The 1998 update of the Regional Transportation Plan comes at a time when the Bay Area is being shaken by a shift in economic and demographic forces. The economy is booming, new employment and residential areas are arising on the periphery of the region. People are migrating from adjacent regions and beyond to take advantage of employment opportunities and enjoy the Bay Area quality of life.
Growth seems inevitable.
In developing the 1998 Regional Transportation Plan, MTC strives to identify and take into account the demographic and commute trends that affect Bay Area travel patterns. MTC's planners have employed the latest in computer modeling technology to forecast how these forces will shape how and where we will live, work and travel in the year 2020. All graphs refer to the San Francisco Bay Area except as noted. The Bay Area is blessed with a dynamic, growing economy, attractive climate and alluring lifestyle. Past trends in California and the Bay Area show periods of slower population growth interspersed with periods of explosive expansion.