Key Phases of Plan Bay Area 2050+

View the Timeline of Key Milestones and the Project Schedule, both of which will be updated as needed throughout the Plan Bay Area 2050+ process.

Step 1: Update or Reaffirm Planning Assumptions (Summer 2023 to Summer 2024)

The COVID-19 pandemic changed overnight how everyone in the Bay Area lives, works and travels. Plan Bay Area 2050 was shaped by and responds to COVID-19’s challenges — making it a solid foundation for Plan Bay Area 2050+ to build upon.

As part of this focused update, certain targeted revisions may be pursued to better align future planning with the “new normal” and the challenges introduced by the pandemic, such as the transit fiscal cliff’s impacts on transportation revenue forecasts.

This focused approach will consider whether to pursue targeted updates to, or to reaffirm, the Regional Growth Forecast, while maintaining its forecast methodology, as well as to the External Forces, the Growth Geographies and the Needs and Revenue Forecasts.

Step 2: Update Select Blueprint Strategies (Summer 2023 to Fall 2024)

Develop Draft Blueprint

Given Plan Bay Area 2050’s solid foundation of 35 strategies, the Draft Blueprint phase for Plan Bay Area 2050+ will focus on making targeted refinements to select plan strategies. Blueprint strategies will be refined to reflect ongoing implementation efforts from Plan Bay Area 2050, while also leveraging findings from previous scenario planning efforts that may be relevant to the post-COVID environment.

Integrating Transit 2050+

Transit 2050+ is a comprehensive re-thinking of the six transit-related strategies in Plan Bay Area 2050’s transportation element that will advance the connected network planning action item featured in the Transit Transformation Action Plan.

A more comprehensive update to the plan’s transit-related strategies is needed given the rapid changes in commute patterns brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the significant reductions in anticipated revenue through 2050, and the challenges posed by our region’s fragmented transit system. As such, Transit 2050+ will be developed in a parallel process — with its own engagement program — that will feed into the development of the Plan Bay Area 2050+ Blueprint.

Develop and Adopt Final Blueprint

Based on the results of the technical analysis, MTC and ABAG will develop the plan’s Final Blueprint, which will be the preferred alternative to advance to final environmental analysis. The preferred alternative will include the strategies and Growth Geographies that will best meet the plan’s vision given identified fiscal and policy constraints.

Step 3: Identify New Implementation Priorities and Associated Actions (Fall 2024 to Fall 2025)

The revised Implementation Plan for Plan Bay Area 2050+ will focus on short-term, tangible actions that MTC and ABAG can take to advance the plan’s strategies, in partnership with other public agencies, non-profit organizations and the private sector. The Implementation Plan process will engage Bay Area residents, local governments, civic organizations, business interest, non-profits and other stakeholders to identify and prioritize new actions to advance implementation of Plan Bay Area 2050+.

Step 4: Draft and Final Plan, EIR, Implementation Plan, Air Quality Conformity Analysis, and Title VI/Environmental Justice Analysis (Summer 2024 to Fall 2025)

A programmatic environmental impact report on the plan, including the preferred scenario and a limited set of alternatives, will identify the environmental impacts of the proposed long-range plan as a whole. Additionally, MTC and ABAG will conduct an equity analysis and an air quality conformity analysis to satisfy federal requirements with respect to the metropolitan planning process.

Release of the Draft Plan and its related documents is expected to happen in Spring 2025 with the Final Plan Bay Area 2050+ and its related final documents expected to be considered for adoption in late 2025.

Public & Stakeholder Engagement

Public Participation Plan (June 2023)

The recently-adopted 2023 MTC Public Participation Plan includes Appendix C, which is the Public Participation Plan for Plan Bay Area 2050+. Appendix C outlines the anticipated development and engagement approach and schedule for the plan update.

Plan Bay Area 2050+ Public Engagement

Staff anticipates that there will be four phases of public engagement for Plan Bay Area 2050+ with digital engagement and promotion ongoing throughout the development of the plan:

• Phase 1: Draft Blueprint (Summer 2023)
• Phase 2: Final Blueprint (Spring 2024)
• Phase 3: Implementation Plan Development (Winter 2024–2025)
• Phase 4: Draft Plan Bay Area 2050+, Draft EIR and Draft Implementation Plan (Spring–Summer 2025)