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Transit & Smart Land Use Solutions
Suntrain

(more coming)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NBTMA

Regional Land use coverage:

(coming)

 

 From about 1990 - 96 , I was part of a six person start-up company that proposed setting up five train routes extending from Northern California into Southern California. Some of the design sketches for a sophisticated and needed Sun Train door-to-door rail system appear below.

 

Solar stations would supply power for hybrid door-to-door shuttles as well as serve as charging stations for the second generation of self-propelled rail cars that would be driven with rechargeable fuel cells.

Sun Train running gently upon the land through the Eel River Canyon.

 

Rail links to Reno and Lake Tahoe would return traveling for many to an enjoyable, community sharing, energy conserving experience.

In the mid-80's North Bay Transportation Management Association (NBTMA) was the first Northern California TMA to receive Caltrans funding. 

Encouraging businesses to increase carpooling and ridesharing was what the government bureaucrats wanted TMAs to do..  NBTMA supported, encouraged and worked to increase such beneficial efforts and went 'nuts' on stretching the box on related small transit innovations.  (See "Go Nuts" .  

However, when asked to move from a board position to directing the organization, I focused the organization's efforts on increasing regional awareness that smarter land use was the only way to address what was looming as a transportation crisis.

Of course, the government bureaucrats found my position that "smarter land use and educating the public now to its need..." a difficult answer to accept when they wanted to believe ride sharing was the answer.  Even after much Caltrans report writing from this funding recipient's end and a very successful Regional Land Use Conference in Petaluma, the bureaucrats and politicians still didn't want to see and tackle the politics behind the future self-induced gloomy traffic picture.

Being right on another issue doesn't make the car radio sound any better when one is stuck in wasteful. herky-jerky movements on today's gridlocked Highway 101.

Horay,  for the narrow minded NIMBYs who so often can parade as self-proclaimed environmentalists.  They sure know how to increase auto sales and have Americans consume foreign produced oil. 

Marin is not an island.  When the North Bay develops a land use policy that reinstitutes rail service, it can then begin linking the rest of the Bay Area and state.

Suntrain Golden Gate

 

These view far surpass those of gridlocked gas guzzlers.

Santa Cruz

Emerald Bay

Cotati Station

Suntrain schematic

 

Tam Valley Map  Needs PDF converter

Tam Valley Plan   Needs PDF Converter