RCTC is the agency charged with recommending projects that will be federally funded under the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The RTP identifies strategies to meet mobility, financial and air quality requirements in the six county area of Southern California and is overseen by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Updated every three years, the current RTP was adopted in May 2008 and will be updated again in 2012.

RCTC’s role in the development of the RTP is to identify long range transportation improvement projects beyond those already programmed in the six-year federal funding plan. RCTC coordinates the input provided to SCAG with local agencies in order to ensure consistency with city and county transportation plans and projects.

Regional Planning Projects

In addition, RCTC is planning for its own transportation needs in a region-wide way.

Riverside County is unique in having led the way nationally with an integrated planning process that not only updated the Riverside County General Plan, but led to a plan for transportation needs that was coordinated with both future development and environmental preservation.

The Riverside County Integrated Project (RCIP) led to the establishment of a multi-species habitat plan to preserve open space and protect sensitive species and a transportation plan, the Community Environmental Transportation Acceptability Process (CETAP), that identified the region’s priorities for new corridors. Dozens of public outreach meetings contributed to the process and the four corridors identified represent the best thinking of both experts and residents.

This effort was the first in the nation to be recognized by the federal government with an environmental streamlining pledge to process plans and documents as a priority. Even so, the process remains a multi-year effort.