TITLE 7.1. METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION [66500. - 66536.2.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 7.1.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66500. Section 66500.

This title shall be known as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66502. Section 66502.

There is hereby created, as a local area planning agency and not as a part of the executive branch of the state government, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to provide comprehensive regional transportation planning for the region comprised of the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma. As used in this title, “region” means the region described in this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66503. Section 66503.

The commission shall consist of 21 members as follows: (a) Two members each from the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Contra Costa and San Mateo, and three members each from the Counties of Alameda and Santa Clara. With respect to the members from the City and County of San Francisco, the mayor shall appoint one member and the board of supervisors shall appoint one member. With respect to the members from Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties, the city selection committee organized in each county pursuant to Article 11 (commencing with Section 50270) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 1 of Title 5, shall appoint one member and the board of supervisors shall appoint one member. The Mayor of the City of Oakland shall be self-appointed or shall appoint a member of the Oakland City Council to serve as the third member from the County of Alameda. The Mayor of the City of San Jose shall be self-appointed or shall appoint a member of the San Jose City Council to serve as the third member from the County of Santa Clara. (b) One member each from Marin, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties. The city selection committee of these counties shall furnish to the board of supervisors the names of three nominees and the board of supervisors shall appoint one of the nominees to represent the county. (c) One representative each appointed by the Association of Bay Area Governments and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. The representative appointed by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission shall be a member of the commission and a resident of the City and County of San Francisco, and shall be approved by the Mayor of San Francisco. (d) One representative, who shall be a nonvoting member, appointed by the Secretary of Transportation. (e) One representative each appointed by the United States Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, these representatives shall serve only if the agencies they represent are amenable to these appointments. These representatives shall be nonvoting members. (f) Public officers, whether elected or appointed, may be appointed and serve as members of the commission during their terms of public office. (g) No more than three members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (a), (b), and (c) shall be residents of the same county.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66504. Section 66504.

Each commissioner’s term of office is four years; provided, however, that the commissioners appointed by the Mayor of the City of Oakland and the Mayor of the City of San Jose shall have an initial term of office ending in February 2015. A commissioner appointed as a public officer vacates his or her commission seat upon ceasing to hold such public office unless the appointing authority consents to completion of the term of office. Commissioners shall be selected for their special familiarity with the problems and issues in the field of transportation.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66504.1. Section 66504.1.

The members shall serve without compensation, but shall receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties. However, in lieu of this reimbursement for attendance at commission or committee meetings, each member of the commission may receive a per diem of one hundred dollars ($100), but not to exceed a combined total of five meetings in any one calendar month, plus the necessary traveling expenses as may be authorized by the commission. The commission shall pay all costs pursuant to this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66505. Section 66505.

The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall have charge of administering the affairs of the commission, subject to the direction and policies of the commission. The executive director shall, subject to the approval of the commission, appoint such employees as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the commission.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66506. Section 66506.

The commission may: (a) Accept grants, contributions, and appropriations from any public agency, private foundation, or individual. (b) Appoint committees from its membership and appoint advisory committees from other interested public and private groups. (c) Contract for or employ any professional services required by the commission or for the performance of work and services which in its opinion cannot satisfactorily be performed by its officers and employees or by other federal, state, or local governmental agencies. (d) Do any and all other things necessary to carry out the purposes of this title.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66507. Section 66507.

The commission shall assume the planning and related responsibilities of the Bay Area Transportation Study Commission and its interim successor, the Regional Transportation Planning Committee. The files and planning data of the two organizations shall be transferred to the commission.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66508. Section 66508.

The commission shall adopt, by June 30, 1973, a regional transportation plan for the region. Prior to the adoption of such a plan, the operation, construction, and modification of those transportation systems under the purview of the commission may be undertaken without the approval of the commission.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66509. Section 66509.

In developing the regional transportation plan, the commission shall consider: (a) The plan recommended by the Bay Area Transportation Study Commission, with such modifications recommended by the Regional Transportation Planning Committee. (b) The ecological, economic, and social impact of existing and future regional transportation systems upon various facets of the region, including, but not limited to, housing, employment, recreation, environment, land-use policies, and the economically disadvantaged. (c) The regional plans prepared and adopted by organizations concerned with policies and programs designed to meet the near- and long-term planning needs of the region. Such consideration by the commission shall include, but not be limited to, plans prepared and adopted by the Association of Bay Area Governments, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the State Office of Planning.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66510. Section 66510.

