The Context

Plan Bay Area 2040 is a roadmap to help Bay Area cities and counties plan for transportation needs and preserve the character of our diverse communities while adapting to the challenges of future population growth.

Jointly approved on July 26, 2017, by the ABAG Executive Board and by MTC, Plan Bay Area 2040 is a state-mandated, integrated long-range transportation, land-use and housing plan that will support a growing economy, provide more housing and transportation choices and reduce transportation-related pollution in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. It builds on earlier efforts to develop an efficient transportation network and grow in a financially and environmentally responsible way. It is a work in progress that will be updated every four years to reflect new priorities. By planning now, we will create a Bay Area we will be proud to leave to future generations.

State law gives joint responsibility for Plan Bay Area 2040 to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). These two agencies work with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). They also partner with local communities, agencies and a wide range of stakeholders to ensure broad public input into Plan Bay Area 2040’s preparation.

Plan Bay Area 2040 is the strategic update to Plan Bay Area 2013. On July 18, 2013, Plan Bay Area was jointly approved by the ABAG Executive Board and by MTC. Plan Bay Area 2013 includes the region’s Sustainable Communities Strategy and the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan and represents the next iteration of a planning process that has been in place for decades.