Held on January 29, the Bay Area Transportation and Land Use Coalition’s symposium, Community Vision: Regional Action, drew more than 180 activists and elected leaders from around the region.
Keynote speaker Congresswoman Barbara Lee detailed federal legislation she has introduced and actions she is prepared to take to support each point in the Coalition’s platform. Lee demonstrated a solid grasp of the connections between transportation and land use — discussing welfare recipients’ barriers to getting jobs, improving the design of communities for access and walkability, and measuring transportation investments for cost-effectiveness.
Community Vision: Regional Action was the third symposium the Coalition has hosted to convene activists from across the region to review the previous year’s accomplishments and to plan for the year ahead. In 1999 the Coalition successfully raised funds to support its lead organizations and place field staff in the Bay Area’s hot spots. Chair Stuart Cohen announced the opening of the Coalition’s Silicon Valley field office, staffed by coordinator Kimberly Strickland.
From its initial campaign to shape the Regional Transportation Plan in 1998, the Coalition’s local and regional campaigns have broadened significantly. The strategy sessions at the symposium spanned the range of issues that Coalition member organizations are shaping in their communities. The Coalition has continued to distinguish itself through its use of regional tools to address local concerns.