The regional transportation plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following segments of the regional transportation system: (a) The national system of interstate and defense highways, the California freeway and expressway system, and other highways within the state highway system. (b) The transbay bridges. (c) Mass transit systems. The commission shall pay particular attention to the interfacing of the various modes of transportation.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66511. Section 66511.

The regional transportation plan shall also include an estimate of the regional transportation needs during the ensuing 10 years and a schedule of priorities for the construction, modification, and maintenance of various segments of the regional transportation system on a project basis to meet such needs.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66512. Section 66512.

In addition, the regional transportation plan shall include a financial plan for the regional transportation system. The financial plan shall include a proposal for each segment of the system, including the amount and sources of revenues necessary to construct and operate that segment. In developing the financial plan, the commission shall consider various sources of revenues, without regard to any constraints imposed by law on expenditures from such sources, necessary to assure adequate financing of the system and, if necessary, recommend appropriate legislation to the Legislature to secure such financing.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66513. Section 66513.

The regional transportation plan shall be subjected to continuous review by the commission, with revisions prepared as the need may arise. The commission shall adopt revisions to the plan, consistent with Section 65080.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66513.5. Section 66513.5.

(a) The commission shall submit a report to the Legislature on or before March 31, 2026, on its forecast of the impacts to ridership on the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency from planned transportation projects and strategies included in its adopted regional transportation plan, with an emphasis on rail connectivity projects that may increase ridership, reduce operating costs, or help with enhanced mobility. (b) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795. (2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5, this section is inoperative on March 31, 2030, and, as of January 1, 2031, is repealed.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66514. Section 66514.

The construction of any transbay bridge in the region shall not be commenced without the approval of the commission. This section shall not apply to modifications of existing bridges, except modifications which provide for the construction of additional lanes of traffic on existing bridges or for the construction of rapid transit facilities on existing bridges.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66515. Section 66515.

No public multicounty transit system using an exclusive right-of-way which is proposed to be constructed within the region shall be constructed or operated without the approval of the commission.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66515.5. Section 66515.5.

Any public multicounty transit system entirely within the region using an exclusive right-of-way shall incorporate physical characteristics compatible with the system of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, and provision shall be made for the unified management and operation of any interconnecting facilities.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66516. Section 66516.

The commission, in coordination with the regional transit coordinating council established by the commission pursuant to Section 29142.4 of the Public Utilities Code, shall adopt rules and regulations to promote the coordination of fares and schedules for all public transit systems within its jurisdiction. The commission shall require every system to enter into a joint fare revenue sharing agreement with connecting systems consistent with the commission’s rules and regulations.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66516.5. Section 66516.5.

The commission may do the following: (a) In consultation with the regional transit coordinating council, identify those functions performed by individual public transit systems that could be consolidated to improve the efficiency of regional transit service, and recommend that those functions be consolidated and performed through inter-operator agreements or as services contracted to a single entity. (b) Improve service coordination and effectiveness in those transit corridors identified as transit corridors of regional significance by the commission in consultation with the regional transit coordinating council by recommending improvements in those corridors, including, but not limited to, reduction of duplicative service and institution of coordinated service across public transit system boundaries.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66517. Section 66517.

The commission shall render all available assistance to transit systems operated within the region by any city or public agency to ensure adequate feeder service to public multicounty transit systems.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66517.5. Section 66517.5.

The commission shall develop regional transit service objectives, develop performance measures of efficiency and effectiveness, specify uniform data requirements to assess public transit service benefits and costs, and formulate procedures for establishing regional transportation priorities in the allocation of funds for transportation purposes. The commission shall also establish and maintain standards relating to: (a) A standardized reporting and accounting system under which public transit operators shall make quarterly reports to the commission on their revenues and expenditures and submit their annual proposed and adopted budgets for comment and evaluation. The system shall be consistent with the uniform system of accounts and records adopted by the State Controller pursuant to Section 99243 of the Public Utilities Code. (b) Maintenance of established levels of local support for public transit system operations. (c) Operating efficiency and cost control.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66518. Section 66518.

When allocating funds for construction on the state highway system within the region, the California Transportation Commission shall conform to the regional transportation plan and the schedule of priorities for such construction included therein. The California Transportation Commission, however, may deviate from the regional transportation plan and the schedule of priorities established for construction on the interstate system and the state highway system within the region because of an overriding statewide interest.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66520. Section 66520.

Any application to the federal or state government for any grant of money, whether an outright or a matching grant, by any county, city and county, city, or transportation district within the region shall, if it contains a transportation element, first be submitted to the commission for review as to its compatibility with the regional transportation plan. The commission shall approve and forward only those applications that are compatible with the plan. Review by the commission, however, is not required where revenues derived from the Motor Vehicle Fuel License Tax Law are subvented to local governmental entities in accordance with statutory provisions.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66521. Section 66521.

