Welcome to the Plan Bay Area 2050 newsletter!
Here’s what is coming up this month...
Plan Bay Area 2050 Has Officially Begun!
You are seeing a new, rebranded newsletter just in time for the launch of Plan Bay Area 2050, which gets underway in earnest this month. Each month we will provide you with the latest details related to the Plan, ways for you to provide input and updates on how the process is moving along. This truly is a regional effort and we want to hear from you as we move forward. Of course, you can find more information on everything Plan Bay Area at planbayarea.org.
The Vision
Today’s Bay Area stands at a crossroads: housing costs continue to rise, traffic congestion is worsening, gaps in income inequality are growing and the region faces increasing risk from the effects of climate change. Global and national shifts both today and in the coming decades – from immigration and trade policies to driverless vehicles and natural disasters – may exacerbate these regional challenges, making the Bay Area’s future more uncertain than ever. Working closely with the public, as well as with partner agencies and policymakers, MTC and ABAG aim to develop a plan that will better prepare Bay Area residents for the many challenges the region may face through 2050.
The goal of Plan Bay Area 2050 is to identify strategies to make the Bay Area more affordable, connected, diverse, healthy and vibrant for all. By prioritizing resilience and equity, Plan Bay Area 2050 strives to establish a vision for our dynamic region and to chart a better path forward. READ MORE ▸
Integrating Horizon
With the Horizon long-range planning effort almost complete, staff has been busy preparing for the official kickoff of Plan Bay Area 2050 this month. High-performing strategies and investments from Horizon will form the foundation of Plan Bay Area 2050, pulling from the Perspective Paper priority strategies, Futures reports, Project Performance results, and Outreach findings. In addition to Horizon, staff has been working on key elements to prepare for Plan Bay Area 2050, such as: gathering project data for all transportation projects that will go into the Plan, estimating available financial needs and revenues, adopting the methodology for the regional growth forecast, and refining land use data via the new BASIS tool.
Final Horizon deliverables slated to be integrated into the foundation of Plan Bay Area 2050 include the Futures Final Report, the Project Performance Draft Results, and the Crossings Perspective Paper – all of which will be released this fall. After the completion of the fall public engagement (see below), staff will hone the list of recommended strategies as part of the development of the Plan Bay Area 2050 Draft Blueprint later this year. READ MORE ▸
Coming to Your Community This Fall!
There will be many opportunities to engage in the Plan Bay Area 2050 planning process this fall. ABAG and MTC will host “pop-up” events beginning in October and early November at locations around the nine-county Bay Area. Staff will be asking participants their opinions on key strategies that would improve the Bay Area’s future by the year 2050. We will be posting pop-up locations on the Plan Bay Area website on a rolling basis to ensure that everyone has the possibility to participate. In addition, we will be rolling out an interactive digital game this fall that will also ask game players to provide their input on the Plan Bay Area 2050 strategies, but in a fun format.
READ MORE ▸
Go to planbayarea.org for updates on Plan Bay Area 2050, including ways to get involved.
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