The Central Contra Costa Transit Authority is conducting a Public Hearing at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 18, 2010 in the Board of Directors meeting room at County Connection’s administrative office, 2477 Arnold Industrial Way . The purpose of this hearing is to receive citizen comment on CCCTA’s draft ten-year Short Range Transit Plan FY2010-FY2019.

This plan represents the goals, objectives, and standards for the CCCTA along with a general evaluation of system performance; description of the CCCTA service area and transit services; and an outline of the CCCTA capital, financial and operational ten year plan. The plan includes both fixed-route and paratransit services operated by CCCTA.

Click here to download The County Connection Ten-Year Short Range Transit Plan Draft for FY 2010-2019.

Interested members of the public are invited to speak at the hearing, and/or any of the following: Submit written comments to:

CCCTA
Service Planning Department
2477 Arnold Industrial Way
Concord, CA 94520

FAX to:

925/686-2630
Attn: Service Planning Department

or Email to:

Planning@cccta.org

For more information, visit http://www.cccta.org/.

Are you a novice or recreational cyclist?

Always wanted to ride your bicycle to work?

511 Contra Costa can help, beginning with training and resources. We’re putting on a free two-day “Traffic Skills 101” class created by the League of American Bicyclists. We will provide you with a helmet or lock or bicycle tune up if you need one.

Get rewarded for riding your bicycle to work. Receive 0.49 cents per mile you ride your bicycle to work up to $100.00/month for three months.

Get compensated for taking transit for part of your commute. We’ll compensate you up to $100.00/month in transit passes for three months.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Interested in using a bicycle as a mode to get to work.
• Novice or recreational bicycle riding skill level only.
• Primarily drive alone to and from work prior to participation.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Have a valid driver’s license.
• Own or have access to a vehicle.
• Own or have access to a bicycle suitable for commuting to and from work.
• Resident or employee of Central or East Contra Costa County.  (Cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Martinez, Oakley, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and the unincorporated areas of Central and East Contra Costa County.)
• Complete and pass a two-day League of American Bicyclists “Traffic Skills 101” classes.

City of Pleasant Hill
100 Gregory Lane
Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
Saturday, April 17th: 5 hours
Saturday, April 24th: 6 hours

REI – Brentwood
2475 Sand Creek road
Brentwood, CA, 94513
Saturday, May 1st: 5 hours
Saturday, May 8th: 6 hours

• Bicycle to and from work at least two days a week for three months following the completion of the “Traffic Skills 101” class.
• Complete a monthly bicycle commuting diary for three months after completion of the “Traffic Skills 101” class.
• Complete a program questionnaire at the end of this program.
• Employers may be contacted to verify employment.

Program Rules:

• Participation is limited to 15 persons/location.
• Participants will be chosen from the pool of all online applications received.
• Deadline for online applications is Friday March 19^th, 2010.
• Reimbursement for bicycle-related equipment or services will be made on an as needed basis AND after completing and passing the LAB class.  Valid reimbursable equipment or services include: helmet (up to $40) or lock (up to $20) or tune-up (up to $40).  Original receipts of purchase or service must be provided to 511 Contra Costa in order to receive reimbursement. Reimbursement will be REI gift cards.
• Participants must have a properly fitted helmet and a property fitted bicycle that is in good working condition.
• Participants must try to incorporate transit as part of the bicycle work commute when practicable.
• If transit is incorporated into the commute, 511 Contra Costa will provide transit fare compensation up to $100/month for three months for the following transit agencies : AC Transit, ACE Train, BART, Capitol Corridor (Amtrak), County Connection, Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT.  Some restrictions may apply.
• Participants will be compensated $0.49 cents per mile they ride their bicycle to work up to $100.00/month for three months. Compensation will be a monthly check.
• 511 Contra Costa reserves the right to make any changes to the program and to the eligibility requirements and program rules.  Participants will be notified in advance of the changes.

Questions – Matt Wood – mwood@511contracosta.org

Deadline for applications is Friday March 19th, 2010

This Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 PM, Caltrans will host a community meeting on the upcoming construction of the 4th bore of  the Caldecott Tunnel. Caltrans officials will be on hand to answer questions from the community regarding construction, schedule, time line and community impact.

The meeting will be held at Orinda Community Center, 28 Orinda Way, Orinda.

Map of Proposed Caldecott Tunnel Expansion

For more information about the project, visit the Caldecott Tunnel Improvement Project website.

Sources: Contra Costa Times, City of Orinda

Free bike safety classes from the East Bay Bicycle Coalition are coming to an East Bay city near you soon!  The 3.5 hour Traffic Safety 101 Classroom Workshops are for ages 14 and up and are scheduled through mid November in locations all over the East Bay.  No bike required.  The EBBC has also scheduled two 6 hour long Traffic Safety 101 Road Classes in October and November.

The full schedule of these and all EBBC events is available on the EBBC website.

You can also read more in the Contra Costa Times.

Stop by this Saturday, August 29th 2009, for the unveiling of the bike/ped path across the Benicia Bridge. For directions and more information, please see the official invitation.

We’ve also put together a handy video showing how to do it.

511 Contra Costa will be at Addus Health Care in Concord on July 23rd to present the Countywide Commuter Transporatation Incentives.