This is an archive of a past election.
See http://www.smartvoter.org/ca/alm/ for current information.
Alameda, Contra Costa County, CA November 6, 2012 Election
Smart Voter Political Philosophy for Fred Wright Lopez

Candidate for
Director; San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District; District 3

[photo]
This information is provided by the candidate

Fred Wright Lopez For B A R T Director Public transportation is a lifeline not a life style choice. Since losing my vision while working as an attorney for a Federal law enforcement agency, I have devoted myself to improving public transit access and safety for the blind, disabled and seniors. I currently sit as a member of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's Policy Advisory Council and previously served on the contra Costa Transportation Authority's Citizen's Advisory Council. In addition, I have served as a board member of the Lion's Blind Center of Oakland; and the Regional Center of the East Bay

My wife, Yolanda Baldovinos and I have been East Bay residents since the early 1970's when we first met as students at UC Berkeley. Together we have raised three sons in Oakland and Lafayette and actively volunteered in Alameda and Contra Counties. After graduating from Boalt Hall - UC Berkeley Law School I started my legal career working for the Office for Civil Rights, Department of Health Education & Welfare. Following a few years in private practice I accepted a position with the U.S. Treasury Department in criminal and regulatory law enforcement at times doing duty as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and foreign country liaison until my retirement.

Major issues I will work on as a BART Director

- Reducing Crime & Improving Safety Property and violent crime are rapidly escalating on the BART system. Passengers should not ride BART in fear for their personal safety or that of their loved ones. Parking a car or bicycle at BART should not be an invitation to theft and vandalism.

- Cleaning Up BART Far too many BART stations are dirty, blighted by trash and graffiti that extend into neighborhoods and surrounding businesses. Restrooms are frequently unusable. Train car seats and carpets are stained, reek of foul odors and are generally uninviting to passengers. Noise and dust pollution from train car wheels and tracks represent an imminent environmental hazard.

- Making BART Accessible Universal access for the most vulnerable BART passengers often appears to be an after thought in BART construction, station design, platforms, elevators, walkways, signage, train operations and parking lot. The Bay Area's rapidly growing senior and disabled population are often unable to fully access BART denying these individuals basic lifeline transportation that maintains their independence and access to medical and other vital services.

Practical Pragmatic Solutions
- Allocate additional crime prevention resources to protect passengers, employees and their bicycles, automobiles and property.
- Post station crime data on the BART web site allowing passengers to make informed decisions as to travel planning and safety.
- Develop a social media smart phone application that would allow passengers to make real time reports of crime and suspicious activity to BART police by text, email or tweet. Launch a smart phone application for anonymous crime tips.
- Increase the use of security cameras in BART stations and parking lots and upgrade Station Agent monitoring equipment to observe platforms and parking structures.
- Increase frequency of cleansing schedule for stations, restrooms and trains.
- Introduce a BART Station & Restroom Grading System and invite passengers to offer comments on the BART web site.
- Introduce a BART beverage train car and station service. Proceeds to be used to offset expanded BART station / train clean up.
- Provide automated train destination, arrival and departure announcements on trains in multiple languages.
- Deploy on all BART platforms, plug in stations that allow passengers to hear Clipper Card balance, recharge electronic devices and hear BART's streaming information now only available on overhead electronic boards.
- Post new station identification signs along platforms closer to the ground, lighted and in contrasting color.
- Introduce into all BART planning and evaluations measurements standards of universal access design.
- Coordinate BART system planning and train scheduling with fixed route bus providers, para-transit agencies and employers.
- Promote development around BART stations that support transit villages combining residential and community business needs.
- Increase multi-level parking reducing BART's land use footprint, directing excess land to commercial / residential development.

Donations welcomed: FW Lopez for BART

3312 Woodview Drive
Lafayette, CA 94549

925 286-7771
FWLopez@comcast.net

Paid for by: Fred Wright Lopez for BART Director: FPPC No. 1350139

Candidate Page || Feedback to Candidate || This Contest
November 2012 Home (Ballot Lookup) || About Smart Voter


The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any candidate or political party.
Created from information supplied by the candidate: September 21, 2012 17:26
Smart Voter   <http://www.smartvoter.org/>
Copyright © League of Women Voters of California Education Fund   http://ca.lwv.org