MTC Reopens Public Comment on Bay Area Transportation Plan

OAKLAND, CA — In response to downwardly revised projections of the state and local revenues available for Bay Area transportation investment from 2010 through 2035, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) today reviewed recommended changes in the Draft Transportation 2035 Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area, and reopened the period for public comment on the Draft Plan.

MTC updates its long-term regional transportation plan — a 25-year blueprint for spending federal, state and regional transportation dollars — every four years. A draft version of the new plan, known as Transportation 2035, originally was released in December 2008 and the Commission was expected to approve a final version of the plan today. MTC staff recommended delaying adoption of the plan for another month after economic conditions and state budget issues prompted a new look at the long-term forecast for sales tax revenues and State Transit Assistance funds. MTC staff now projects a total of $218 billion in local, state and federal funds to be available for transportation investment over the next 25 years. This compares to $226 billion anticipated last fall.

MTC will accept public comment on the revised Draft Plan via mail, fax or e-mail through 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8. The Draft Plan will then be considered by MTC’s Planning Committee on April 10 before facing a vote by the full Commission on April 22.

MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Contacts:

John Goodwin: (415) 778-5262

Pam Grove: (415) 778-6706