September 20 to October 1, 2010, 511 Contra Costa and the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority will offer free rides on LAVTA’s Route 70X for riders who commute on Interstate 680 between the Tri-Valley, Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill.
By participating in the 70X promotion, you can take a break from traffic and unwind during the commute and arrive at work or home relaxed and ready for a productive day or fun evening. And with direct service between the Dublin/Pleasanton, Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill BART stations, you’ll help tackle traffic congestion, too!
To participate in the WHEELS 70X promotion, contact your Human Resource Manager or visit www.wheelsbus.com for a registration form. As an added incentive, we’re sponsoring a drawing for a free Apple iPod Nano for riders who complete a New Rider Survey and report their two-week trial experience.
The free two-week pass is valid on Route 70X only. If you need a transfer to other WHEELS’ buses or County Connection be sure to request one from the driver as you board the bus. Not valid on Dial-A-Ride Paratransit service. Free pass is sponsored by 511 Contra Costa and made possible with grants from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Transportation Fund for Clean Air and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s 1?2 cent sales tax for Transportation Improvements Projects.
For more information on the web, Read the Contra Costa Times article: Free bus rides offered on Interstate 680 between Dublin/Pleasanton BART, Pleasant Hill BART stations.
Category: Events
GreenFEST Contra Costa 2010 will be held Saturday, August 14
GreenFEST 2010 will be held at the Contra Costa Association of Realtors (CCAR) in Walnut Creek on Saturday, August 14th from 10 AM- 4 PM at:
CCAR Parking Lot
1870 Olympic Boulevard, Walnut Creek
- This FREE event will feature organic food, music, educational demos, e-waste receptacles, a garden center and kids’ zone.
- Bring a Food Bank donation and get a spin on the PRIZE wheel. Fantastic prizes and giveaways from Club Sport, Broadway Plaza shops, the sponsors.
- Trade a Bag program (bring your plastic bags to trade for a cloth shopping bag).
- There will be FREE e-recycle and document shredding services; recycle your old cell phones.
- Featured demos and speakers on things like Green Travel, how to be a green business and home improvements that don’t break the bank.
GreenFEST is is a fundraiser for Contra Costa Association of Realtors “Helping Hands”. Helping Hands is a nonprofit that contributes to the Moses Guillory Scholarship Fund, CCAR Scholarship Fund, and other worthwhile causes throughout the area.
For more information, visit the GreenFEST Contra Costa website.
To purchase tickets, call 925.876.0966 or email info@GreenFESTContraCosta.com
Click on the map below to view the venue:
Click here to download a PDF file of the GreenFEST 2010 venue map
Closure July 29- Aug 2, 2010
According to Caldecott-tunnel.org, Caltrans will close the connector between westbound Route 24 and Northbound Highway 13 beginning at 5 PM on Friday- July 30 until Monday-August 2 at 5 AM. Traffic seeking northbound Hwy 13 will be detoured onto the Caldecott Lane off-ramp. Signs will guide motorists to northbound Hwy 13.
Source:
• Caldecott-tunnel.org
Treat Boulevard closures planned for completion of Iron Horse Pedestrian Bridge
The bridge erection work for the new Iron Horse Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge over Treat Boulevard requires the closure of the intersection of Treat Boulevard and Jones Road on the weekend of July 23-25, 2010. This bridge is located in the vicinity of the Pleasant Hill BART station. The entire intersection of Treat Boulevard and Jones Road will be shut down during the bridge erection operation. This work will be performed at night in order to minimize traffic disruption.
The bridge erection is scheduled to take 2 nights to complete. During the bridge erection, Treat Boulevard will be closed from Oak Road to Cherry Lane. Jones Road will be closed from the Pleasant Hill BART station to 200 feet south of Treat Boulevard. A detour plan will be in place during the closure. A copy of the detour plan is posted on the County’s website at www.cccpublicworks.org. Work will occur on the following nights from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. the following morning:
- Friday night, July 23
- Saturday night, July 24
Subsequent night operations will take place intermittently between July 25th and August 13th with as-needed lane closures (full intersection closures will not be necessary for these operations) to complete the bridge construction.
Click here to download the Treat Blvd traffic closure detour plan
County Connection Route 4/Free Ride Trolley Detour on Saturday, July 17th
The Route 4 – Free Ride Trolley – will detour in the Northbound direction on Saturday, July 17 to serve the opening festivities at the new Walnut Creek library.
- Traveling from the Broadway Plaza, from North Main St., the bus will turn right on Cypress, and left on Broadway to stop in front of the library.
- The bus will then cross Civic Dr. and turn left on Carlback to Main St. and resume the regular route.
- Stops at Main at Bonanza and Main at Civic will not be served in the Northbound direction on Saturday only.
For route and schedule information, call 676-7500 or visit www.cccta.org
Portions of I-580 and I-680 closed this weekend
This weekend, July 17 and 18, BART and Caltrans will close a portion of Interstate 580 and 680 between Dublin and Pleasanton.
Crews will be working to complete installation of pedestrian bridges that will provide access to the new West Dublin station.
Eastbound I-580 from the San Ramon/Foothill Road exit will be closed and on the I-680 interchange, partial lane closures will begin at 11 p.m. each Saturday night. The lanes will be completely closed from 2-6 AM each Sunday and will resume with partial closures until 9 AM.
If you are driving on eastbound I-580 during the closure, follow detour signs to use Foothill Road to Stoneridge Drive.
For questions or concerns, call 866-435-2278 or e-mail BART project manager James Gravesande at jgraves@bart.gov.
Source: Contra Costa Times
BART's Looking for Your Input on the East Contra Costa Extension
Construction on BART’s eastward extension, which will span 10 miles from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station towards Hillcrest Avenue, is set to begin this fall. The extension will fulfill the first phase of the eBart project, which aims to bring BART into East County. It should be completed by 2015.
BART will be providing a project overview and gathering feedback about fares, station access, and hours of operation at three venues next week. Be sure to stop by one of the meetings to give your input!
The first meeting will take place at Antioch’s Nick Rodriguez Community Center in the Multi-Use Room on Monday July 12 from 6:30pm-8:00pm, the second will be at the Brentwood Senior Center on Thursday July 15 from 6:30pm-8:00pm, and the third will be at the Pittsburg Senior Center on Saturday July 17 from 10:00am-11:30am.
Sunday, June 6 2010: "Bike the Bridges" to benefit Special Olympics Northern California
This Sunday, bike a 25-mile course starting at Waterfront Park in Martinez, cross the Carquinez Bridge, ride through Benecia, and cross the Benicia-Martinez Bridge. For a more challenging 50-mile ride, participants may complete the course twice.
The event is called “Bike the Bridges” and is sponsored by local police departments. The event is a fundraiser benefitting Special Olympics Northern California.
Registration is $40 and begins at 8:30 am in Waterfront Park in Martinez. A post-ride lunch is included in the registration.
Collect $150 in pledges to earn a free lunch and commemorative coin, or $250 to earn an additional bike jersey.
For more information, visit http://bikethebridges.kintera.org.
Source: Contra Costa Times
AC Transit invites public comment on proposed 8 percent service cut
For the second time in 2010, AC Transit is considering a service cut. On March 28, 2010 the transit agency cut roughly eight percent of its service by eliminating or consolidating routes and removing stops. It is currently eyeing an additional service reductions of another eight percent by cutting service across the board, on weekends, or after 10 PM.
On May 26th, 2010 the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposed service reductions during two sessions to be held at 2 PM and 6 PM at the AC Transit administration building, 1600 Franklin St. in Oakland.
In addition, the agency is accepting comments online, via email, by phone, and by postal mail.
For more information:
- AC Transit eyes more service cuts, Contra Costa Times
- AC Transit eyes 8 percent service cut, Contra Costa Times
Spend an evening exploring the Iron Horse and Contra Costa Canal trails with 511CC on May 13, 2010
To celebrate Bike to Work Day, 511 Contra Costa will host an Evening on the Trails from 4-6:30 PM on May 13th, 2010.
Families and area residents are encouraged to climb aboard their bikes to explore the Iron Horse and Contra Costa Canal trails, visiting energizer stations for complimentary refreshments, giveaways, bicycling safety tips and a raffle for a new bike. The stops include Civic, Heather Farm, Larkey and Walden parks.
For more information:
- Call: 925-969-0841, ext. 207
- Read the Contra Costa Times article: Evening on the Trails offers family fun after hours
- Visit our Bike to Work Day page and scroll down to: Evening on the Trails: An After-Hours Family Bicycling Event to download the event flyer
City of Martinez Becomes 5th Bay Area City to Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Three ChargePoint Stations Located in Downtown Martinez to be Unveiled on Earth Day, 4/22/10, 11:00 am at City Hall
Martinez, CA – The City of Martinez is proud to announce that it will become the fifth Bay Area city to install ChargePoint® Networked Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles (EV). The three 120V stations, manufactured by Coulomb Technologies, a leader in EV charging station infrastructure, are located in and around downtown Martinez, including one at City Hall; one at Main and Court streets; and one at the Amtrak Station.
The official unveiling takes place during a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, 2010 at Martinez City Hall, located at 525 Henrietta Street. City officials including Mayor Robert Schroder and representatives from Coulomb Technologies will be on hand for the ceremony, which will include a demonstration of the station in use with a Prius plug-in hybrid vehicle.
Continue reading “City of Martinez Becomes 5th Bay Area City to Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations”
County Connection Introduces First Hybrid Electric Buses
Concord, Calif. – On Saturday, April 24th Contra Costa residents can get a sneak peak at County Connection’s first hybrid electric buses before they officially go into service. County Connection will host an Earth Day event from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. The public is invited to take a free “test ride” on the new bus that will travel between Walnut Creek BART and Heather Farm Park throughout the duration of the Earth Day event on Saturday, to experience first hand the smooth, quiet ride of the new hybrid electric buses. Continue reading “County Connection Introduces First Hybrid Electric Buses”
AC Transit and BART Public Hearings for Paratransit fare changes
This month, there will be two public meetings in Oakland to discuss paratransit fares and two policy changes.
