The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“RECOGNIZING GRACE CRUNICAN” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1344 on Oct. 28, 2019.
The Department handles nearly all infrastructure crisscrossing the country. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department should be privatized to save money, reduce congestion and spur innovation.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
RECOGNIZING GRACE CRUNICAN
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HON. ERIC SWALWELL
of california
in the house of representatives
Monday, October 28, 2019
Mr. SWALWELL of California. Madam Speaker, along with Representatives Barbara Lee, Zoe Lofgren, Ro Khanna, Mark DeSaulnier, and Anna Eshoo, I rise to recognize Grace Crunican, who earlier this year retired as the general manager of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system.
Grace began her long career in transportation management in 1979 when she was appointed to the Presidential Management Intern Program at the U.S. Department of Transportation. She continued to work in a variety of roles in transportation management before going to Seattle to direct its Department of Transportation.
In Seattle she implemented its Transit Master Plan, which included Seattle Connections, the Bike Master Plan, the Freight Mobility Strategic Plan and the Pedestrian Master Plan. These initiatives helped to reduce congestion and commute times, helping Seattle achieve the U.S. Kyoto Protocol goals.
In 2011 she joined BART as general manager. In that role Grace oversaw a staff of more than 3,000 full time employees operating a $15 billion transit network. With over three decades in the public transportation industry, she displayed the necessary leadership and focus to provide safe and reliable transportation services for all Bay Area communities.
Grace's hard work and dedication will result in the replacement and expansion of more than 1,000 new rail cars for BART. Her leadership also encouraged collaboration with BART's labor force to ensure both riders and workers benefit from policy changes.
She developed and implemented policies that deepen BART's ties to the communities it serves by prioritizing inclusive planning that benefits small business owners, low-income and homeless riders, and the LGBTQ community. Her affordable housing initiative enhanced accessibility by requiring the inclusion of no less than thirty-five percent affordable housing on all BART transit-oriented development projects. Additionally, she coordinated local and federal resources and fostered regional partnerships to reduce congestion for eastern Contra Costa County communities during peak commute times and led the opening of BART's Oakland International Airport and Warm Springs/South Fremont stations.
Grace has been a tireless advocate for improved public transit throughout her career. We want to thank her for her years of service to the Bay Area and to wish her well in all her future endeavors.
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