Countywide transportation plan update urges intercity projects, first/last‑mile fixes

Jeff LeCapp, program director at the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (CCAG), told the San Mateo Sustainability & Infrastructure Commission on Jan. 14 that the countywide transportation plan (CTP) update will set a 2050 vision, prioritize projects for inclusion in the regional Plan Bay Area and help jurisdictions become eligible for state and federal funding.

The CTP effort, a joint project of CCAG and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA), follows major county projects such as U.S. 101 express lanes and Caltrain electrification. LeCapp said the outreach phase has already produced roughly 30,000 engagement touchpoints via online surveys, in‑person events and social media in multiple languages. He said the update will produce a prioritized project list and a set of practical metrics so local agencies can measure progress.

“CTP creates a vision for the future of transportation here in San Mateo County,” LeCapp said, adding the plan’s project list funnels candidate projects into the region’s plan to make them eligible for state and federal grants.

Public comment preceded the Q&A. San Mateo resident Mike Swire praised recent TA funding and told the commission the TA board had “unanimously approved…about $18,000,000 in funding for the Fashion Island and 19th Avenue” project, and asked staff to clarify whether the city could face repayment of roughly $1,000,000 in HUD funds tied to a cancelled project. Swire urged caution because potential repayment could influence future council decisions.

Commissioners pressed CCAG staff on several technical and policy issues: the low share of bicycle commuting reported in Census work‑trip data (countywide driving-alone rates were reported at about 70% for work trips), how the plan will address first/last‑mile connections and affordable fares, and how the CTP’s project list will be developed and reviewed. LeCapp said the commute statistics are based on Census self‑reporting and that the CTP will include programmatic buckets (for example, bike/ped projects) as well as multi‑jurisdiction corridors. He also said CCAG is coordinating outreach to all 21 jurisdictions and expects to return with a draft plan and project list later in the process.

Commissioners urged CCAG to define a shared equity geography and to include metrics that can be tracked and reported locally. Several asked whether projects could be conceptual ideas or must be shovel‑ready; LeCapp said the plan can include both conceptual and shovel‑ready projects, but funding calls typically favor projects that are further along in design.

The commission’s discussion repeatedly returned to funding and prioritization: commissioners suggested bundling local bike projects for county‑level applications, emphasizing transit investments for 20‑mile average commutes, and coordinating across jurisdictions to ensure continuity of protected bike lanes and pedestrian facilities at city borders.

The commission did not take formal action on the CTP; staff said CCAG will provide additional chances for local input as the project list and draft plan are developed and will present the draft plan for public review later in the outreach schedule.