Will Facebook abandon Dumbarton traffic solution?

Facebook is the major employer on the West Bay side of the Dumbarton Corridor and is responsible for many thousands of daily commute trips clogging the roads, with thousands more coming as a result of Facebook’s planned expansion. Furthermore, some of the communities most negatively affected by crushing traffic congestion are among those with the lowest income levels in San Mateo County. In 2018, Facebook made an admirable and greatly appreciated commitment to help fund the environmental and engineering studies for the Dumbarton transit project. The planning work has progressed well since then.

Now, just when critical planning and community engagement efforts are underway, Facebook announced that it may cancel its commitment to the project. Without Facebook’s continued investment, the project will not be able to complete the environmental review process. As a result, it is likely that it will be left out of the region’s long-term Regional Transportation Plan, making it impossible for the project to receive regional, state and federal infrastructure grants.

Communities like Menlo Park, Redwood City, East Palo Alto and East Bay cities were counting on the project to mitigate much of the traffic that has been created by tech workers commuting to Facebook’s campus and other nearby tech companies. Now they feel abandoned.

There is a growing chorus of communities and decision makers imploring Facebook to follow through with its commitment. It should allow the planning process to be finished and enable the project to move into construction, so we can create game-changing traffic relief for the Peninsula and East Bay.

Continued investment in Dumbarton rail planning will not in any way affect Facebook’s ability to focus on pandemic-related community needs. Facebook is one of the largest and most successful companies in the world. This project benefits Facebook, as well as enhancing equity by serving the lower income communities which are most affected by its large presence on the border of East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto.

Ironically, as the largest company along the Dumbarton Corridor, Facebook has the most to gain from a new public transportation connection that would immediately make its campus transit-oriented and would minimize the congestion impacts of its continued and very ambitious development plans. Facebook has set an example and has been a leader among tech industry employers by focusing on and investing in transit as a preferred mode of travel. Its continued leadership in an ambitious public-private partnership is crucial.

Good public transit is essential for a region that will continue to experience the job and population growth that has allowed companies like Facebook to become so successful. We remain hopeful that Facebook will recognize how much is at stake, and that it will maintain its commitment to this project. By doing that, Facebook will truly enhance its reputation as a valued community partner.

Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, represents District 13 in the California Senate. Kevin Mullin, D-South San Francisco, represents District 22 in the California Assembly and is the speaker pro tem. Marc Berman represents District 24 in the state Assembly.