The bay area transportation study

This paper describes a study program for developing in the San Francisco Bay Area a coordinated transportation plan which will include all transportation components operating as a system. The Bay Area Rapid Transit District, now under construction, is one component; others include the agencies for Bay crossings, the major airports and sea terminals, and the various highway and road departments responsible for motor vehicle transportation. The Bay Area itself is in several stages of development. The older central section, including the city of San Francisco, has its set of problems. The southern area, including San Jose, is in a stage of very rapid growth involving hundreds of thousands of people and many new traffic generators. The northern section is virtually undeveloped and needs better access to permit growth. The problem of systematizing transportation is complex, involving a variety of needs and a variety of modes to be coordinated during planning and in operation. Evaluation of cost factors is no longer limited to the transportation facilities themselves, and it is recognized that there are new forces that demand high aesthetic standards to protect the natural beauty of the area and high environmental standards to protect air and water. The economic forces are considerable and have had much to do with the present pattern of transportation development. The author discusses the financial resources of the area in relation to system requirements and political feasibility, and presents his views of other factors that influence transportation needs.