[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 156 (Saturday, November 8, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2225-E2226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  BART BREAKS GROUND ON RAPID TRANSIT TO SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL 
                                AIRPORT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, November 7, 1997

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the groundbreaking 
of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit [BART] Extension to the San 
Francisco International Airport [SFO]. The groundbreaking, which took 
place on Monday of this week, marked one of the most significant 
transportation milestones in the bay area. It was my great pleasure to 
join the many residents and elected officials of the peninsula and the 
bay area who have worked hard to bring fast, efficient mass 
transportation to the San Francisco Airport. It was a great pleasure to 
participate in the festivities marking the long-awaited beginning of 
construction of this world-class transportation link for the entire bay 
area.
  Mr. Speaker, the BART Extension to the airport will connect the 95 
mile, four-county BART rapid transit system to the fifth busiest 
airport in the united States and the seventh busiest airport in the 
world. The 8.7 mile extension will consist of 7.5 miles of new mainline 
track, much of which will be underground, and 1.2 miles of track 
linking the system with the San Francisco International Airport. The 
BART Extension will expand commuter rail service on the peninsula in 
and out the city through three new stations in peninsula communities--
South San Francisco, San Bruno and Millbrae--and a station at the 
airport. The BART Extension will provide fast and easy service for 
travelers directly to the airport for the entire bay area, including 
the east bay.
  Mr. Speaker, the BART Extension to the airport is the cornerstone of 
BART's rail expansion program--the biggest bay area transit project 
since BART was built in the early 1970's. The project is also an 
excellent model for Federal-State cooperation in public transportation 
investment. Fully seventy percent of BART's expansion program is paid 
for by State and local funds.
  The voters of San Mateo County have indicated their overwhelming 
support for the BART Extension at the ballot box in a series of 
referenda data back to 1980's when voters approved measures in 1985 and 
1987 which allocated local funding through SamTrans to bring BART to 
the airport. Subsequent measures in 1992 and 1994 reaffirmed our 
region's support for a BART Extension to the airport and the 
willingness of our residents to contribute a fair share of those costs.
  Mr. Speaker, the BART Extension will provide fast and convenient 
access for travelers and will help alleviate traffic congestion on 
neighboring freeways. Traffic on peninsula freeways near the airport 
and into San Francisco already exceed existing highway capacities, 
particularly during peak commute periods. The airport is already the 
single largest generator of traffic congestion-over 65 percent of air 
passengers and employees drive to the airport. The airport's own 
expansion program is expected to increase annual air traffic by some 70 
percent by the year 2006. The extension of BART to the airport will 
provide much-need effective mass transit alternative for travelers 
throughout the bay area.
  Mr. Speaker, the BART Extension to the airport will also provide an 
important economic catalyst for San Mateo County and the entire bay 
area. The extension will create or sustain between 30,000 and 40,000 
construction jobs and more than 12,000 permanent jobs once the 
extension is in operation. Construction will create new business 
opportunities for peninsula suppliers and vendors. When completed, the 
BART Extension will improve access to local businesses and retailers 
and will significantly enhance the region's important travel and 
tourism industry.
  Mr. Speaker, the BART Extension will provide an effective 
transportation alternative for hundreds of thousands of bay area 
residents

[[Page E2226]]

to help provide relief from wasted time and energy spent tied up in 
traffic congestion. BART's expected ridership on the peninsula will 
eventually reduce close to 100,000 cars a day on neighboring freeways. 
Getting people out of their cars and off of freeways will help improve 
air quality in our region and will conserve fuel.
  We have waited a long time on the peninsula for relief from the 
gridlock which exists on our freeways, Mr. Speaker. I have been a 
strong and consistent advocate since the 1950's for a mass transit 
system completely around the San Francisco Bay. I see the beginning of 
construction on the long-awaited extension of BART to the airport as a 
further important step in that direction. I look forward to the day 
when construction is complete and we will put this much-needed rapid 
transit extension to the airport into service.

                          ____________________