The 2019 Federal RTP builds on San Diego Forward: The 2015 Regional Plan with updated project costs and revenues and a new regional growth forecast. The 2019 Federal RTP, adopted by the SANDAG Board of Directors on October 25, 2019, is consistent with the Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) approved in conjunction with the 2015 Regional Plan on October 9, 2015. California Assembly Bill 1730 (Gonzalez) (AB 1730) was signed into law on October 8, 2019. AB 1730 ensures that the Final EIR and Sustainable Community Strategy (SCS) of the 2015 Regional Plan remain valid for state funding eligibility and other consistency purposes until the 2021 Regional Plan is adopted in late 2021.

Complete 2015 Regional Plan Document

Chapter 1: Our Region, Our Future
Chapter 2: A Strategy for Sustainability
Chapter 3: Financing Our Future
Chapter 4: Benefits of the Plan
Chapter 5: Ensuring Performance

Appendix A: Transportation Projects, Costs, and Phasing
Appendix B: Air Quality Planning and Transportation Conformity
Appendix C: Sustainable Communities Strategy Documentation and Related Information
Appendix D: 2012 Greenhouse Gas Inventory for San Diego County and Projections
Appendix E: Transportation System and Demand Management Programs, and Emerging Technologies
Appendix F: Public Involvement Program
Appendix G: Tribal Consultation Process for San Diego Forward: Communication, Cooperation, and Coordination
Appendix H: Social Equity: Engagement and Analysis
Appendix I: Consultation with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)
Appendix J: Regional Growth Forecast
Appendix K: Glossary of Transportation Terms, Abbreviations, and Acronyms
Appendix L: Regional Housing Needs Assessment Plan
Appendix M: Transportation Project Evaluation Criteria and Rankings
Appendix N: Evaluating the Performance of the Transportation Network
Appendix O: Transportation Financial Background
Appendix P: Economic Impact Analysis and Competitive Analysis
Appendix Q: White Papers
Appendix R: Transportation Security and Safety
Appendix S: Monitoring Performance
Appendix T: SANDAG Travel Demand Model Documentation
Appendix U.1: The Coordinated Plan 2014-2018
Appendix U.2: Regional Complete Streets Policy
Appendix U.3: SANDAG Board of Directors Report: San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan: Alternative Land Use Scenarios
Appendix U.4: SANDAG Transit Oriented Development Strategy
Appendix U.5: California Coastal Trail Technical Memoranda
Appendix U.6: Regional Aviation Strategic Plan and San Diego Airport Multimodal Accessibility Plan
Appendix U.7: SANDAG Federal Congestion Management Process
Appendix U.8: San Diego Region Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan
Appendix U.9: Regional Energy Strategy for the San Diego Region and Regional Energy Strategy Goals Summary for the San Diego Region
Appendix U.10: Management Strategic Plan for Conserved Lands in Western San Diego County
Appendix U.11: Healthy Communities Atlas, San Diego Region
Appendix U.12: San Diego Regional Plug-In Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan
Appendix U.13: Housing: Providing Homes for all Residents
Appendix U.14: Borders
Appendix U.15: Draft Executive Summary SANDAG Gateway Study Update
Appendix U.16: Riding to 2050–San Diego Regional Bike Plan
Appendix U.17: Urban Area Transit Strategy
Appendix U.18: 2015 Regional Plan Sustainable Communities Strategy 
Appendix U.19: : California Coastal Trail Technical Memoranda

Who approved the 2015 Regional Plan?

• Air Resources Board (ARB) technical evaluation of the Final Sustainable Communities Strategy (December 2015)
• ARB Executive Order accepting SANDAG's determination that the Final SCS would meet the region's greenhouse gas emissions–reduction targets (December 2015)
• U.S. Department of Transportation Conformity Determination for San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan (December 2015)

What awards did the 2015 Regional Plan earn?

APA California Planning Awards are presented annually at the APA California Conference in two categories: Awards of Excellence and Awards of Merit.

2017 Planning Excellence Awards

San Diego Forward: The Regional Plan was selected as the “Best of the Best” in the 2017 Planning Excellence Awards, a prestigious biennial program co-sponsored by the federal government and the American Planning Association, the nation’s primary organization of planning professionals.

Monica Gourdine, associate division administrator for the Federal Highway Administration, presented the award to Chairman Ron Roberts at the SANDAG Board of Directors meeting on May 26, 2017. 

"You may ask, ‘What is the best of the best?’” Gourdine said to the Board. “We have seven different categories. It’s a unique opportunity for us to recognize planning activities across the nation. You were the best of the best – this is the top award across the categories. Congratulations." 

To be selected, San Diego Forward had to meet several criteria, including representing a holistic approach to transportation planning, demonstrating an innovative approach to a critical issue, providing significant benefits to transportation users, and exemplifying a commitment to collaborating with partners and stakeholders.

San Diego Chapter – American Planning Association

The local chapter of the American Planning Association presented a 2017 comprehensive planning excellence award (Large Jurisdiction) to SANDAG for the Regional Plan.

The jury panel for this awards program had the following to say regarding the Regional Plan application and award: 

“The jury felt that this project highlights what long-range planning can effectively do in terms of establishing a vision. The plan is unique in its incorporation of infrastructure assessments, market analysis, the economic development framework, and a detailed capital improvements plan, while considering public health, equity, and new topics such as complete streets. The public outreach component of the Plan was significant and reached people both far and wide across the San Diego Region who actively participated in the development of the Plan.”