by Chris Jones

Yesterday, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission voted 10 to 3 to approve $140 million to help pay for the long awaited automated people mover between the Oakland Coliseum BART station and Oakland International Airport. And by long awaited, this writers means he was like a sperm when the idea was first raised back during the misty beginnings of time and space. The entire project is anticipated to cost approximately $522 million and should be completed by 2013.

The three holdouts on the final vote were Mayor Tom Bates of Berkeley, Sue Lempert representing the cranky NIMBYs of San Mateo County, and our own very special firecracker, Supervisor Chris Daly. Young Daly argued that the automated people mover is "a 1995 project for 2009" and many public transit advocates have voiced support for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system instead of the automated people mover. BRT is a third world solution to public transportation problems that transportation planners all over the known universe are salivating all over at the moment because it's a lot cheaper in the short term to dress up a bus to look like a train than to throw down actual tracks in the middle of the road. Never heard of it? Don't worry, you will. The city is planning on unleashing a couple of these BRT lines down Geary and Van Ness, despite the fact that folks out in the Avenues have been bleating for a light rail line since Raquel Welch slapped on a fur bikini to fight off dinosaurs with a lacrosse stick and plenty of attitude.

Which do you prefer, gentle reader? Stepping off a BART train and sauntering across the platform to a sleek automated people mover that will quickly whisk you right to the airport terminal? Or, dragging your luggage off the BART train, down the escalator, around the corner only to be greeted by a surly, gum chomping bus driver who'll say things like, "Sir, sir! I'm talking at you! I ain't movin' this bus until you sit your ass down!" The choice seems obvious.

The BART Board will vote on final approval of the project later this year.