January 10, 2012 > New Leadership for 2012 VTA Board of Directors
New Leadership for 2012 VTA Board of Directors
Submitted By VTA
On January 5, 2012, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) elected Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager as Board Chair. Yeager has served on the Board for the past 11 years, serving most recently as vice chair in 2011. Los Gatos Council member Joe Pirzynski, who chaired the VTA Board in 2005, was appointed as vice chair.
"2012 will be a banner year for VTA," said Yeager. "The agency will break ground on projects that include bringing BART to San Jose and creating the county's first bus rapid transit corridor."
In his speech upon being elected chair, Yeager emphasized VTA will work to change the Bay Area's transportation political and administrative landscape. VTA is working to create a Caltrans Innovative District for the County to streamline operations and complete more projects on time and on budget. Passage of AB 57 (Beall) in the State Legislature would create fairer representation for Santa Clara County on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the Bay Area's regional agency responsible for transportation funding.
"I believe it's crucial Santa Clara County receive its equitable share of transportation dollars," Yeager said.
Yeager was first elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors in 2006. Previously, he served six years on the San Jose City Council. He is a member of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers (Caltrain) Board and a governor's appointee to the California Air Resources Board, the statewide agency responsible for reducing air pollution and combating global warming.
"VTA plays a critical role in ensuring our county has a sustainable future," said Yeager. "Improved traffic flow and increased transit ridership are critical elements to reducing greenhouse gas emission in Santa Clara County."
For more information, visit www.vta.org