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SLO COG outlines 2023 regional transportation plan; council told of $3 billion gap
Summary
Sarah Sanders, planning supervisor at the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, told the council the 2023 Regional Transportation Plan looks to 2055 and shows about $4 billion in projected revenue against about $7 billion in identified needs, leaving a roughly $3 billion shortfall.
The San Luis Obispo City Council on Tuesday received a briefing from Sarah Sanders, planning supervisor at the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments (SLO COG), on the 2023 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), a long-range document that guides state and federal transportation funding through 2055.
Sanders said the RTP contains four required components — policy, financial, action and the state-required sustainable-community strategy — and must be updated every four years. The plan directs federal and state dollars toward prioritized investments across road, transit, active transportation and safety projects.
"We estimated about $4,000,000,000 in revenue over the 28-year period, and the current needs estimate is about $7,000,000,000," Sanders said, noting that the projection depends on future federal reauthorization and other economic factors. ‘‘That leaves a significant funding gap of roughly $3,000,000,000.’’
Council members asked about how the RTP's modeling and scenario analysis would be used locally. Sanders said the RTP process includes a countywide steering committee and multiple board presentations; the SLO COG board will discuss a draft financing plan in December and bring materials to city councils in January. She also described a public-facing budgeting tool and an upcoming land-use and transportation survey meant to collect resident input.
The council asked how the gap might be closed. Sanders said one potential mechanism is a regional sales tax measure: "We are looking into a regional sales tax measure, with a draft financing plan coming to the SLO COG board in December and likely to city councils in January." She added that the RTP also relies on grants, local contributions and state funding programs.
Why it matters: The RTP steers how the region packages projects for competitive state and federal grants and determines which investments are considered fundable within the revenue forecast. Major local projects mentioned in Sanders' presentation included the Bridal Road/Prado interchange, Madonna/Hagera roadway realignment, railroad safety trail and safe routes-to-school projects. The council asked SLO COG to continue close coordination as the plan and financing strategy are refined.
