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Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials (IDEA)

MTC’s Innovative Deployments to Enhance Arterials (IDEA) is a technical assistance grant program that has been helping cities, counties and transit agencies improve the signal timing of major arterial roadways and increase readiness for connected and automated vehicles.

Signs for Green Wave signal timing on Valencia Street in San Francisco.
Credit
Joey Kotfica

New technologies in transportation systems are coming down the road. MTC is helping Bay Area cities stay on the cutting edge with innovative projects that benefit their communities.

MTC’s IDEA program is a technical assistance grant program to help cities, counties and transit agencies deploy advanced technologies to enhance mobility, sustainability and safety along major arterial roadways. 

The IDEA grant program is being used to fund:

  • Traffic signal system improvements
  • Bicycle and pedestrian improvements
  • Transit improvements
  • Other projects

Funding Innovative Technologies

The IDEA grant program used $13 million in federal funds to help cities, counties and transit agencies improve the operation of major arterial roadways and to make these streets more ready for connected and automated vehicle technologies.

The IDEA program's main goals are to:

  • Speed travel times and improve travel-time reliability on major arterials
  • Improve safety for drivers, transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians
  • Reduce vehicle emissions and fuel consumption
  • Advance public agencies' proficiency in the use of advanced technologies for arterial operations

Read the complete IDEA program guidelines.

Staff Contact

Robert Rich, Design & Project Delivery
Phone: (415) 778-6621
Email: rrich@bayareametro.gov

Did You Know?

The Bay Area has over 33,000 directional miles of arterials and local streets, and approximately 11,000 traffic signals. Traffic congestion, especially during peak hours, can cause delays, safety hazards and air pollution.

Red light traffic signal on University Avenue in Berkeley.
IDEA Projects

In February 2018 MTC awarded grants for 16 projects.

See the approved IDEA projects.
Signs for Green Wave signal timing on Valencia Street in San Francisco.
Past Regional IDEA Workshops

MTC hosted workshops to provide prospective applicants with an overview of the IDEA Challenge Grant Program and to answer questions. These workshops included: