Connect Bay Area Local Investment Plan

Your Transit, Your Voice

SamTrans is leading a community conversation to hear your priorities for how funds should be spent in San Mateo County if a new regional transportation measure qualifies for the ballot and is approved by voters. Your feedback and voice are critical as we shape the future of transit in San Mateo County. Learn more about the survey and potential measure.

Protecting Reliable Regional Transit Services

The Bay Area stays connected through a regional transit system that links our counties together. Coordinated, efficient, and reliable public transit helps relieve traffic congestion, reduce pollution, and provide an affordable transportation option for low-income residents, students, seniors, persons with disabilities, and commuters.

There is a growing budget shortfall for some of our regional transit systems, including Caltrain, BART, and Muni. Closing stations and stops, canceling weekend and evening service, and eliminating service on certain train routes are all currently under consideration as cuts.

The Connect Bay Area Measure Would Increase Funds for Regional and Local Transit

A potential 14-year, five-county sales tax measure is being circulated by an independent group of citizens to stabilize public transportation funding, offset planned transit service cuts, and prevent station closures across the Bay Area, including in San Mateo County.

Additionally, the measure would provide approximately $50 million in annual, locally controlled funding dedicated to public transit in San Mateo County to be administered by SamTrans. This local funding would be entirely for transit within San Mateo County — no funds could be taken by the State or outside counties.

Local Funding for Local Transit Services

SamTrans is developing a local plan for how to invest this additional $50 million in annual local transit funding should the measure be approved. Stakeholder engagement and community input will be critical components of this planning process. SamTrans could potentially use this funding to:

  • Grand Boulevard Initiative – transit improvements–including bus stop enhancements, bus lanes, transit signal priority, and improved access to bus stops–along El Camino Real in San Mateo County from Daly City to Palo Alto through collaboration with cities and other stakeholders.  
  • Reimagine Dumbarton – SamTrans is reimagining the unused Dumbarton freight railroad in San Mateo County to bring fast, reliable, zero emission bus service and improvements for people biking and walking. The corridor will run through East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, North Fair Oaks, and is close by Atherton, and will connect with Caltrain and other bus routes at or near the Redwood City Transit Station. 
  • Sustain existing programs including low-cost fares for all youth 18 and under and seniors age 65 and up, free fares on the bus system for low-income youth and individuals eligible for paratransit, and public school classes taking students on field trips. SamTrans also participates in regional partnerships providing low-cost transit for low-income residents. 
  • SamTrans is working to protect its fleet and operations from weather-related and sea level rise issues to continue to provide the transit service that millions depend on every year, preserving our regional economy and community in the process. 
  • New bus shelters offer protection from rain, wind, and sun. 
  • Help keep the community clean by improving bus stop maintenance, including trash pick-up and graffiti removal. 
  • Upgrade bus stops with new shelters/shade, benches, and lighting.  
  • Improve access to bus stops and ensure stops are easily used by people with disabilities.  
  • Implement technology to allow the bus to travel faster along major corridors.  
  • Provide up-to-date information so riders know when their next buses are coming. 
  • Regularly evaluate and update the entire bus system to ensure efficiency, speed and reliability. 
  • Partner with cities and leverage public/private partnerships for transit access across the County. 
  • Enhance critical coastal ride-share service for people with limited access to a bus route.  
  • Transit vehicles rack up miles quickly in a short amount of time, and normal wear and tear can reduce reliability over time. Replacing older paratransit vehicles will help keep SamTrans’ paratransit service dependable for eligible riders with disabilities, providing trips to any destination within the SamTrans service area. 
  • Provide a local match that can leverage state and federal funding to purchase new zero-emission buses and build infrastructure to fuel and maintain them.  
  • Eligible streets must have a fixed route public transit bus. Fixed route means a SamTrans bus that operates on a specific street as part of a regular route.  
  • Pilot new micro-transit service offering affordable curb-to-curb on-demand transportation within a local community. This service gets more people on public transit for all of their trips and allows people to access any location in their local community, expanding access to where people need to go beyond the current bus system. SamTrans currently operates two zones: East Palo Alto/Menlo Park (Belle Haven) and Half Moon Bay/El Granada. 

Transparency and Accountability

The potential measure would include a detailed expenditure plan and annual audits, oversight, and transparency requirements to ensure all funds are spent as promised. Standards would be imposed on transit operators like BART and Muni to ensure accountability and service improvements, including: 

  • Clean and safe transit stops and vehicles 
  • Well-timed connections between transit systems
  • Transparent spending so residents can see where their tax dollars are going

Share Your Voice

Your feedback will help shape how local transit funding could be invested in San Mateo County.

Take the Survey Today

Learn More!