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The Dublin Public Library offered an excellent venue for a discussion about the value of regional policy and planning at the Regional Transportation Issues forum on October 1, featuring two of the East Bay's foremost transportation experts, Art Dao, executive director of the Alameda County Transportation Commission (Alameda CTC), and Randy Iwasaki, who has that role with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). The event was organized by the East Bay Leadership Council's Transportation Task Force.

Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti, who chairs the Alameda CTC planning and policy committee, welcomed the audience and introduced the panel, which was moderated by Council Chair Terry Bowen.

Art Dao opened the forum with a description of the Alameda CTC, which he described as a small, countywide agency created two years ago by the consolidation of the Congestion Management Agency and the Transportation Improvement Authority. With only 25 in staff, the agency is governed by a 22-member board. Dao offered impressive statistics about the work of the Alameda CTC, noting that it was the first agency to operate a High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lane. "We are aggressive and progressive in the legislative and policy area, which is why we're out here engaging in this dialog," he said.

Randy Iwasaki joined CCTA from the top job at Caltrans in 2010 and operates with a board half the size of the Alameda CTC but a similar organizational structure. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Authority. Iwasaki noted that the model under which Caltrans operates is very different and calls the CCTA structure "a great model for success." He added that one of the agency's major projects, the Fourth Bore of the Caldecott, is nearing completion and will open "very soon."

Dao observed that the Bay Area is "blessed and cursed" because of its great diversity. "With 101 cities, 9 counties and 4 regional agencies, and Plan Bay Area, nowhere else in the U.S. is there this kind of governance ... it's very important to have consensus region-wide before we do anything. At the end of the day, whether we reach consensus is indicative of how we implement programs and projects. Bad planning will lead to bad projects, whether it's housing or transportation. We need to build consensus on regional policy."

"If we work together, the system works, and the private sector needs to give us feedback," said Iwasaki. "The Caldecott would not have been done but for the business community, and we continue to need your feedback ... to pass a bond measure, we need to get your support. We need your feedback about where you're going to build your next plant ..."

Iwasaki noted that Caltrans is working on a Bay Area and statewide plan for goods movement. "We've just started to talk with Art to ensure that Alameda as well as Contra Costa County's plans are reflected in that," he added. "Freight is very important to the health of the United States and California, with one out of every 8 jobs related to goods movement."

Discussion about the Tri-Link Study and access routes for the movement of goods and people across the region led to a discussion of priorities, money, and the changing political and economic landscape. "Conventional wisdom says that more capacity is always better, but the reality is we don't have all the money in the world," said Dao. Good transportation can co-exist with land use policy, but before we can add capacity, we have to deal honestly with land use policy."

When asked what the Council could do to support and advocate on infrastructure projects, Iwasaki's response was that by expanding beyond Contra Costa County, the Council has already done the first thing. "We need to tell the story about the positive economics of major transportation programs and to engage business and policy makers to talk about these things," added Dao. "You need to do economic assessments. You could tell that story."