page.
The City of Pleasanton, borrowing an idea from Salt Lake City, has painted signs saying LOOK on the pavement between crosswalk stripes. The Os in the signs are painted to look like eyes. The signs are intended to remind pedestrians to look before using the crosswalk. Studies have shown that car- pedestrian collisions almost double when the pedestrian is using a marked crosswalk, because people feel safe in a crosswalk and don't watch traffic as carefully. The city plans to add some version of the LOOK signs to all crosswalks around the city as maintenance is done during the year.
For many families, late spring brings plans for summer camp, a time for crafts, swimming, and sharing cabins with new friends. In the East Bay, a unique residential camp prepares for its annual shift from environmental classroom education to summer camp for children with life-threatening illnesses.
The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) operates Camp Arroyo in conjunction with the YMCA and the Taylor Family Foundation, creating the camp's dual roles. During the school year, the YMCA providies a hands-on experience with the environment, sustainable gardening, and the culture of local Native American tribes for classes of school children from fourth grade through high school. In summer, the Foundation uses the facility to provide a classic summer camp experience for children who must balance their recreation with serious health problems.
The public-private partnership which made this possible began in 1996 when a representative of the Taylor Family Foundation contacted EBRPD to find a site for a summer camp. The Foundation had been operating a summer camp for children with AIDS for several years, but needed a better location and facilities. The District had a potential site already chosen for a future environmental education camp, and local school districts had shown interest, but no funds were available. Through the Taylor Family Foundation, the East Bay Regional Parks Foundation, state funding from two years of surplus budgets in 1998 and 1999, and an allocation from Proposition 12, a total of $12 million was acquired for camp construction. The camp began operation in 2001.
Camp Arroyo occupies a 138-acre site at EBRPD's Lake Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. Buildings are surrounded by the oak woodlands and rolling hills typical of the area. Both students and summer campers participate in activities such as swimming, arts and crafts, social mealtimes, and campfires. They stay in large cabins, each with space for 10 campers and two chaperones, and eat their meals in the large multi-purpose dining hall.
During the summer, the Taylor Family Foundation runs three free weeklong camps for children with HIV/AIDS, and provides the opportunity for similar camps run by organizations such as the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation, the Children's Skin Disease Foundation and Special Olympics. The foundation also uses the facility on some weekends during the school year. Counseling and round-the-clock medical attention are available in addition to the usual camp resources.
Environmental education classes, scheduled through YMCA East Bay, are available for 4th-6th grade students from northern California. Students work on a week-long curriculum of six lessons. "Wild Places" takes students hiking through the area to observe, learn, and write their experiences in nature journals. "Voices of the Past" teaches students about the Ohlone Indians, including recreating Ohlone artifacts and producing a dramatic interpretation for the camp. The facility's organic garden provides the arena for "Food, Gardens and Worms", where students learn about the natural systems of the garden, cook healthy food, and use their experiences and garden materials to create art pieces. The fourth choice, "Everyone is a Designer", involves students in sustainable design and allows them to build structures and objects with recycled and re-used materials. Electives and a hike to the top of a nearby peak complete the lessons. Courses comply with state and county standards for environmental education. During the school year 2001-2002, 1400 students visited Camp Arroyo.
The Camp Arroyo site is itself an education in sustainability and energy conservation. The facility has won multiple awards from parks, architecture and planning societies for its "green" design.
The large dining hall is the largest straw bale structure in California; with walls almost two feet thick, it stays cool in summer and warm in winter. Its frame is made from recycled steel. The wall paneling for the large cabins is made of wheat and straw, and the insulation is made from recycled newspapers. Although the insulation is more expensive than fiberglass, it is also more efficient. Cabins are designed for passive solar heat gain in winter, and shade in summer. Solar heated water is used for showers and radiant heat. Workshops are held in circular yurts, a Mongolian design which uses cross-ventilation for cooling. The bathhouses were constructed using local clay and soil dug from the swimming pool site, which have the same insulating effect as adobe. They have stall dividers made from recycled yogurt containers and countertops of recycled glass. Water in the pool is disinfected using ozone in combination with chlorine, which reduces chemicals and allows the water to be re-used for landscaping and gardening. The camp opened during the state's energy crisis, offering an opportunity for particularly timely lessons in energy efficiency.
Sustainability and living in harmony with nature are lessons learned by all Camp Arroyo campers as they participate in the tradition of "a week at camp". The success of the public-private partnership which has enabled construction and operation of the facility means that those lessons will continue to reach campers with varying abilities and needs.
Leslie Stewart
For more information:
EBRPD, Shelly Lewis, 510-544-2208; http://www.ebparks.org
Taylor Family Foundation, http://www.ttff.org/camp/
YMCA East Bay, http://ymcaeastbay.org/Camps/arroyo.html, 925-371-8401
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is considering the removal of a long-standing exemption for the use of a common dry cleaning solvent, perchloroethylene or "perc". The removal of this exemption is the latest in a series of regulatory and technological changes that may move the dry cleaning industry towards hydrocarbon-based solvents, or away from chemical solvents altogether.
Perchloroethylene is considered by the US EPA and Cal/ EPA's Office of Health Hazard Assessment to be a potential human carcinogen. Prolonged exposure to perc also causes a number of acute health effects, including skin and eye irritation, breathing and neurological problems, burns and blistering.
Regulation of the use of perc in dry cleaning has a long and complex history, including multiple regulations at both the federal and state level. Under the federal Clean Air Act, perc is listed as a Hazardous Air Pollutant; the California Air Resources Board lists it as a Toxic Air Contaminant. Several regulations have been put in place to establish levels for substances on these lists, including the Air Toxics Hot Spots Program, a fusion of federal and state laws dating back to 1987, and the Clean Air Act's Toxics New Source Review Program (TNSR). The BAAQMD is responsible for implementing both programs for approximately 1000 dry cleaning facilities in the nine Bay Area counties.
Under TNSR, new and modified potential sources of toxic air pollution undergo a risk screening analysis. As part of TNSR, the BAAQMD developed a Risk Management Policy (RMP) that includes standards designed to minimize health risks to the public from a toxic air pollution source. Sources that exceed a cancer risk of one-in-a-million require Best Available Control Technology (BACT) and sources that exceed a risk of 10-in-a-million may be denied a permit by the district. (According to district information on Toxic Air Contaminants, the risk of cancer due to background concentrations of contaminants in Bay Area air is 600 chances in a million.) From 1987 to 1991 the BAAQMD required new dry cleaners to meet a 10-in-a-million risk level under such a RMP, if the dry cleaning machine met BACT criteria (a closed-loop system with refrigerated condenser). Special ventilation systems were sometimes installed in order to meet the 10-in-a-million standard.
In 1991 the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) of Cal/EPA revised the cancer potency value for perc, increasing the calculated risks by a factor of ten. Suddenly, no standard drycleaner could meet even the 10-in-a-million risk level. The District therefore modified the RMP to allow risks up to 100-in-a-million for dry cleaners. The modified exemption includes several control measures. For example, it currently requires that drycleaners use an advanced closed-loop perc machine with secondary controls to absorb perc vapors. In addition, a dry cleaning facility often must capture and vent its perc vapors through an exhaust stack.
While the RMP affects new and modified drycleaning operations, additional regulations have been put in place for existing dry cleaning facilities. In 1994, the state issued an Airborne Toxics Control Measure (ATCM) for the dry cleaning industry in order to reduce risk from existing dry cleaning facilities, and BAAQMD adopted a rule to implement the ATCM in the Bay Area. Most Bay Area dry cleaners met this statewide rule without any additional risk reduction measures.
For approximately twenty percent of facilities, however, additional measures were necessary, especially if the facility was located close to people who might be exposed. One common scenario is a dry cleaner located on the first floor of an apartment building. Control measures involved establishing work practice standards, operator training programs, preventative maintenance on machinery, secondary control systems, and ventilation built to discharge vapors well away from areas where people could be exposed. The more extreme measures involved special vapor barrier rooms with metallic linings impervious to perc vapors.
