Draft Transit 2050+ Network
The Draft Transit 2050+ Network outlines how to make Bay Area public transit faster and more frequent at all times of day, connecting more communities by bus, train or ferry. Staff from MTC and the region’s transit agencies have worked closely together to identify a series of improvements and investments that could be made over the next 25 years in order to keep the region’s transit system operating while also expanding it for the future.
In summer 2023, thousands of Bay Area residents told regional planners what matters most to them in deciding whether or not to take public transit: convenience, travel time, frequency, safety and cleanliness. The Draft Transit 2050+ Network plan identifies key strategies and investments that will advance these priorities.
How Would the Draft Transit 2050+ Network Improve Transit?
Included in the Draft Network are six strategies that aim to enhance the customer experience and increase ridership:
Operate and maintain the existing system
- Maintain existing conditions for freeways, bridges, local streets, and transit assets.
- Transition to zero-emission transit vehicles.
Better coordinate fares, signage and more across transit agencies
- Implement no-cost and reduced-cost interagency transfer policies with Next Generation Clipper and move toward an integrated fare structure.
- Continue development and implementation of regional mapping and wayfinding tools and signage.
- Invest in paratransit improvements, including one-seat ride pilots and the full integration of ADA paratransit services with Next Generation Clipper.
Improve the transfer timing at key regional transit hubs
- Invest in service enhancements to facilitate schedule coordination and improved transfer timing at key transit hubs.
- Upgrade the physical infrastructure at key transit hubs to improve the transfer experience and better connect riders to biking, micro-mobility and walking options.
Enhance security, safety and cleanliness on transit
- Install security cameras and improved lighting at stations and stops.
- Increase staffing for security and police, transit ambassadors, crisis intervention specialists and janitorial staff.
- Invest in public awareness safety campaign programs.
Enhance transit frequency, capacity and reliability
- Invest in operational improvements that would decrease travel time for riders, such as frequency boosts, expanded hours of operation, transit priority enhancements and grade separations, with a focus on equity priority communities.
Expand transit services throughout the region
- Advance, fund and implement transformational capital projects that would expand the existing transit network to better connect communities throughout the Bay Area by serving new and/or underserved markets.
Improving Frequency and Speed for Customers
Midday Transit Frequency Improvements
View a larger version of the Midday Frequency Improvements map.
Evening Transit Frequency Improvements
View a larger version of the Evening Frequency Improvements map.
A Portfolio of Transit Projects
In developing the Draft Network, staff from MTC and local transit agencies worked together to identify transit service and infrastructure improvements, including an analysis of potential capital and operating projects that could foster a better transit system. That collaborative analysis resulted in a portfolio of projects that would advance the Draft Network, which are divided into two categories:
- Near-term projects to upgrade existing transit service, such as more frequent bus, train and ferry service; and
- Longer-term expansion projects, such as new express bus service and rail expansions that improve system capacity.
The improvements below would only become a reality if an estimated $86 billion in new money is raised in the coming decades to pay for them, likely through tolls, taxes or fees. If the needed money is secured, near-term projects would begin service between 2026 and 2035, while longer-term projects would begin service in 2036 or later.
Near-Term Projects (draft):
North Bay
- Napa Valley Bus Frequency Improvements and Express Bus Expansion
- Sonoma County Bus Frequency and Transit Priority Improvements
- Soltrans Bus Frequency Improvements
- SMART Rail Extension from Windsor to Healdsburg
San Francisco and Peninsula
- Muni Forward 5-Minute Network (Light Rail, Rapid Bus, and Local Bus Improvements)
- Dumbarton Bridge Express Bus + Busway between Menlo Park and Redwood City
- Caltrain Bayview Infill Station
East Bay
- AC Transit Local Bus Frequency Improvements
- AC Transit San Pablo Avenue Bus Rapid Transit
- County Connection Bus Frequency Improvements
- Hercules Infill Rail Station
South Bay
- VTA Bus and Light Rail Frequency Improvements (Phase 1)
Multiple Counties
- BART Core Capacity – Infrastructure and Frequency Improvements
- Caltrain Frequency Improvements (Phase 1 – 6 trains per hour)
- WETA Frequency Improvements
- Local Bus Service Frequency Improvements in Priority Development Areas
Long-Term Projects (draft):
North Bay
- Golden Gate Transit Bus and Ferry Frequency Improvements
- SR-37 Express Bus Service
San Francisco and Peninsula
- Muni Southeast Waterfront Local Bus Frequency Improvements and Express Bus Expansion
- Muni Geneva-Harney Bus Rapid Transit
- San Mateo Bridge Express Bus
- SamTrans Express Bus Expansion
- Caltrain/High-Speed Rail Portal
- Muni Metro Modernization
East Bay
- AC Transit Rapid Bus Network Expansion
- AC Transit Alameda Point Bus Service Improvements
- AC Transit East 14th Street/Mission Street/Fremont Boulevard Bus Rapid Transit
- AC Transit 23rd Street Bus Rapid Transit
- I-680 Express Bus Service Expansion
- Antioch-Brentwood Bus Rapid Transit
- Valley Link Initial Operating Segment from Dublin/Pleasanton BART to Mountain House
- Irvington BART Station
- ACE Frequency and Service Improvements
South Bay
- BART to Silicon Valley Phase II
- VTA Bus and Light Rail Frequency Improvements (Phase 2)
- El Camino Real Bus Rapid Transit + Rapid Bus
- SR-85 Express Bus + Transit Lanes
Multiple Counties
- Caltrain Frequency (Phase 2 – 8 trains per hour)