MTC Briefing: MTC Names Andrew Fremier New Executive Director; Executive Director McMillan Leaves Lasting Legacy Advancing Equity, Transportation, Housing; Court Ruling Upholds Regional Measure 3

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Metropolitan Transportation Commission MTC Briefing: Jan/Feb 2023

MTC Names Andrew Fremier New Executive Director

MTC named Andrew B. Fremier as its new Executive Director. This position also serves as the top executive for the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).

Mr. Fremier, who has served since 2005 as an MTC deputy executive director, succeeds Therese W. McMillan, who retired Feb. 1 after four years as Executive Director. Prior to joining MTC, Mr. Fremier served as the Chief Deputy District Director for Caltrans’ Oakland-based District 4. A licensed civil engineer, Mr. Fremier held a variety of positions during his 20 years at Caltrans, including leading the Toll Bridge and Highway construction program and developing the state Toll Bridge Seismic Retrofit Program. More

Top Stories
Executive Director McMillan Leaves Lasting Legacy Advancing Equity, Transportation, Housing MTC recognized Therese W. McMillan, executive director of MTC and ABAG since 2019, with a Resolution of Appreciation for her nearly four decades of “innovative, inclusive and uplifting work” at multiple levels of government. MORE
MTC Invites Comments on Draft Public Participation Plan
MTC in late February released its Draft 2023 Public Participation Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area, inviting public review and comment on a fundamental document guiding the agency’s public engagement for an array of projects and programs. MORE
Court Ruling Upholds Regional Measure 3
The state Supreme Court in late January dismissed challenges to the Bay Area Traffic Relief Plan approved by Bay Area voters in 2018 through Regional Measure 3. “We are extremely gratified by the Supreme Court’s ruling,” said MTC/BATA Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza. “We look forward to moving quickly to unlock the toll funds approved by voters and to putting those dollars to work on long-needed projects to improve mobility and create new jobs across the Bay Area.” MORE
State, Local Agencies Announce Commitments to Create a Climate-Resilient Highway 37
State and local agencies announced a partnership agreement and a suite of commitments to implement near-term improvements to the San Francisco Bay Area’s Highway 37 while pursuing long-term projects to create a more climate-resilient corridor. The 21-mile-long roadway from U.S. 101 to I-80 connects job markets and housing within Marin, Sonoma, Napa and Solano counties. MORE
New State Grant Awards Give Big Boost to Bay Area Rail Expansion, Modernization Projects
MTC members and Bay Area transit leaders thanked state legislators, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) Secretary Toks Omishakin for their leadership in advancing a new generation of Bay Area transit investment through the more than $2.5 billion of grants awarded by CalSTA through the state’s Transit and Intercity Rail Capital program (TIRCP). MORE
Budget Belt-Tightening Squeezes Transportation, Housing, Resilience
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed state budget issued in January for the 2023-24 fiscal year includes major cuts to funding for transportation, climate and housing that were included in last year’s budget. The cuts to transit funding could affect major Bay Area capital priorities. MORE
Transit Operating Funds, Investments in Bay Area Transportation and Housing Top 2023 Advocacy Priorities
MTC and ABAG have finalized their joint state and federal priorities for the 2023 legislative session. MTC/ABAG staff advocate for the Bay Area’s priorities in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and the 2023 MTC/ABAG Joint Advocacy Program will guide their work for the year. MORE
Broad Coalition Urges State to Craft Budget with Transit Operations in Mind
MTC in January joined dozens of other organizations from around California as signatories to a letter urging the chairs of the budget committees in both the state Senate and Assembly to include a major, multi-year funding commitment for transit agency operations in the fiscal 2023-24 state budget being developed in Sacramento. The letter reflects MTC's identification of state support for transit operations as the Commission's top priority for the 2023 legislative session. MORE
Black History Month: African American Contributions to Transportation Highlighted
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials has produced a vital history of contributions to transportation made by African-Americans. The Association’s site features biographies, photos and the compelling stories of pioneers who played key roles in the development of transportation in the United States. MORE
MTC Hosts Roundtable on Asian Transit Safety
MTC hosted a Federal Transit Administration-sponsored roundtable to gauge how safe the Bay Area’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities feel using public transit. The free-form discussion about the communities’ perception of public transportation and about ways transit systems can improve to better serve and meet the communities’ needs led to key takeaways and action items that FTA and local transit agencies can use to improve the AA & NHPI rider experience. MORE
Bay Area Needs $7.6 Billion to Unlock 33,000 Affordable Homes Currently in the Pipeline
Enterprise Community Partners and the  Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) have issued new research revealing that there are 395 affordable housing developments in various stages of predevelopment across the nine-county Bay Area that would create an estimated 32,944 affordable homes in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. The analysis found that these developments need $7.6 billion in public financing to move forward. MORE
Bay Area Housing Finance Authority to Simplify Search for Affordable Housing
BAHFA is beginning a project to develop and implement the Doorway Housing Portal, an online portal that will enable residents to search for affordable housing anywhere in the nine-county Bay Area and complete an application in less than 10 minutes. Scheduled to launch in early 2024, the Doorway Housing Portal will serve as a one-stop shop for housing seekers. MORE
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