From the AC Transit blog:
The Consortium will consider an increase in the ADA paratransit fares, plus two policy changes: billing for rider fault no-shows and doubling the fare paid for non-ADA group trips. This public hearing is to accept public comment on the proposed fare changes.
If you would like to attend one of the meetings, details are below:
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
12:30 – 1:30 pm
AC Transit General Offices
2nd Floor Board Room
1600 Franklin Street, Oakland
Thursday, April 22, 2010
9:00 am
BART Board Room, 3rd Floor
Kaiser Center 20th Street Mall
344 20th Street, Oakland
For more information:
San Ramon Valley Transportation Summit 2010
Save the Date! The City of San Ramon, Town of Danville, and 511 Contra Costa invite you to attend an informational San Ramon Valley Transportation Summit. The event will be on Monday, May 3, 2010 featuring:
Sal Castaneda, Award winning TV News Reporter from the Bay Area’s own KTVU News
San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson
Danville Mayor Mike Doyle
Randy Rentscheler, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Director of Legislation and Public Affairs
San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson
Danville Mayor Mike Doyle
Randy Rentscheler, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) Director of Legislation and Public Affairs
Event Information:
Date: Monday, May 3, 2010
Time: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM, *Breakfast included*
What: Click here to view a tentative schedule and topics.
Location:
San Ramon Community Center (Terrace Room)
12501 Alcosta Blvd
San Ramon, CA 94583
Continue reading “San Ramon Valley Transportation Summit 2010”
On April 15th, talk about the Iron Horse Trail, BART to Livermore, Alamo Canal Trail, I-580 and more
On Thursday, April 15 2010, the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority is sponsoring a two hour meeting from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Dublin City Hall, 100 Civic Plaza.
Presentations and discussion will include the following transportation improvement projects in Eastern Alameda County:
- Route 84 Expressway – widening a 4.6-mile section of Isabel Avenue from Ruby Hill Drive to Jack London Boulevard in Livermore
- I-580 corridor improvements: Congestion relief, construction of auxiliary lanes and High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes
- BART to Livermore: Studies to evaluate improvements in the I-580 corridor and preparations for a future rail corridor
- Alamo Canal Trail: A multi-use, 3.6-mile path linking Dublin and Pleasanton
- Iron Horse Trail: Studies to explore possible trails, and trail gaps near Dublin/Pleasanton BART
For more information:
- Download the ACTIA flyer for the meeting.
- Visit the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority website for the event.
Source: Transportation improvements in eastern Alameda County, Contra Costa Times
Lamorinda Transportation Commuter Fair Wed. April 28, 11:30 am-1:30 pm
SAVE THE DATE! You and your employees are invited to attend this upcoming Transportation Commuter Fair.
Lamorinda Transportation Commuter Fair
Wed. April 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Lafayette Library & Learning Center Community Hall
3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd & First Street
The Transportation Commuter Fair will benefit all employers and employees who travel to, through or from Contra Costa County. Lamorinda employers and employees are especially encourage to attend. Visit our booths to learn how to improve your commute.
Stop by to:
- Lower your Commuter Costs
- Apply for a Free Guaranteed Ride Home
- Discover Available Parking Options
- Get ready for Bike to Work Day May 13, 2010
- Register for the “Spare the Air 2010” Program
- Get FREE Lunch and Goodies!
- Save you & your Employer Money
- Find Alternatives to Driving
- Find a Carpool or Vanpool Partner
Sponsored by 511 Contra Costa in cooperation with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation Fund for Clean Air.
For more information contact:
Darlene Amaral, Lamorinda 511 Contra Costa Representative
(925) 973-2655
damaral@511contracosta.org
www.511contracosta.org
Public Hearing on County Connection’s Draft Ten-Year Short Range Transit Plan, March 18, 2010
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/.
Bicycle Commuter Assistance Program
Update: This program is no longer available. Please see our Program of the Week for a current program.
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.
Continue reading “Bicycle Commuter Assistance Program”
Caltrans to hold community meeting on construction plans for Caldecott Tunnel's 4th bore
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.
For more information about the project, visit the Caldecott Tunnel Improvement Project website.
Sources: Contra Costa Times, City of Orinda
East Bay Bike Coalition Free Bike Safety Classes Starting Soon!
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.
Grand Opening of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge Bike/Ped Path
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.
Update: Here are some photos of how to get onto the bike/ped path:
Bike/pedestrian access point to the Benicia/Martinez bridge path
Close-up of bike/pedestrian access point to the Benicia/Martinez bridge path
Macro view of access to the path from the Marina Vista Street level
Addus Health Care Transportation Incentives Workshop
511 Contra Costa will be at Addus Health Care in Concord on July 23rd to present the Countywide Commuter Transporatation Incentives.
Bank of America's Bring Your Child to Work Day
511 Contra Costa will be handing out bike bells and bicycle safety quizes to children touring Bank of America’s corporate offices in Concord on Wednesday, July 22.
Safeway Relocation
On Thursday, July 30th 511 Contra Costa will be at Safeway’s offices on Ygnacio Valley Road in Walnut Creek to assist employees with their commute planning in preparation for their relocation to Pleasanton.
