A Breakthrough: MTC, agencies to kick off “Connected Network Plan”, a bold service vision for connected transit
The Connected Network Plan will be a long term vision of a connected transit system, covering all modes and agencies - like Seamless Bay Area’s vision map, shown here.
After years of advocacy from Seamless Bay Area, SPUR, and other groups, the Bay Area is finally going to develop a vision of a connected transit network over the next 18 months that will serve as a clear guide for future transit investments, policies, and reforms. This is a huge breakthrough for the Bay Area, marking a significant shift to more people-focused transit planning - and a major victory for riders who want to see a seamless transit system.
Developing a “Connected Network Plan” was identified as a critical action in the region’s Transformation Action Plan adopted in 2021, and in November, MTC shared that it plans to complete the new transit plan as part of updating the region’s transportation and land use plan, Plan Bay Area 2050, which it is legally required to update every 5 years. They are calling the connected network plan “Transit 2050+” and the broader update of the regional transportation plan “Plan Bay Area 2050+”.
Historically, the region’s transit planning has been done on an agency by agency basis, focused on capital projects. To determine which transit projects to invest in, each agency and county considered what its own needs were, submitted capital project ideas to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which is the “Metropolitan Planning Organization” for the region. MTC scored and ranked the projects based on various criteria to develop a shortlist of the most worthy projects to prioritize for funding.
Up until now, rather than developing a bold vision for transit connectivity, mobility, and customer service across the Bay Area, and using that vision to identify projects that would provide the greatest possible impact, the Bay Area has started with crowdsourcing projects, and let those projects dictate the vision. The process has not led to transit investments that have brought more people to transit. Despite billions poured into new transit capital projects over the past several decades, ridership has barely changed.
The outcome is a system that can have striking physical gaps (like the 15 minute walk from the SMART train to the Larkspur ferry) or service gaps (there’s currently no bus service over the 92 bridge between Hayward and San Mateo except for private corporate buses).
By contrast, the planning tradition in places with much higher transit use, such as Switzerland, is to analyze and set goals for passenger travel time for trips - including when trips that may require multiple agencies, and considering the frequency and schedule connections that may be required to make the trip fast and easy.
With Transit 2050+, the Bay Area will start engaging in more Swiss-style connected network planning. Across all agencies, the “connected network plan” will consider hubs, travel times, and service standards like minimum frequencies.
Better housing support with better transit service
Transit 2050+ also provides an increased opportunity for the region to expand access to housing, and make some of its existing housing production and affordability policies more effective.
Transportation planning should be done in close coordination with land use planning to ensure that housing and jobs growth is focused in areas with quality transit service. The Bay Area began aligning its transportation and land use planning over a decade ago, and recently adopted a “Transit Oriented Communities Plan” that provides financial incentives and policy requirements to support denser housing, improve walking and bicycling, manage car parking, and protect existing housing and renters.
Unfortunately, TOC policies currently only apply narrowly to areas near BART, Caltrain, light rail, and fixed guideway bus rapid transit such as AC Transit Tempo, and the Van Ness BRT. By contrast, areas that have access to other major bus lines, such as El Camino in San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, and the 51B in Alameda County would not be covered by these policies and incentives. A reason is that there is no assurance that these mainstay lines will continue to have a high level of service frequency, and there is no commitment to improving reliability on lines that do not have dedicated bus rapid transit capital infrastructure.
By creating clear service standards for bus and rail service as part of a vision for a connected network, Transit 2050+ has the potential to strengthen opportunities for transit oriented communities, especially the policies and programs to produce, protect and preserve affordable housing.
Building voter confidence for funding
A further benefit of Transit 2050+ is that the region will finally have a plan showing convenient, well-connected service that will inspire voters to support future funding for transit, including robust operations funding.
This year, the region will be seeking state funding to address the fiscal cliff that is impacting agencies as federal Covid relief funding runs out and ridership grows back gradually. At the same time, the region will be laying the groundwork for a regional funding measure likely in 2026. Polling has shown consistently that the public wants to see a more connected system. This will be all the more important if there’s a measure in a non-presidential year with lower turnout.
An 18-month process
To coordinate the plans for transit and land use, MTC and transit agencies will be co-leading an 18-month effort to create a connected network plan that can be well-coordinated with land use plans.
As with the region’s successful Fare Coordination and Integration Study, the Connected Network Plan will create a team of staff from MTC and transit agencies working closely together.
In parallel with the MTC regional exercise, some agencies will be working on updates to the services they manage. For example, VTA is working on a Visionary Network Plan that will hopefully feed into the regional plan.
There will be opportunities for riders to speak up and participate at regional and agency level to ensure a future with frequent, well-connected service. Sign for our mailing list to receive action alerts and updates.