February 6:
Future Ferries Conference at Oracle
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Charlene Haught Johnson, and
Assemblymember Gene Mullin await their
turn to answer questions at the Future
Ferries conference at Oracle |
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Oracle’s Randy Smith did double duty as
both Master of Ceremonies and audience
member at the Future Ferries conference |
February 7:
Aboard San Mateo Ferry Service
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| SF
Mayor Newsom (r) visited the Bay
Crossings along with (from left) WTA
Board President Charlene Haught Johnson,
Mrs. Lantos, Rep. Tom Lantos and, WTA
Board member Marina Secchitano(far
right) |
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|
Congressman Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo) was
so inspired by experiencing San Mateo
County ferry service that he pledged to
find even more federal money for boats |
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| SF
Mayor Newsom bonds with a young future
ferry rider from Redwood City |
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| San
Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (r) and
Rep. Tom Lantos and his family shared
their mutual enthusiasm for proposed
ferry service between their counties |
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|
Councilmember and WTA CAC member Pedro
Gonzalez and his wife on board the SSF
ferry |
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| San
Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom waits for
the Redwood City boat to dock at San
Francisco’s Downtown Ferry Terminal |
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| San
Mateo County Harbor District’s Leo
Padreddii (l) and Peter Grenell (r)
share a moment at the San Francisco
Farmers’ Market at the Downtown Ferry
Terminal with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom |
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| San
Mateo County residents brought the whole
family to experience the one-day preview
of ferry service to their county |
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New Ferry Service is on the
Horizon for San Mateo County
The San Francisco Bay Area Water
Transit Authority (WTA), along with several San
Mateo County co-sponsors, including the Water
Transit Advocates for San Mateo County, Port of
Redwood City, San Mateo County Harbor District,
Harbor Bay Ferry Service, and Oracle Corporation,
hosted two events to promote ferry service to that
county February 6/7.
Future Ferries, February 6, 10-11:30 a.m.: An
overflow crowd of about 70 policy-makers, business
and labor leaders, planners, and commuters enjoyed a
briefing on the future of ferries in San Mateo
County at Oracle’s Conference Center in Belmont.
|
“If
people rode ferries to work, they wouldn’t
need therapists.”
Congressman Tom Lantos |
A panel of experts, including
Assembly member Gene Mullin, pollster Alex Evans
from Evans-McDonough, and the WTA’s Board President
Charlene Haught Johnson, talked about proposed ferry
service and funding opportunities at the local,
regional, and federal levels. Of special interest
were Regional Measure 2 and local sales tax Measure
A, San Mateo’s half cent sales tax for transit
expected to be on the November ballot. If approved,
San Mateo County will receive $126 million for
ferries from RM2. Alex Evans explained how,
according to his survey data, inclusion of ferry
funding in Measure A was needed to ensure passage.
Experience San Mateo Ferry Service, February 7, 9
a.m-1p.m.: San Mateo residents got a taste of what
ferry service from their county will look like
(along with a taste of salt spray!) as two Harbor
Bay boats departed San Mateo County simultaneously
on a sunny Saturday morning at 9 a.m. One came from
Redwood City and one from South San Francisco (SSF).
Boats arrived at staggered times at the San
Francisco Downtown Ferry Terminal, each carrying
approximately 125 passengers who had RSVP’d for the
ride.
U. S. Rep. Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo), who recently
obtained $1 million in federal dollars for the SSF
ferry was among riders coming from SSF. Inspired by
the experience, Rep. Lantos pledged to obtain an
additional $4 million. San Francisco Mayor and WTA
Board member Gavin Newsom was on hand to greet
passengers as they arrived in San Francisco.
Reportedly, the only ones disappointed by the
experience were those unable to get a reservation,
since the waiting list was as long as the passenger
list. |
