HELP SHAPE OUR TRANSPORTATION FUTURE
Marin County needs your help to determine what major transportation projects and programs should get regional, state and federal funding over the next three decades. We are preparing to submit projects and programs for inclusion in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and we want your input.
ABOUT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN
The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) guides funding for all parts of the transportation system in the SF Bay Region, including capital, operating and maintenance for freeways, buses, rail, ferries, and other modes. All projects competing for regional, state or federal funding must be included in this Plan.
The RTP is managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), the regional transportation agency. Every 4 years, the RTP is updated and each county has to submit the status of projects that were included in the last RTP and generate new projects to respond to changing needs. This RTP will be adopted in 2013 and will fund the region’s transportation needs through 2040.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MARIN COUNTY
Much of the transportation funding available to Marin County comes from regional, state and federal sources. Marin County is lucky to have a local ½ cent transportation sales tax, authorized as "Measure A" by voters in November 2004, that generates from $20 to $22 million per year. Marin County also has a new Vehicle Registration Fee that generates about $2 million per year for local transportation programs. However, all other funding flows through the Regional Transportation Plan and nearly any major project or program needs to be in the RTP in order to have sufficient funding to be fully implemented.
All the transportation services you use every day rely on projects in the RTP, for example, keeping our major roads well-maintained and pothole free, keeping our buses running and bus drivers paid, building new bike paths and maintaining the ones we have, and running ferry boats across the Bay; these all must be submitted to the RTP to get funding.
HOW DO PROJECTS GET FUNDING?
Marin County’s projects compete for funding at the regional level with projects from other counties and with regional programs, such as 511. Not all projects will get funding. MTC determines a set of goals for the region’s transportation system and projects are evaluated for how they help meet these goals. Projects are prioritized based on their performance in this evaluation and higher priority projects are more likely to receive funding. MTC’s goals for this RTP are:
.Adequate Housing
.Healthy and Safe Communities
.Open Space & Agricultural Preservation
.Equitable Access
.Economic Vitality
.Transportation System Effectiveness
.Infrastructure Security
HOW CAN I PROPOSE A PROJECT OR PROGRAM?
Every project needs a public agency sponsor. The Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) will coordinate the project and program submittals from all of the jurisdictions in Marin County including Marin County Transit, Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District and the cities and County of Marin. TAM can help you figure out what agency might be most appropriate to sponsor your project.
All projects must be submitted to MTC by April 30, 2011. See "Get Involved" below for how you can submit project ideas.
WHAT IS THE TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY OF MARIN?
TAM is responsible for managing a variety of transportation projects and programs in Marin County, receiving federal, state, regional, and local funds, working closely with all eleven cities and towns as well as the county. TAM also administers the transportation sales tax for Marin County and the Marin Vehicle Registration Fee. For more information visit www.tam.ca.gov.
LAND USE & TRANSPORTATION LINKAGES
For the first time, the Regional Transportation Plan will be required to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets set by the State of California under Senate Bill 375 (SB 375), passed by the legislature in 2008. In order to address the requirements of SB 375, the linkages between land use and transportation will be carefully examined in this RTP as well as how these linkages, or lack thereof, impact greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks. The county will have to consider strategies to decrease the amount people drive and how land use factors into this.
OUTREACH FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
TAM held two public workshops to encourage comments from the public about your transportation needs and the types of projects Marin residents would like to see get funding.
Board Workshop: Thursday, March 24, 7:00 p.m.
Marin County Civic Center, Room 3303501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael
Community Workshop: Saturday, March 26, 12 noon - 3:00 p.m.
San Rafael Community Center618 B Street, San Rafael Lunch will be provided!
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