SANDAG approves work program for RTP update

The San Diego Association of Governments is expected to approve its Regional Transportation Plan update in early 2006, and the work program and schedule for the update were approved by the SANDAG board July 22.

The 2006 update would be a technical update which would comply with Federal requirements, and it would not replace a more comprehensive update which is scheduled for 2007. The 2006 RTP update will incorporate funding scenarios and will include the anticipated revenue which will be generated by the extension of the TransNet sales tax, which the county’s voters approved in November 2004.

The work program for the 2006 RTP will include updating revenue and project cost projections, developing possible transportation network and land use alternatives, updating the phasing of networks, developing air quality forecast analyses, preparing the draft RTP and releasing the draft for public comment, conducting public outreach and a public hearing and adopting the final RTP update and the associated environmental documentation.

The update of the revenue and cost projections will take place this summer, and the development of network and land use alternatives will take place between July and September. The update of network phasing will be performed between July and October, while the air quality forecast portion will begin in July and run through February 2006. The draft RTP and the draft environmental impact report are both expected to be complete in December, and the public outreach will run from July to December before the January 2006 public hearing. After adoption of the final plan update in February or March 2006, the air quality conformity determination is expected to be adopted in April 2006.