Investing in Our Transportation Infrastructure

A Vision for the Future

Using Our Resources Wisely

Working With Our Neighbors

Information and Technology

Public Safety

Streamlining Decisions

Focus on the Future

The San Diego Region

The SANDAG Board of Directors

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A Vision for the Future

Progress continues on the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP). The plan serves as the foundation for connecting land uses, transportation systems, infrastructure needs, and public investment strategies for the San Diego region.

The purpose of the RCP is to strengthen the relationships among local and regional plans and policies, and land use and transportation, enabling local governments as well as the region to proactively plan for change and growth.

The RCP offers a strategic planning framework for the region. It provides the foundation to connect local and regional public policy decisions that support our shared vision of the future. The RCP contains an incentive-based approach to encourage and channel growth into existing and future urban areas and smart growth communities. One key will be in determining how best to use regional funding dollars to make smart growth a reality.

One of the first key initiatives of the RCP is to implement a Pilot Smart Growth Incentive Program that will provide $17 million of federal funds to support local smart growth projects. Funding will go to demonstration projects that foster the integration of smart growth land uses and transportation facilities in the region. Those eligible for consideration include bicycle and pedestrian paths and bridges; on-street bike lanes; pedestrian plazas and street crossings; streetscape enhancements; and transit stop amenities. Funds will be awarded in fall 2005. Ultimately, a longer term, $280 million smart growth incentive program will be funded through TransNet sales tax revenues.

Also underway is the development of a Smart Growth Concept Map that will be used in the update process for the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and for determining eligibility for the TransNet Smart Growth Incentive Program. The map is being prepared with extensive input and involvement from citizens, stakeholders, technical experts, and elected officials. The map will be distributed in fall 2005 for public review and comment. Coordinated with the preparation of the concept map are the development of alternative land use scenarios for the RTP update; update of the Regional Growth Forecast; and development of updated transportation project evaluation criteria.

The RCP looks beyond our borders and takes into account the planning and growth underway on Native American tribal lands in this region as well as planning and growth in Imperial, Orange, and Riverside Counties, and Baja California, Mexico. It also looks at the social equity and environmental justice in our planning processes: do all communities have access to the region’s resources and do residents have an equal opportunity to participate in the process?

Another key component of the RCP is the Integrated Regional Infrastructure Strategy (IRIS), an investment strategy that will help the region meet its collective infrastructure needs.

The strategy will be used to assess and monitor whether the region’s existing infrastructure and planned capital improvement expenditures are adequate to meet the region’s needs or can be reprogrammed to support channeling growth into urban communities and smart growth areas. The strategy looks at the need for changes to public policy or new revenue sources to support smart growth development.

SANDAG is well underway to implementing the RCP.