TA Board Adopts ACR/TDM Plan

The San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) Board of Directors adopted its first ever Measure A Alternative Congestion Relief (ACR) and Measure W Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Plan at its January meeting. This plan was designed to guide investment decisions and funding allocations.

ACR and TDM are strategies that encourage the use of sustainable transportation options to enhance mobility. ACR/TDM initiatives work toward ensuring that people’s trips are safe, reliable and convenient while discouraging driving, managing congestion, and reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). This plan will help guide future Calls for Projects by prioritizing projects best suited to meet these goals.

Measure A provides approximately $910,000 in funding annually to this category, while Measure W provides approximately $820,000. Eighty percent of the Measure A funds must go towards “efficient use of the transportation network through ride sharing, flexible work hours and other commute alternatives,” while the remaining 20% goes to planning and design of Intelligient Transporation Systems (ITS) for improved highway and transit capacity. Measure W funds must have a nexus with highway congestion or VMT reductions due to the funds coming from the Countywide Highway Congestion Relief setaside.

The majority of the funding will be administered through competive Calls for Projects with buckets for ITS, Planning, and Programs/Projects. Any projects funded through this will have a $200,000 cap, so the funding will be primarily focused on first/last mile connections and smaller projects. Eligible project examples include transit pass subsidies, transit stop improvements, e-bike subsidies, bike parking, wayfinding, and many other first/last-mile mobility strategies. Unlike many other TA funding categories, the plan includes targets for funding projects in small/coastal communities and mid/large jurisdictions to help balance funding across county.

The plan also continues dedicated funding for Commute.org and provides additional funding to help them jumpstart a countywide TDM monitoring program. The monitoring program will establish a one-stop shop for developments to report on progress toward their TDM requirements and helps free up local jurisdiction staff time. The data they track will be made available to local governments, but will allow Commute.org the opportunity to work directly with developments to identify infrastructure improvements or targeted programs that could help meet trip reduction goals.

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About the Transportation Authority (TA): Created to administer Measure A, San Mateo County’s ½ cent sales tax, the TA provides funding for transportation projects and programs in San Mateo County. In 2004, more than 75 percent of San Mateo County voters reauthorize Measure A for an additional 25 years. In 2018, voters approved Measure W, the San Mateo County Congestion Relief Plan an additional ½ cent sales tax. The TA will administer half the revenue of Measure W and the San Mateo County Transit District will administer the other half to fund and implement the Congestion Relief Plan.

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