Oakland's New Mayor Voices Support for Alternative Transportation

Newly elected Libby Schaaf, an Oakland native and former city councilmember, spoke like a tried-and-true alternative transportation advocate at a recent event.

1 minute read

February 1, 2015, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"New Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf showed promise as an executive with a smart vision for her city’s streets at the annual kick-off party for Young Professionals in Transportation’s SF Bay chapter this week," according to an article by Aaron Bialick.

Bialick goes on to do a point-by-point analysis of Mayor Schaaf's position as expressed at that event. The mayor's talking points included:

  • Schaaf plans to hire Oakland's first mayoral transportation advisor.
  • Schaaf responded with the words "twenty is plenty" to a question about Vision Zero policies to end pedestrian fatalities.
  • According to Bialick, "Schaaf plans to campaign for a transportation bond measure in 2016 to add to Measure BB, the half-cent sales tax increase approved by Alameda County voters in November that will raise $7.8 billion in transportation funding over 30 years."
  • Bialick also shares a direct quote (which employs some colorful local slang, though clumsily in the opinion of this editor) about the Mayor's opinion on a proposed second Transbay BART tube: "It will not be cheap… I think it will really reduce congestion. I hella love Oakland, but we do need to think regionally, and it would make a lot of sense for the region."

Friday, January 30, 2015 in Streetsblog SF

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