The Regional Transportation Plan for Monterey County is a long range (20 year) plan, updated every four years. The Regional Transportation Plan forms the basis for the Metropolitan Transportation Plan prepared by the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) for the Monterey Bay Area pursuant to Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans transportation planning requirements. As the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Monterey Bay Area, AMBAG incorporates the financial assumptions and project lists included in the Regional Transportation Plans for Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties into the Metropolitan Transportation Plan.
Pursuant to state and federal guidelines, the Regional Transportation Plan includes a countywide multi-modal needs assessment, transportation policy element, long-range funding forecast, funding-constrained project list, and a program-level environmental review document assessing the probable environmental impacts associated with implementation of the Plan. Public participation is sought after in the development of the Regional Transportation Plan for each of the project steps, and as adopted by AMBAG through the Monterey Bay Area Public Participation Plan.
Staff has initiated the development of updated goals and policy objectives for the 2022 Regional Transportation Plan. Staff reviewed the 2017 Regional Transportation Plan Guidelines and began revising the Plan's 2018 goals and policy objectives to be more reflective of current projects and programs happening in Monterey County. Staff recommends aligning the 2022 Plan with the following overarching goals:
- Access & Mobility
- Safety & Health
- Environmental Stewardship
- Equity
- Economic Vitality
Proposed modifications to the 2018 goals and policy objectives include greater emphasis on geographic equity, integration of public health/health equity, habitat preservation and direct reflection of Measure X projects and programs, such as Go831 and Safe Routes to Schools. Staff invites the Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee to provide comments for consideration in the development of the Plan's goals and policy objectives.
Staff developed a draft timeline to provide stakeholders with an overview on Monterey County's Regional Transportation Plan process.
The projected schedule of activities include:
- Dec. 2019 - TAMC Board Action: Adoption of Goals, Policy Objectives and Performance Measures.
- January - November 2020: TAMC to develop updated project and program cost estimates in collaboration with the cities and the County.
- April 2020: TAMC to present draft project list and cost estimates to Technical Advisory Committee.
- Jan/Feb 2021 - TAMC Board Action: Adoption of final project list.
- Dec. 2021 - TAMC Board Action: Receive draft Regional Transportation Plan and release notice to public for review/comment.
- Dec. 2021: AMBAG to release Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Metropolitan Transportation Plan for public review and comment.
- June 2022 - TAMC Board Action: Approval of Final Regional Transportation Plan, adoption of CEQA findings and adoption of the joint Environmental Impact Report.