Dry cleaning technology has changed considerably in the last ten to fifteen years, and as a result, air districts around the state are considering or implementing changes in the regulation of perc. As part of a general overhaul of the District's TNSR program, the BAAQMD is considering the removal of the exemption provided by the 1991 Risk Management Policy. Removing the exemption would require new dry cleaning machines to meet the same 10-in-a-million risk level applied to all other new toxic air pollution sources.
Brian Bateman, Air Quality Engineering Manager for the BAAQMD, says that if drycleaners maintain their existing perc machines, they should be able to meet the proposed 10-in-a-million risk standard that will apply when the 1991 exemption is removed. Drycleaners who install new perc machines may also be able to meet the standard. However, a number of Bay Area drycleaners that have higher risks, such as greater solvent usage or being located near a sensitive population, may be unable to meet the requirement. These facilities may be required to switch to a non-perc dry cleaning system.
In December of 2002, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) adopted a rule banning the purchase of perc dry cleaning machines after January 1, 2003, except for some replacement machines. In additon, the SCAQMD rule requires the phase-out of perc machines at the end of their useful life, with a final phase-out date of 2020. BAAQMD's proposed rule would parallel the SCAQMD rule, but would not include an explicit ban on perc. Bateman notes, however, that seventy percent of new dry cleaning machines currently sold in the Bay Area are non-perc machines.
Some of the alternatives to perc that have been developed in the last few years include a high flash-point hydrocarbon solvent marketed by Exxon under the name DF2000, and a silicone-based solvent marketed by General Electric under the name GreenEarth. Concerns have recently arisen about the potential toxicity of Green Earth's primary component, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane; at this time, Exxon DF2000 remains the primary alternative to perc. Other dry cleaning alternatives involve the use of high pressure liquid carbon dioxide, or "wet cleaning", a high-tech version of soap and water. According to a recent article in Consumer Reports (February 2003), carbon dioxide and silicone-based cleaners work well, providing even better results than perc.
The BAAQMD plans to announce the proposed rule change on its web site and through its interested parties mailing list. It will host four to six workshops in May and June (see below) to solicit input on the rule, and plans to send the proposed rule to its Board in June for approval.
Ann Blake
Workshops
The changes in the regulations for dry cleaners are part of the proposed changes to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District's Air Toxics New Source Review program. Public workshops on all of the changes are under way. June workshops will be held as follows:
All workshops are from 6:30-8:30 pm, and will have Spanish translation available. Additional information is on the BAAQMD Website, http://www.baaqmd.gov/ruledev/workshop.htm, or at 415-771-6000.
For more information: BAAQMD, 415-771-6000
Legislation is moving forward in Sacramento to add a third dollar to bridge tolls around the Bay Area (except on the Golden Gate Bridge). SB 916 (Perata) includes capital investment projects, funding for transit operations and technology, and expanded transportation planning for the region.
The capital investment projects, totalling $1.4 billion, include the San Francisco Transbay Terminal, seismic strengthening for BART's Transbay Tube, commuter rail service on the Dumbarton Rail Bridge, I-80/I-680 corridor improvements, East Contra Costa County rail, Tri-Valley rapid transit corridor improvements and the AC Transit Enhanced Bus project. Transit operating funds, projected at $1.6 billion over 40 years, would support the Water Transit Authority and Vallejo ferries, AC Transit, San Francisco MUNI, night-owl buses along BART corridors, Golden Gate Transit's Route 40, Dumbarton Rail, Napa VINE service to Vallejo and express bus service throughout the region. Money would also be allocated to TransLink operations and transit agency real-time transit information projects.
