Overview of the RTP
The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is
the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s
25-year, $100+ billion blueprint for how
transportation funding will be spent in the
Bay Area – and a huge opportunity to shape
how the Bay Area grows. It’s where we can
win the projects, programs, and policies
needed to create a Bay Area with fast,
reliable, and accessible public transit
connecting communities that are great places
for everyone to walk, bike, live, work, and
play. This update of the RTP is especially
exciting and important because MTC has stated their
interest in prioritizing climate change and
land use in decision making.
More information is available about
MTC's vision process
for developing the RTP.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission
has embarked on an 18-month process to
develop the 2009 Regional Transportation
Plan. MTC’s staff and Planning Committee
have created a “vision,” which
establishes targets for reducing traffic
congestion, vehicle miles traveled and
greenhouse gas emissions, improving safety
and maintenance, and for making
transportation more affordable for
low-income individuals. MTC has analyzed
different transportation investment, land
use, and pricing scenarios to determine what
it would take to reach, or get close to some
of the ambitious targets.
In early 2008, MTC will begin developing
a “financially constrained plan,” which
defines projects and programs to be included
given the funding available in the Regional
Transportation Plan. This plan will rely on
input from county-level agencies and other
stakeholders.
During spring of 2008 MTC will adopt initial
funding recommendations. A draft RTP will be
complete by October 2008, and the final RTP
will be adopted by MTC in February 2009.
For this long and extremely important
process, we need individuals and
organizations across the nine counties of
the Bay Area to get involved and join us as
we advocate for projects and policies that
will create a more sustainable and socially
just region!
January-March 2008
MTC has issued a call for projects to
the nine counties. Each county has until
March 5 to submit a list of projects and
programs for potential inclusion in the
Regional Transportation Plan. MTC will
evaluate all projects and programs based on
how well they support the regional goals
that have been established.
As the counties develop their lists, MTC’s
Commission continues its discussions of
regional policies about how much funding is
available, what regional policies should be
for spending it, and regional priorities.
Throughout these processes, the
Transportation and Land Use Coalition will
continue to advocate for performance-based
funding decisions that reduce our greenhouse
gas emissions, support walkable and bikeable
communities, and create quality
transportation choices for everyone. We’ll
also be advocating at the county level for
projects and programs that achieve these
goals.
May
2008: Voice your support for sustainable transportation
investments!
MTC is
holding a series of public workshops --one workshop in each
county-- throughout May. We need you to participate and voice
support for investing in healthy, sustainable transportation
choices!
These
workshops will provide an overview of the RTP process.
Participants will also have a chance to use electronic voting
to set investment priorities. MTC Commissioners will use the
feedback from these workshops to make their investment
decisions, so it’s a critical opportunity to get involved.
WORKSHOPS
Sonoma
County: Tuesday,
May 6, 2008, 6:30-8:30 pm
Finley Community Center, Auditorium, 2060 West College Avenue,
Santa Rosa
Solano
County: Wednesday,
May 7, 2008, 6-8 pm
County Government Center, Rooms 1600-1620, 675 Texas Street,
Fairfield
Santa
Clara County:
Thursday, May 8, 2008, 6-8 pm
Martin Luther King Library, Rooms 225-229, 150 East San
Fernando Street, San Jose
Contra
Costa County:
Monday, May 12, 2008, 6-8 pm
Civic Park Community Center, Social Hall, 1375 Civic Drive,
Walnut Creek
San
Mateo County:
Tuesday, May 13, 2008, 6-8 pm
San Mateo County Government Center, Board of Supervisors
Chambers, 400 County Center, Redwood City
Alameda County:
Wednesday, May 14, 2008, 6-8 pm
MetroCenter, Auditorium, 101 8th Street, Oakland
Marin
County: Monday, May
19, 2008, 6-8 pm
San Rafael Community Center, Auditorium, 618 B Street, San
Rafael
Napa
County: Tuesday,
May 20, 2008, 6-8 pm
Napa City-County Library, Community Meeting Room, 580 Coombs
Street, Napa
San
Francisco County:
Thursday, May 22, 2008, 6-8 pm
San Francisco State Downtown Campus, Rooms E673-674, 835
Market Street, San Francisco
If you
plan to attend, RSVP to
info@mtc.ca.gov or 510.817.5981 with your name, address,
phone number and e-mail.
