The Manzanita Talks
The Manzanita Talks were a series of discussions convened by Joint Venture Silicon Valley and in partnership with the Bay Area Council. Eight cities and nine private-sector entities from the Mid-Peninsula participated in the project that culminated in a 2019 report, The Manzanita Report & Alternative Analysis. The report delves into the problem of too many cars in too little space on Bay Area roadways. The Report also seeks to resolve the most effective way for cities and companies to collaborate to provide Transportation Demand Management (TDM) services within our subregion.
Background
The talks grew out of dialogue emanating from the private sector, matched by heightening discussion that took place in the halls of local government. With funding for technical assistance provided by an anonymous family foundation, the Manzanita talks joined private and public sector parties into a shared conversation that took place in five installments.
The purpose of the talks was to explore the logic and desirability of cross-sector collaboration to address “first and last mile” challenges, traffic mitigation, the potential for coordinating and integrating existing Transportation Management Associations, and whether to form a sub-regional Transportation Management Association on the mid-Peninsula.
Who participated?
The talks brought together elected officials from eight mid-Peninsula cities (Redwood City, East Palo Alto, Atherton, Menlo Park, Palo Alto, Los Altos, Mountain View and Sunnyvale) and nine companies deeply engaged in transportation programs.
What are Transportation Management Associations (TMAs)?
TMA's are non-profit, member-controlled organizations that provide transportation services in a particular area, such as a commercial district, mall, medical center or business park. They are generally public-private partnerships, consisting primarily of area businesses with local government support where they provide an institutional framework for Traffic Demand Management (TDM) programs and services across a variety of employer sizes. There are several TMAs in our sub-region in various states of formation.
While the project has been completed, a new group, known as Manzanita Works was formed.