Under SB 916, if voters in the region approve the toll increase, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) would be required to adopt a regional transit connectivity plan by December 1, 2005, covering transit hubs, infrastructure improvements and regional standards intended to improve transit around the Bay Area. A regional rail plan would be required by July 1, 2006; it would be managed by Caltrain and BART, and would be guided by a policy committee consisting of appointees from all regional rail operators, MTC, and owners of standard gauge rail. SB 916 also requires agencies participating in TransLink to develop an integrated fare program by July 1, 2007 for "regional rapid transit trips" funded by the toll increase.
The bill has changed since it was shaped by a regional task force (see February/March 2003), and may change again as the bill moves through the legislative process. However, with continuing support from local transportation agencies, the bill is likely to succeed in some form, placing the final decision before Bay Area voters in March 2004.
The San Francisco Bay Trail Project recently announced the release of new Bay Trail maps. The six maps cover 230 miles of completed trails for walkers, skaters and bicyclists. Details of each route include directions, distance, trail surface, points of interest, and parking and transit information.The maps replace 1994 versions; they are available as a set of six for $15 or individually for $4, including tax and shipping.
Maps may be ordered online at http://www.baytrail.org or from the Association of Bay Area Governments at 510-464-7900.
The California State Coastal Conservancy's Invasive Spartina Project (ISP) has selected several sites around the Bay Area for demonstration projects to eradicate non-native cordgrass species. The species of Spartina native to San Francisco Bay is being supplanted by the four invasive species, resulting in alterations to tidal marshes, mudflats and creeks, and significantly affecting habitat for many wetlands birds and other wildlife. Over the past 25 years, introduced Spartina species have spread to an increasing number of wetland habitats and marsh restoration sites throughout the Bay.
To address this rapid spread of invasive cordgrass, the ISP was formed in 2000 as a regionally coordinated project, funded by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, US Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the California State Coastal Conservancy. The project includes outreach, research, mapping, monitoring, and the proposed demonstration projects to test ways of eliminating the non-native Spartina.
In 2000-2001, ISP conducted an extensive survey of the shoreline in the Bay to determine the current distribution of introduced Spartina species. The data was integrated into a GIS system, and analyzed to assess the feasibility of eradication and develop a regionally coordinated control strategy. Possible eradication techniques include burning, cutting or selective use of herbicides.
Public informational workshops were held at the end of May for an Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Review on the proposed sites and methods for Spartina eradication. The draft document is available on the ISP Website. Identification brochures showing each of the invasive types of cordgrass are also available, as well as extensive photos showing the impacts of invasive Spartina on the Bay Area's ecology.
For more information: http://www.spartina.org; Patrycja Bossak, Project Manager, CA Coastal Conservancy, 510-286-0319 or Peggy Olofson, Project Director, 510-681-5371.
A non-technical guide to invasive wetland plants, including Spartina, has been produced by the San Francisco Estuary Project. Titled A Practical Guidebook to the Identification and Control of Invasive Aquatic and Wetland Plants in the San Francisco Bay-Delta Region, the guide was funded by the CALFED Bay-Delta Program and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The booklet covers fifteen of the most serious invasive plants in the region, with excellent identification photos and information on methods available for their control. The guide is available on the Web at http://www.sfei.org/nis/ for viewing or downloading.
On Saturday, June 14, 2003, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission will hold an all-day summit to discuss the future of transportation in the Bay Area, entitled "Getting from Here to There". The public is invited to participate in planning the 25-year vision for transportation in the region. The meeting is the kickoff of an 18-month process to revise the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) (see April/May 2003 issue). The revised RTP will include transportation policies, investments and projects through the year 2030.
Through presentations from panelists, small group discussions, and electronic keypad voting, summit participants will weigh in on how they feel the region's transportation should change and grow. Concerned about the elderly, a growing segment of Bay Area residents? Worried about truck traffic to seaports and airports? Weighing the difference between a bridge toll increase and a gas tax increase? This is the place to be on June 14.
The summit will be held from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco. Admission is free, but registration is requested; participants will receive lunch. For more information, visit the MTC Website at http://www.mtc.ca.gov, or call 510-464-7841.
In April 1978
In May 1978