Next Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

The next Regional Transportation Plan, scheduled for adoption in 2014, will address new requirements from California’s Assembly Bill 32 and Senate Bill 375 (2008), which call for regions across California to reduce greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions from cars and light trucks. The role of the RTP will be to plan for a transportation system, that when combined with the land use initiative in the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) for the three counties area (Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties), will reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled by reducing trip distances and making it easier for everyone to access services by walking, biking, and/or transit.

A Focus on Sustainability

A new and innovative tool, the Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Ratings System (STARS), is being utilized to develop the Regional Transportation Plan based on sustainable outcomes. This approach provides a framework for evaluating the RTP in terms of access, environment and economy (also referred to as people, planet and prosperity). The transportation plan goals and policies, which incorporate sustainable outcomes identified by STARS, will guide project selection for the short and long term. The complete Draft STARS for Plans Manual is also available.

Watch the Transportation Cafe episode that highlights the inclusion of sustainability principals in the next edition of the area’s long range Regional Transportation Plan.  RTC’s Executive Director, George Dondero interviewed Grace Blakeslee, RTC program manager for the Regional Plan Update, and Peter Hurley, Project Manager at the Portland Bureau of Transportation and one of the key developers of the Sustainable Transportation Analysis and Rating System known as STARS.  This episode of the Transportation Cafe discusses the value of emphasizing sustainability in the long range transportation plan to assist the community in maximizing the benefits of transportation projects and programs for the ‘triple win” of people, the environment, and the economy.

Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS)

Building upon the Monterey Bay Area Blueprint, the SCS will tie together future land use development and transportation projects in an effort to reduce GhG emissions in the Monterey Bay Area. The GhG reduction target set by California Air Resources Board for the three-county area is to reduce per capita GhG by 2020 to 2005 levels and to reduce per capita GhG by 2035.

RTP Development

Public Participation and Notices

Previous Activities

MAY 2012- The revised draft goals, targets, and policies presented to the RTC on May 17th considered extensive public input. Four hundred individuals participated in the second Regional Transportation Plan Goals, Targets, and Policy Survey. Review the results of the survey and related comments and responses.

NOVEMBER 2011 – Reviewed public comments received at RTP Sustainability Workshops held on November 2 and November 17, 2011 focused on engaging the community in a discussion about how to integrate sustainability principles – balancing the environment, economics and access – into the RTP.

FEBRUARY 2012 – One hundred and ninety-eight individuals participated in the initial Transportation Plan Sustainability Survey, which solicited information about the sustainability objectives to be incorporated into the draft RTP goals and policies. Review the results of the survey. Results of the survey were considered in the development of the proposed draft RTP goals and policies.

APRIL 2012 – A public workshop to solicit input on the Goals, Targets and Policies for a Sustainable Transportation Plan was held on April 19, 2012. The presentation slides are available here. A summary of comments from the workshop will be available shortly.

Resources

RTC Contact

Ginger Dykaar
Transportation Planner

(831) 460-3200