Local Funding Sources
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Laying the Foundation for Economic Growth:
Counties may place a sales tax measure for transportation purposes on the ballot for voter approval. With federal and state funding historically being insufficient to meet
FOUR DECADES OF TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENT IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY 1986-1995 1976-1985
all of California’s mobility needs, local sales tax revenues have provided more than 50 percent of new capital funding for the state’s transportation infrastructure over
1996-2005
1986-1995
the last several decades. Counties representing more than 85 percent of the state’s
2006-Present
The Early Years: County Transit Growing by Leaps and Bounds
population currently have in place local sales taxes for transportation purposes. Most of these taxes are temporary in nature and will expire if they are not renewed by the voters. Currently, Santa Clara County has three local transportation sales taxes in
1976-1985
place - one is permanent and two are temporary.
1996-2005
1986-1995
2006-Present
Strengthening the County’s Transportation Backbone Often it is said we must explore the past 1976-1985
to understand the present, and to shape
1986-1995
2006-Present 1996-2005 the future. In this four-part series, we
VTA Hits Its Stride
will reflect on how Santa Clara County’s transportation network was created over the last 40 years with thoughtful
1976-1985
planning, broad-based collaboration, and
1986-1995
1996-2005
a solid investment of your tax dollars. 2006-Present
hope that this series will provide Leveraging Emerging Technology to Maximize We Infrastructure Investment county residents and the businesses that 1994 Transit District Board of Supervisors: Dianne McKenna, Michael Honda, Rod Diridon, Zoe Lofgren, and Ron Gonzales
we serve with a deeper appreciation for
County’s first light rail vehicle in service, 1986
where we have been, as well as a clearer County’s first light rail line was underway with 50 cars and an initial 1.5 miles of track to test the trains, 1987
T
vision for where we are headed.
1976 he late 80’s and early 90’s saw numerous technolo-
The initial track, which spanned 1.5 miles, was essential for
gy advances, not the least of which was the birth of
testing the light rail vehicles as they were delivered. Addi-
x
=
the World Wide Web. The proliferation of personal com-
tional tracks were installed north of downtown San Jose in
puters and growing use of the internet made connections
December 1987.
with business, friends, and family fast and convenient. As
1984 the world electroniSilicon Valley was busy connecting
By June 1988, the two-mile stretch of tracks through revital-
10ized downtown San Jose opened for service. The entire 21cally, VTA was building the transportation infrastructure x Years = mile light rail line opened on April 21, 1991. The County now necessary to keep employees, equipment, and products moving. VTA was expanding its transportation network, building a mass transit system crisscrossing the growing urbanized area. County employees at Guadalupe Division, 1987
1602-0572
By 1987, the County received over $253 million from the federal government to fund the County’s first light rail
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority 3331 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95134 Administration (408) 321-5555 Customer Service (408) 321-2300
=
line. Construction officially commenced with the groundbreaking for the light rail maintenance facility, followed
vta.org
by construction of the first segment of in-street track.
had its first completed light rail line, connecting the suburban neighborhoods of south San Jose through downtown, and north to the industrial areas of Silicon Valley.
+
A significant change for County Transit occurred on January 1, 1995, when the organization was combined with the Congestion Management Agency (CMA), charged with the additional (continued on next page)
Santa Clara County Transportation, 1986-1995 S to
101
to en am
1986 • Light rail maintenance facility is complete.
880
Atherton
to
• County’s first light rail line is Woodside underway with 50 cars and an initial track of 1.5 Two miles of track were built through downtown San Jose,miles 1988to test the trains.
Palo Alto
Sa
nF
1987 • Tracks are installed north of San Jose.
(continued)
responsibility for planning and constructing highway, bike,
Portola Valley
1988 five City of San Jose council two County Supervisors,
es the efficiency and performance of the entire transpor-
• Two miles of light rail track are built members, and five city council members selected through downtown San Jose. from the remaining 14 cities in the County. The Board 1989 became responsible for setting policy on multi-modal, • Highway 17 Express begins service in the countywide transportation andPrieta the integration wakeplanning of the Loma Earthquake. of
tation network. The signing of a new joint powers agree-
transportation and land use planning as well as for transit
and pedestrian infrastructure within the county. Consolidating responsibility for these planning and development efforts allows for greater coordination, as well as maximiz-
ment by the County of Santa Clara and the 15 cities in the county combined the Santa Clara County Transit District with the CMA. This action coincided with the effective date of new legislation, which reconstituted the Board of Directors, an event that has commonly been referred to as the “separation” of the Transit District from the County.
Expanded Roles and Responsibilities With the creation of this new organization, the composition of the Board of Directors changed from five directors,
1991 operations. For the first time, this gave a single policy • The Caltrain Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) is created, including board the unique opportunity to make and implement one member from VTA. transportation policy over all of Santa Clara County. The April 21, 1991 new Board made it possible to take a regional approach • 21 miles of light rail open for service. to transit and land use planning issues. Recognizing the December 1991 change that occurred• inCapitol 1995,Corridor the new nameRail of “Santa Intercity Service begins. Clara Valley Transportation Authority” (VTA) was adopted January 1995 in January 1996 and•in VTA December of that a new is designated as year, the Congestion Management Agency. corporate identity was created for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
all County Supervisors, to 12 directors consisting of:
Morgan Hill
YAHOO SANTA CLARA
ran
CONVENTION CENTER Alviso
cis
280
Light rail maintenance facility completed in 1986
SOUTH COUNTY
r ac
Redwood City
680
262
co
237
Milpitas
San Martin
101 237
CITY HALL/PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 82
Mountain View
Los Altos Hills Los Altos
Gilroy
GUADALUPE DIVISION: Sunnyvale
101 680
280
Santa Clara
82
SAP CENTER
ADOBE HEADQUARTERS SAN JOSE CONVENTION CENTER
880
San Jose 85
Cupertino
280
280
82 87 101
Santa Clara County Demographics 2,000,000
Campbell Saratoga 85
1,500,000
17
LEGEND:
85
9
VTA 1,000,000
LRT Passenger Rail Highway 17 Express
Monte Sereno
IBM Los Gatos
500,000
101
to Santa Cruz
0
1970
to Gilroy
1980
1986 Population Jobs County’s first light rail line is underway with 50 cars and an initial track of 1.5 miles to test the trains.
Source: Association of Bay Area Governments (www.abag.ca.gov)
1989 Highway 17 Express begins service in the wake of the Loma Prieta earthquake.
Santa Clara County Demographics
December 1991 Capitol Corridor Intercity Rail Service begins.
January 1995 VTA designated as the Congestion Management Agency.
Highway Trust Fund The Highway Revenue Act of 1956 established the Highway Trust
2,000,000
Fund to provide a dedicated source of revenues for transportation.
1,500,000
The Highway Trust Fund is intended to be a “pay-as-you-go” system that uses receipts from excise taxes to fund federal surface
1,000,000
transportation programs. In 1983, the Highway Trust Fund was 500,000
divided into the Highway Account and the Mass Transit Account. Over the years, Congress has enacted multi-year legislation
0
1970
Twenty-one miles of light rail opened for service on April 21, 1991
1980 Population
1990
Jobs
Source: Association of Bay Area Governments (www.abag.ca.gov)
authorizing federal spending for surface transportation programs from the Trust Fund.