As advocates for fast & efficient commutes, healthy air, and climate justice, we, the undersigned, call upon the administration to expedite a bus-only lane on the San Francisco – Oakland Bay Bridge and its approaches. A dedicated bus lane will fight climate change, improve mobility justice, lower health-threatening air pollution, and strengthen the regional economy by making transit reliable and fast across this vital corridor.

To achieve these goals, we urge you to direct Caltrans to work with the Bay Area Toll Authority to prioritize fast and reliable bus travel across the Bay Bridge corridor via dedicated and exclusive bus lanes that maximize the number of people that can move over the Bay.

This will significantly benefit the entire Bay Area including:
-The people who already ride the transbay bus routes from AC Transit, WestCAT and SolTrans and would benefit from more reliable and faster bus travel

-Those who need better connectivity between the East Bay, Treasure Island, and San Francisco and will be able to rely on improved transbay bus services

-Those who choose to continue to drive across the corridor as improved Transbay Bus service lowers competition for parking in San Francisco

-Those who will continue to choose to drive in San Francisco as this would reduce congestion on San Francisco’s surface streets,

A dedicated bus lane on the Bay Bridge Corridor will reduce commute times for tens of thousands of Californians, and spur economic growth, avoiding traffic gridlock that wastes millions of dollars of labor productivity every month. It will lower operational costs for transit agencies at a time when it is most needed, by enabling the same number of buses to move far more people in less time. This will also make it less costly for agencies to create new transbay routes and expand current offerings.

You have the power to implement a bus lane making our region more resilient in the face of the countless issues that can take the transbay BART tube out of commission for hours, days, weeks, or months and improve human health by lowering vehicle exhaust emissions.

We must work boldly to improve travel across the Bay Bridge corridor by focusing on moving the most people possible so our region can meet our mobility and climate goals. We urge that you implement a bus-lane on the Bay Bridge Corridor.

Sincerely,

The undersigned