Chief of Contra Costa Supervisors to ask state, feds to fix traffic

Oakland Tribune, Jan 5, 2004 by Tamara Grippi, STAFF WRITER

Pittsburg's Federal Glover, the incoming chairman of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, is ready to move forward on his first order of business: tackling the county's transportation woes.

At Tuesday's meeting, when Glover officially takes over the reins from outgoing chairman Mark DeSaulnier, the first-term supervisor plans to convene a new transportation task force to include U.S. Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and a host of other federal and state movers and shakers.

Glover believes the task force is necessary to provide much needed traffic relief to eastern Contra Costa County, including road improvements, BART extensions, widening of Highway 4 and completion of the Route 4 bypass.

In addition to California's two senators, the task force would also include Glover and Assemblymen Joe Canciamilla, D-Pittsburg, and Guy Houston, R-Livermore; state Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch; congressional representatives Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, George Miller, D-Martinez and Richard Pombo, R-Tracy; Supervisor Millie Greenberg of Danville, Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty and BART director Joel Keller.

The mayors of the cities of Pittsburg, Antioch, Oakley and Brentwood, a member of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors and a representative of the state's Business, Housing and Transportation Agency also will participate.

"All of these individuals have worked to solve transportation problems in their own way," Glover said. "It's time all of the folks are brought together to speak with one voice."

Glover argues that by collaborating, the state, federal and local officials will be able to make the most of scarce resources and expedite the traffic improvements.

The supervisor hopes the task force, dubbed Motivated Officials Vying to Expedite Improvements in Transportation (MOVE IT), will live up to its name.

With Contra Costa's population nearing 1 million, congestion is a countywide problem. "Growth is not going to stop -- development is not going to stop," Glover said. "We have to decide how to accommodate it."

However, the supervisor believes the traffic mess in east county requires immediate action.

He pointed to developments already approved, but not yet built, in places such as Antioch, Brentwood and Oakley.

Safety improvements are badly needed on Vasco Road, where fatal accidents occur all too frequently, the supervisor said.

The task force also will pursue the eBART project, to extend the public transportation system into downtown Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Byron and possibly Tracy.

The lightweight diesel trains may be able to run on the tracks of an old eastern county mining railroad.

Glover, a Pittsburg native, has been concerned about the lack of services to support the booming growth in eastern county, where 48 percent of the county's new development has occurred within the last decade.

"I've never been opposed to development and growth," Glover said. "I am opposed to the lack of infrastructure to support it."

The supervisor has supported keeping the county's urban-limit line in place until improvements to roads, public transit and other necessary services were completed.

He has championed a ballot measure that would give voters the final say over changes to the county's urban boundary. The board of supervisors is hoping to put that initiative on the November ballot.

With transportation at the top of his list, Glover said the county also needs to focus on maintaining its services in the midst of the continuing budget crunch.

Glover, who is up for re-election in March, will be a busy man. He plans to reach out to legislators to help keep county programs intact.

"When you find yourself in times like these, you can have a lot of things on your wish list," Glover said. "But with limited resources, we need to make sure we maintain the level of service for our constituents and prepare for the day when we begin to see the economic turnaround."

Supervisors will meet at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

in the board's chambers, 651 Pine St., Martinez.