During May and June, more than 1,100 members of the public attended open houses or took an online quiz to learn about and comment on an update to the region's long-range transportation and housing roadmap known as Plan Bay Area 2040. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) invited the public to attend open houses held in all nine Bay Area counties beginning May 26 and continuing through June 14.
Bay Area residents who attended these open houses had the opportunity to view displays and offer comments on long-term goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light-duty trucks, house the region's projected population, improve public health, maintain the region's transportation infrastructure, and preserve open space, among others.
An online quiz, Build a Better Bay Area, has drawn more than 600 participants so far. The quiz highlights some of the trade-offs that policy makers will be grappling with as they consider the elements that should be included in Plan Bay Area 2040's preferred scenario. Responses to 10 quiz questions are tied to the three alternative scenarios: Main Streets, Connected Neighborhoods and Big Cities. Quiz questions mirror the tough decisions facing the Bay Area as we adapt to the challenges of future population growth. Designed to be taken from any desktop or mobile device, the Build A Better Bay Area quiz will remain up through the summer. To view the quiz, visit BuildABetterBayArea.org.
Those unable to attend a workshop can view materials and offer comments online at the Plan Bay Area Open Forum. Open Forum is an online conversation platform that encourages Bay Area residents to be a part of the region's planning efforts. Residents are invited to guide the future of our region by getting involved in the conversation and submitting comments to ABAG and MTC. For more information about Plan Bay Area, please visit the website: http://www.planbayarea.org/.