Regional Plan

The Regional Plan is a long-term planning document that is updated every four years to address the transportation, infrastructure, land use, housing and environmental needs of the region. It considers how we will grow, where we will live, and how we will move around the region. It lays out a data-driven vision to achieve the near- and long-term goals of the region and expands transportation options.

Driven by Data and Public Feedback

Our data-driven planning process begins with the regional growth forecast which estimates population, housing, employment, income, and land use changes. SANDAG uses the latest available data, including the travel data we collect ourselves, to develop and evaluate the plan.

Feedback from the public and our partners is essential in shaping the transportation solutions we propose in the plan. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) also makes recommendations that provide critical input.

Components of the Regional Plan

The Regional Plan is three documents in one:

Regional Transportation Plan

A Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a federal- and state-mandated planning document prepared by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs). The plan describes existing and projected transportation needs, conditions, and financing affecting all modes of transportation over a planning period of at least 20 years. The financial plan required by the RTP outlines estimated revenues and expenses for the projects, programs, and policies that the Regional Plan proposes.

Sustainable Communities Strategy

A Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) is a state-mandated component of an RTP added by Senate Bill 375 in September 2008. It integrates transportation, land use, and housing into the planning process and must demonstrate how GHG emissions will be reduced to meet state mandated targets.

Regional Comprehensive Plan

A Regional Comprehensive Plan (RCP) is a state-mandated planning document based on local general and regional plans that integrates land uses, transportation systems, infrastructure needs, and public investment strategies within a regional framework, in cooperation with member agencies and the public.