The Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) Programming and Allocations Committee approved $379 million in Regional Measure 3 toll funding for eight transportation projects across the Bay Area. The committee's recommendation will be considered by the full commission at its July 26 meeting.
Among the funding recommended is $130 million for construction of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Eastridge to Bay Area Rapid Transit Regional Connector. The project is a 2.4-mile extension of VTA light rail from Alum Rock to Eastridge. The RM 3 dollars would complete a funding plan along with $313 million in VTA Measure A funds and about a $90 million state investment. Work would start in 2023, with completion expected in 2028.
“It is very important to the region,” said Margaret Abe-Koga, chair of the Programming and Allocations Committee and a Mountain View City Council member, of the VTA project. “It’s in a community in East San Jose that’s one of our priority focuses in terms of equity.”
Bay Area voters approved RM 3 in June 2018 to help solve the Bay Area's growing congestion problems. RM 3 raised tolls on the region's state-owned toll bridges by $1 beginning Jan. 1, 2019. Tolls were increased by another $1 in January 2022, with another $1 increase set for January 2025.
Litigation challenging RM 3 was resolved in January 2023 and funds that were held in escrow were released in March. Prior to the release of the funds, MTC approved “Letters of No Prejudice,” allowing projects to begin with local funds in place of the RM 3 funds until the latter became available. Five of the eight projects approved received letters.
The RM 3 toll dollars play a key role in completing the funding plans for three dozen Bay Area projects, which often also rely on local, state and federal funds.
“It’s all about project delivery,” said MTC Commissioner and San Mateo County Supervisor David Canepa. “These are really, really important projects regionally and I’m glad we are moving forward.”
MTC last month formally approved the first allocations of RM 3 dollars, releasing more than $270 million for nine projects for which the sponsors already were moving ahead under Letters of No Prejudice.
Both sets of projects can be viewed on MTC’s website.
