[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 2, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E117-E118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       KEEP BART-TO-SFO ON TRACK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 1999

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share a recent editorial 
that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle about the Bay Area Rapid 
Transit (BART) extension to the San Francisco International Airport 
(SFO), also known as the BART SFO Extension. This editorial strongly 
endorses the existing program and plans for extension of BART to the 
airport and Millbrae.
  The BART SFO Extension will connect the 95-mile, four county 
intermodal rail transit system of the Bay Area to the rapidly growing 
San Francisco International Airport. Four new stations will provide 
service to the airport and cities on the Peninsula offering millions of 
travelers fast and convenient connections to and from the airport and 
the greater metropolitan San Francisco Bay Area. The BART SFO Extension 
will improve mobility, productivity and economic opportunity, while 
alleviating traffic congestion and air pollution throughout the Bay 
Area.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to point out that 70 percent, or 
$2 billion, of the overall BART Extension program, which includes three 
extensions in the East Bay and the

[[Page E118]]

BART SFO Extension, is funded by state and local sources. All of the 
operating costs on each extension, including the BART SFO Extension, 
are being funded 100 percent locally. Only the BART SFO Extension is a 
recipient of federal capital funds. The project is an excellent model 
for federal, state and local cooperation.
  Mr. Speaker, the San Francisco International Airport is one of the 
country's fastest growing airports and has undertaken a locally funded 
$2.4 billion expansion program which includes a new international 
terminal and will double the size of the existing terminal. By the year 
2006, SFO is projected to increase air passenger travel by 70 percent, 
or 51 million total travelers a year. Without the BART SFO Extension 
the impact on traffic congestion and air pollution along adjacent Bay 
Area freeways would be staggering.
  The BART SFO Extension is a long-awaited regional project and is 
taking shape after more than two decades of painstaking planning, 
consensus-building, and the tireless efforts of a remarkable 
partnership forged among local, regional, state and federal officials 
and funding entities. In the past year, significant progress has been 
made on the BART SFO Extension. As a longtime supporter of the BART SFO 
Extension, I am pleased to report that construction is well underway 
and progressing rapidly.
  Mr. Speaker, the recent editorial in the Chronicle notes that after 
many years of planning, analysis, public input and consensus-building, 
the scope of the project is well established and construction is in 
high gear. Naturally, cashflow needs are substantial during the 
construction phase. In order to keep costs within budget and avoid 
expensive increases in financing costs and construction delays, it is 
imperative that BART secure federal appropriations consistent with 
levels identified in the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) funding 
schedule and as requested by the President in his budget submitted to 
the Congress yesterday.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that we, as federal partners in this project 
speak with one voice and commit the resources promised to deliver this 
project. The BART SFO Extension is a sound investment in our nation's 
future transportation infrastructure and I encourage my colleagues to 
join me in supporting appropriations that meet the FFGA targets.

                       Keep BART-to-SFO on Track

           [From the San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 11, 1999]

       A small group of Peninsula activists continues to try to 
     stymie BART's plans to run train service to San Francisco 
     International Airport.
       Its latest argument is that the $1 billion project, now 
     under construction, should be scaled back because it is 
     running over budget and federal funding is coming in slower 
     than expected. Specifically, the Coalition for a One-Stop 
     Terminal (COST) has suggested that BART should scrap the 
     portion that would extend service south of the airport, to a 
     Millbrae station.
       Given the importance of this project, we recently invited 
     representatives of BART and COST if for an Editorial Board 
     meeting to debate the issues.
       While it was clear that BART does have some serious budget 
     problems with the project, it was equally apparent that 
     elimination of the Millbrae station would not make any sense 
     from either an economic or transportation-planning 
     standpoint.
       For starters, scaling back the project would be inviting 
     Congress to reduce the funding even further. And a perception 
     of controversy on this project would make it easier for 
     lawmakers to justify shifting the money to projects in other 
     regions.
       Also, the airlines have agreed to put $113 million into the 
     project. A major revision of the plans, such as eliminating 
     the Millbrae extension, would require renegotiation of that 
     hard-won pact--with the possibility of a smaller airline 
     contribution.
       Moreover, the purpose of this project is to get air 
     travelers to take mass transit to SFO. It would seem 
     imperative to have at least one stop south of the airport. 
     Also, the Millbrae station would have a convenient cross-
     platfom connection with Caltrain.
       The debate about the best way to bring BART to the airport 
     has been settled. It is time to stop the obstructionist 
     tactics and make a strong, unified regional pitch for full 
     congressional funding.
       The region's leaders should be striving to keep this 
     project on budget and on schedule for its December 2001 
     completion.

     

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