Regional Transportation Plan


The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a state-mandated, long range planning document that serves as a guide for future transportation funding decisions. The RTP outlines transportation challenges and establishes investment priorities for all of Santa Cruz County. The plan includes lists of transit, highway, local road, bike, and pedestrian needs in the region and estimates the amount of local, state and federal dollars that may be available for these projects over the next 20 to 25 years. The plan is updated every four years to reflect the latest funding estimates and project needs.
The 2050 Regional Transportation Plan is currently underway and scheduled for RTC adoption June 2026. The sections below describe key milestones and opportunities for public input.
Policy Element
The Policy Element is a required component of the RTP and conveys the region’s transportation goals and policies. The 2050 RTP includes performance measures or targets that are used to prioritize projects and monitor the performance of the existing and planned transportation system.
The RTC adopted new Goals, Policies, and Targets for the 2050 RTP in late 2024 after review and input by the RTC advisory committees and members of the public.


Action Element
The Action Element of the 2050 RTP is a list of programs, projects and actions needed to operate, maintain, and improve the transportation system in Santa Cruz County. The RTP project list strives to assess the full cost to operate, maintain, and improve all modes of the transportation system in Santa Cruz County. All projects that will use federal or state funds must be included in the 2050 RTP project list.
"Constrained" projects could be implemented within the next 25 years given foreseeable revenues. "Unconstrained" projects need new funds and cannot be implemented unless there are significant changes in the amount of local, state, and federal funding available for transportation needs.
The RTC adopted the initial Complete project list in late 2024 after review and input by the partner transportation agencies and members of the public. The RTC adopted the Constrained project list in March 2025.
Financial Element
The Financial Element identifies the current and anticipated public revenue sources available to fund the planned transportation investments identified in the Action Element. The estimates show how much federal, state, and local, funding will be reasonably available for all transportation projects through fiscal year 2050 given recent revenue forecasts and state/federal transportation funding trends.
Over $6 billion is expected to be available to operate, maintain and improve the multi-modal transportation system in Santa Cruz County through 2050 (approximately $300 million per year) from 18% federal funds, 35 % state funds, 47% and local funds.
Public Participation
AMBAG (Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments) is hosting public meetings in April 2025 on the development of the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP), which supports the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). Attend the in-person or one of the virtual workshops to share your thoughts on transportation needs, impacts, and strategies in the region over the next 25 years.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025, 12 noon
Zoom Webinar ID: 884 9780 4544
Register for the virtual 2050 MTP/SCS Public Workshop at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bIkTeNHISRCC-ugTqFK5rA
Thursday, April 3, 2025, 6:00pm
Zoom Webinar ID: 884 9780 4544
Register for the virtual 2050 MTP/SCS Public Workshop at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PD8Yt4izTzaXTTTsOCJXFQ
Thursday, April 10, 2025, 6:00pm
Watsonville Civic Center, 275 Main Street , Watsonville, CA, 95076
Community Room (Floor 6)
Survey
Through April 17, 2025, provide your input on transportation, land use, housing, and greenhouse gas reduction strategies to be included in the MTP/SCS. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NX3GKH6
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