Growth and Transportation

By Mary Rocha

Mary Rocha wants to reduce traffic, secure highway funds, ensure BART is extended to Antioch, maintain open space, and keep growth in check by requiring services and jobs for all people.

Mary Rocha has demanded that highway expansions in East County provide land for the BART extension. The recent increase in development fees in Antioch for new construction will help accumulate funds that will be matched by the State for highway expansion. As Supervisor, Rocha will urge regional cooperation and encourage other cities to do the same.

As a member of the Tri-Delta Transit Board, Mary Rocha has worked to improve public transportation in our region to ease traffic congestion and provide transportation alternatives to East County residents. A transportation hub such as a BART station could help expand other forms of transit as well. Bus ridership is increasing annually in East County and efforts to tailor service to consumers are underway. Neighborhood shuttles that take people directly to BART are being tested.

Rocha wants to increase the number of quality jobs in the area to allow residents to work closer to their homes. She will also promote East County as an excellent location for business. She is the only candidate who has addressed concerns about growth. She believes we need to balance home building and infrastructure and ensure that there are jobs for the people who live here. Rocha has pushed the requirement of two jobs for each housing unit in any proposed development to encourage local jobs and reduce commuter traffic. She has pledged to work to maintain open space and keep growth in check by requiring services and jobs before developers can build.

Contra Costa County needs a Supervisor who knows how to work cooperatively with neighboring communities and will work on a regional basis to make transporation improvements, jobs, and urban growth management a reality. Mary Rocha is currently the Chair of the Contra Costa Mayors' Conference and is constantly building partnerships with other leaders that will benefit East County.

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