News

West County Transportation Officials Abandon Discussion of BART Extension

Published

8 years ago

August 2, 2016

Special to the Post

Local elected officials who make up the West Contra Costa Transportation Committee recently decided to not study a possible BART extension along the I-80 Corridor from the El Cerrito Del Norte Station.

Transportation committee member Zachary Mallett, who is a member of the BART board, supported the study, but other committee members felt there have already been enough studies.

Earlier this year, the transportation committee decided to study four alternative solutions that include increased express bus service, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a BART extension from the Richmond BART Station and a fare revision on Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor.

Oddly enough a possible solution in their own back yard has not been included for consideration.

According to Ultra Light Rail Transit (ULRT) developer CyberTran International’s (CTI) Board Chairman Neil Sinclair, “Everyone wants to be second, nobody wants to be first. Therefore, transit innovation doesn’t move forward unless you’re some conglomerate like Tesla or Google. Nobody ever got fired for buying IBM.”

Transit officials are very conservative and will not take chances on their reputations.

In 2008, BART did a comprehensive study on the ULRT technology. It’s a system that has already been built and tested. BART concluded in comparison to their system, the ULRT system is approximately a quarter the cost to build and half the cost to operate and maintain.

CyberTran would not allow the study to be made public because the study included proprietary information. However, the study has been reviewed by federal officials at the US Department of Transportation, and a federal program has been developed to possibly fund final demonstration of the technology.

CyberTran President Dexter Vizinau says there should be not further extensions of the BART technology. Ultra light rail is less costly to build, less costly to operate and maintain, can go more places and give the public more for their tax dollars. The system also generates its own energy and will not tax the grid as BART does. he said, noting that BART is PG&E’s biggest customer.

When it comes to the four alternatives of the WCCTAC study Vizinau states, “You’ll never be able to get from Richmond to Sacramento in 40 minutes on a bus, or driverless car. Our system is designed to reach speeds over 100 mph and is non-stop no matter where you get on and no matter where you are going within the system.”

CyberTran Board Chairman Sinclair said, “If we really want to relieve traffic congestion on Highway 80 from Sacramento to the Bay Area ULRT is the best viable solution. Ultra light rail can be installed on the existing medium without having to widen the highway. The problem is our system is disruptive technology and the status quo does not want to see it move forward.”

!”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

CyberTran’s Ultra Light Rail Transit Will Pay for Itself

Don't Miss

Night Out for Safety and Liberation on August 2

Oakland Post

1 Comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

7 days ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

California Black Media

Yahushua’s Law: Senate Advances Bill to Protect Students from Extreme Weather

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3. The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Published

1 week ago

April 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Yahushua Nyerere Robinson (Courtesy Photo)

By California Black Media

In a significant move towards student safety, the California Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill (SB) 1248, also known as Yahushua’s Law, on April 3.

The bill is named in memory of Yahushua Robinson, a 12-year-old student from Lake Elsinore, who tragically died due to a heat-related illness during a physical education class in 2023. It is a pioneering effort to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Authored by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) and co-authored by Assemblymember Akilah Weber, M.D. (D-La Mesa), SB 1248 directs the California Department of Education to develop comprehensive guidelines for schools regarding student activity during all extreme weather conditions.

“No student should ever lose their life on campus to extreme weather when we can take steps to protect them by preparing statewide plans to minimize exposure to the most harmful elements of exposure,” Hurtado said after introducing SB 1248.

The bill stipulates that schools must implement safety measures which include monitoring weather forecasts, postponing or relocating outdoor activities during hazardous conditions, and ensuring students have proper hydration and access to shade. It also requires schools to establish clear communication plans to keep parents, teachers, and students informed about potential weather hazards.

Supporters of the bill include the Robinson family, advocate Christina Laster, Bold Enterprises LLC, California Black Women’s Collective Empowerment Institute, Familias Empoderadas del Valle Central National Action Network, The Black Student Advocate, and the Ventura County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Thanking Hurtado for introducing this crucial legislation, Weber said, “The story of Yahushua Robinson last year was heartbreaking. We have protections for farm workers and other industries in the case of extreme weather, now climate change is forcing us to also extend similar protections to students at school.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

1 week ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.