New MTC Connected Network Plan maps show transit improvements around the region
For the first time in history, the Bay Area’s draft regional plan is based on creating a network of faster, more frequent transit around the region, based on collaboration with agencies.
The updated new maps from MTC and transit agencies weave in plans that local agencies have developed for faster, more reliable, more frequent service. And the new maps include plans to fill in gaps that jumped out for service needs that aren’t being met by the current system.
The draft new plan is an exciting step forward, and Seamless Bay Area applauds the MTC and transit agency staff who have made major efforts on this plan.
The draft plan provides a clear vision for a future with more abundant transit, creating a significant opportunity to influence the regional transit funding measure being discussed now.
Review by transit riders around the region is needed to make sure these plans meet rider needs. In August and September, MTC will be gathering public feedback on the draft plan at events around the region. Seamless and partner groups will be hosting workshops to provide focused review to make sure that the plans meet the needs of transit riders - stay tuned for information on how to participate.
Transit 2050+ shows a future with a faster, more frequent, connected transit network
New maps for the draft plan were presented for the first time at public meetings at MTC this week, showing improvements to service frequency and transit network priority around the region.
The prospect of a network of more convenient, connected, faster, more frequent transit will be appealing to voters, and creates the opportunity to influence the discussion about a regional funding measure to consider and choose options for abundant, convenient transit.
In the next draft in January, the plan will include data about outcomes - ridership increases, mode shift from driving (and congestion relief), benefits for housing and communities with many more people within short walking distance of good transit, benefits for mobility with many thousands more people having convenient access to jobs, schools, healthcare and other destinations. These benefits will provide an even more compelling case for transit investments.
The maps include a growing network of transit priority projects around the region that will make buses and light rail faster and more reliable. This map doesn’t yet (but will) include sets of transit priority projects on bridges and bridge approaches, and clusters of smaller projects around the region.
Investment proposal
The plan shows the funds needed to keep transit running and well-maintained, the cost for better coordinated fares and schedules, and the cost of expansions, over the next 30 years. The funding would be provided by a mix of federal, state, regional and local sources. The plan is important because investments need to be identified in the plan in order to be eligible for federal, state and regional sources.
An important step toward world class transit network planning
This plan is a very important step toward world class transit network planning that focuses on delivering a convenient transit network. Kudos are due to the staff at MTC and transit agencies who worked closely together to take this historic step.
There is significant room for improvement in future planning, though. The current draft network, created from the bottom up with proposals from agencies and counties, is a major improvement over previous planning efforts that focused on collating assemblages of mostly capital projects.
However, there are some significant opportunities for future process changes that could potentially yield even better outcomes for riders:
The planning process does not yet start with a perspective of setting goals for travel times for heavily-used trips. Doing so would enable more concerted progress toward transit that is competitive with driving, including for trips that cross agency boundaries.
The plan does not start with standards for service frequency - the current draft was put together bottom up with proposals from agencies and counties, plus overall analysis about what gaps remain. In this draft plan, some parts of the region have not proposed improving service frequency outside of the white collar peak commute period. Therefore the plan may not be adequately serving the needs of people whose jobs start or end outside of the traditional peak or for the majority of trips that are for purposes other than work.
The draft plan includes a performance analysis of the projects considering cost-benefit, equity, and other considerations. At the review by the Network Management Council composed of transit executives, SFMTA executive Director Jeffrey Tumlin supported this approach and encouraged even more robust business case analysis, so that more decisions can be made based on benefits to the public and less relative influence for projects that are backed by powerful politicians but may provide less benefit.
The draft plan proposes funding, but there is not yet a means to correlate funding to agencies to commitments to deliver improvements to riders and the public.
The draft plan includes funding for improving the integration of fares, route and schedule planning. It would be helpful to develop a clearer framework or direction on how this will be achieved in actual practice. There is no need to wait for a future regional plan to flesh out guidelines on fare and schedule coordination; this can be done as part of the regular course of business within the region’s Network Management structure.
This is an exciting step, and Seamless Bay Area applauds the MTC and transit agency staff who have worked on this plan.
Plans need to be updated every four years, so there are opportunities for MTC and agencies to mature the process, based on this good start. Seamless Bay Area will continue to work on education and advocacy for planning that delivers faster, more frequent, better coordinated transit.
The current plan represents a significant improvement and has the potential to motivate the public to invest in the improvements to bring about better transit for the region.