Thank you for attending the Move Bay Area East: Connecting the Bay Summit!

Contra Costa Supervisor & MTC Commissioner detailed the 20-year history of developing the Iron Horse Trail bike expressway, noting that 5 out of 6 East Bay transit agencies face looming structural deficits, and called for balanced, outcome-based funding policies that account for the massive operational costs and infrastructure wear-and-tear of mandated EV buses.

Executive Director, SF Bay Ferry shared plans for expanding direct employer transit routes and making ferry service the primary line of transit for Treasure Island over the next 10 years. He emphasized shifting away from traditional farebox recovery metrics toward service investments, and noted that zero-emission options are possible as policy continues to incentivize manufacturing technology.

Executive Director, East Bay EDA emphasized the urgency of building multi-stakeholder coalitions like a "Friends of Iron Horse Trail" and highlighted that reliable transit is an economic backbone crucial for keeping workers and businesses in high-cost areas.

Disabilities Advocate & Civic Spark Fellow advocated for an "Inside-Outside" community engagement framework and said that accessible infrastructure improvements like tactile wayfinding and automated doors at major hubs like El Cerrito del Norte benefit every single rider. His battle cry: ”Nothing about us without us."

Concord City Councilmember highlighted Contra Costa’s largest city, Concord, its progressive Bike & Ped Master Plan, and the successes with turning the Concord Naval Weapons Station into city spaces, work places, and regional parklands,  all connected with transit.

Assistant General Manager, AC Transit shared the successes of three-month ridership growth helped by rider safety improvements, and AC Transit’s "Realign" program, which helped close a $200M structural deficit.

Bike Advocate & BART Board Member shared the evolution of bicycle access on BART since restrictions were lifted in 1994, reporting that safe access networks, secure lockers, and reconfigured cars allowed 55% of modern BART users to arrive at their destinations car-free.

CEO, Choice in Aging called out the rigid operational and financial limitations of paratransit mandates that subject seniors to grueling travel times. She also showcased successful, flexible, volunteer-driven community alternatives that cut paratransit costs by 50%.

General Manager, WestCAT spoke about how WestCAT bridges regional transit gaps for western Contra Costa communities like Hercules and Crockett where 93% of residents work outside the service boundaries. The high-capacity double-decker buses to San Francisco are super popular. He reiterated the importance of collaborating on seamless, multi-agency "One Seat Ride" programs.