(a) It is the intention of the Legislature that the federal government, the state, and local agencies in the region will participate in support of the commission. The Legislature further intends that financial support of the activities of the commission will be made available from federal, state, and local sources normally available for transportation and general planning purposes in the region. (b) The commission and the Transportation Agency shall negotiate contracts or agreements whereby federal-aid highway funds available for planning, and the necessary state matching funds from the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund, may be made available for support of the activities of the commission insofar as they relate to highway, road, and street planning for the region. (c) The commission shall also negotiate, either directly or through the Office of Planning and Research or other appropriate agency, with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for grants or contributions of federal funds which may be available to support the study and planning activities of the commission. (d) The commission shall negotiate equitable agreements with the City and County of San Francisco, and other counties and cities within the region, the Association of Bay Area Governments, the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District, the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District for the contribution of funds or services for the general support of the activities of the commission and for required matching of federal funds as may be made available. Any county, city and county, or city may use its apportionments from the Motor Vehicle License Fee Account in the Transportation Tax Fund for these purposes.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66522. Section 66522.

The commission shall merge with or otherwise join any multifunctional regional government organization, if it has transportation planning responsibilities, within one year of the creation of such an organization.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66525. Section 66525.

The commission shall administer any county transportation expenditure plan which includes a provision that the commission shall implement a retail transactions and use tax pursuant to Division 12.5 (commencing with Section 131000) of the Public Utilities Code.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66530. Section 66530.

The commission shall continue to actively, on behalf of the entire region, seek to assist in the development of adequate funding sources to develop, construct, and support transportation projects that it determines essential.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66531. Section 66531.

(a) Each county within the jurisdiction of the commission, together with the cities and transit operators within the county, may, every two years, develop and update a transportation plan for the county and the cities within the county. The county transportation plan shall be submitted to the commission by the agency that has been designated as the agency responsible for developing, adopting and updating the county’s congestion management program pursuant to Section 65089, unless, not later than January 1, 1995, another public agency is designated by resolutions adopted by the county board of supervisors and the city councils of a majority of the cities representing a majority of the population in the incorporated area of the county. Nothing in this section requires additional action by the cities and county, if a joint powers agreement delegates the responsibility for the county transportation plan to the agency responsible for developing, adopting, and updating the county’s congestion management program pursuant to Section 65089. (b) The county transportation plans shall be consistent with, and provide a long-range vision for, the congestion management programs in the San Francisco Bay area prepared pursuant to Section 65089. The county transportation plans shall also be responsive to the planning factors included in Section 134 of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-240). (c) The commission, in consultation with local agencies, shall develop guidelines to be used in the preparation of county transportation plans. These guidelines shall be consistent with the commission’s preparation of the regional transportation plan pursuant to Section 65081. These plans shall include recommendations for investment necessary to mitigate the impact of congestion caused by an airport that is owned by the county, or city and county, and located in another county. The plans may include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Recommendations for investments necessary to sustain the effectiveness and efficiency of the county portion of the metropolitan transportation system, as defined cooperatively by the commission and the agency designated pursuant to Section 65089. (2) Consideration of transportation system and demand management strategies which reinforce the requirements contained in Section 65089. (3) Consideration of transportation impacts associated with land use designations embodied in the general plans of the county and cities within the county and projections of economic and population growth available from the Association of Bay Area Governments. (4) Consideration of strategies that conserve existing transportation system capacity, such as pricing policies or long-term land use and transportation integration policies jointly developed by the commission and the agencies designated pursuant to Section 65089. (5) Consideration of expected transportation revenues as estimated by the commission, the impact of these estimated revenues on investment recommendations, and options for enhanced transportation revenues. (d) The commission shall adopt revised guidelines not later than January 1, 1995. (e) The county transportation plan shall include recommended transportation improvements for the succeeding 10- and 20-year periods. (f) The county transportation plans shall be the primary basis for the commission’s regional transportation plan and shall be considered in the preparation of the regional transportation improvement program. To provide regional consistency, the county transportation plans shall consider the most recent regional transportation plan adopted by the commission. Where the counties’ transportation plans conflict, the commission may resolve the differences as part of the regional transportation plan. The commission shall add proposals and policies of regional significance to the regional transportation plan. (g) With the consent of the commission, a county may have the commission prepare its county transportation plan. (h) The counties, together with the commission, shall jointly develop a funding strategy for the preparation of each county’s transportation plan.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66532. Section 66532.

The commission shall develop an emergency transportation system management plan which defines the continuing emergency services required during reconstruction of highway facilities which have been rendered inoperable by the earthquake. The plan shall be in effect for the period of time needed to restore the damaged sections of State Route 880 in the County of Alameda and State Route 280 and the Embarcadero Freeway in the City and County of San Francisco. It is the intent of the Legislature that funding shall be provided for those services by subsequent actions of the Legislature.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66535. Section 66535.

(a) Not later than July 1, 2003, the commission shall establish performance measurement criteria on both a project and corridor level to evaluate all new transportation projects and programs (investments) that have not yet been identified as “Track One Investments” in the 2002 regional transportation plan. These performance measures shall apply to proposed projects, and the impact those projects will have on their respective corridors. The commission shall utilize these performance measurements to evaluate and prioritize alternative transportation investments in order to meet the goals and objectives for each corridor for inclusion in the 2004 regional transportation plan. (b) The commission shall adopt goals and measurable objectives for planning corridors and subcorridors delineated by the commission. These goals and objectives shall be compatible and consistent with the requirements of the performance measurement criteria established by the commission pursuant to subdivision (a) for inclusion in the 2004 regional transportation plan. (c) Any costs associated with this section incurred by the commission shall be paid solely from funds provided pursuant to Section 99233.2 of the Public Utilities Code. If there is insufficient funding from this source, the commission is not required to perform the functions described in this section.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66536. Section 66536.

The Legislature finds and declares the following: (a) The Association of Bay Area Governments, known as ABAG for the purposes of this section and Section 66536.1, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have collaborated on regional coordination. (b) ABAG and MTC formed the “ABAG-MTC Task Force” in 2003 to review methods to improve comprehensive regional planning, including possible organizational and structural changes to ABAG and MTC. (c) The ABAG-MTC Task Force agreed to set aside the issue of a merger between the ABAG and MTC and to develop a better structure for coordinated regional planning. (d) The ABAG-MTC Task Force agreed to create a joint policy committee to develop staff support for that committee and to work on short- and long-term goals. Formation of the joint policy committee can result in substantial real progress in resolving regional transportation problems. (e) The ABAG-MTC Task Force members agreed that structural changes were required in the working relationship between ABAG and MTC, and that the joint policy committee should have a substantial role in facilitating progress on regional transportation matters. (f) There is a history of cooperation and coordination among the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, ABAG, and MTC. (g) The three agencies are collectively responsible for developing and adopting air quality plans for national ambient air quality standards. (h) Based on this history and collective involvement, and the interrelation between land use, transportation, and air quality, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District should be included as a represented agency on the joint policy committee by June 30, 2005. If the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has not been included by June 3, 2005, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District shall be included as a represented agency with an equal number of committee members.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66536.1. Section 66536.1.

(a) The joint policy committee shall prepare a report analyzing the feasibility of consolidating functions separately performed by ABAG and MTC. The report shall be reviewed and approved by MTC and the ABAG executive board and submitted to the Legislature by January 1, 2006. (b) The combined membership of the joint policy committee shall include at least one representative from each of the nine regional counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, San Mateo, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Solano. Effective January 1, 2011, a majority of the representatives appointed to the joint policy committee by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission shall be locally elected officials. (c) The joint policy committee shall coordinate the development and drafting of major planning documents prepared by ABAG, MTC, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, including reviewing and commenting on major interim work products and the final draft comments prior to action by ABAG, MTC, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission. These documents include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Beginning with the next plan update scheduled to be adopted in 2008, the regional transportation plan prepared by MTC and described in Section 66508 of the Government Code. (2) The ABAG Housing Element planning process for regional housing needs pursuant to Article 10.6 (commencing with Section 65580) of Chapter 3 of Division 1 of Title 7. (3) The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Ozone Attainment Plan and Clean Air Plan. (4) The San Francisco Bay Plan and related documents.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 66536.2. Section 66536.2.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares: (1) The Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission have been working together through a joint policy committee to coordinate and improve the quality of land use, transportation, and air quality planning in the Bay Area. (2) The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission has comprehensive planning and regulatory authority in all nine Bay Area counties for the San Francisco Bay, Suisun Marsh, their respective shorelines, certain waterways, salt ponds, and managed wetlands, and through that authority plays a critical role in the land use and transportation future of the Bay Area. (3) The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission has an active interest in regional planning, as it has expressed a desire to join the joint policy committee, and the joint policy committee has determined it would benefit by adding the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission as a member. (b) The joint policy committee shall include the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission as a represented agency with an equal number of committee members as other represented agencies by January 1, 2009.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026