MTC to pursue transportation ballot measure in 2026

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is pursuing legislation that aims to advance a climate-friendly Bay Area transportation system that is safe, accessible and convenient for all. Bay Area voters will be able to consider this transportation revenue measure as early as November 2026. 

The proposed measure includes preserving and enhancing public transit service by repairing local streets and roads and improving mobility and access for all people, including pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter and wheelchair users. 

San Francisco, Calif., Sen. Scott Wiener (D-CA) introduced what is known as a spot bill to be used as the vehicle for authorizing placement of the proposed measure on a future ballot in each of the nine Bay Area counties. The first opportunity to amend Sen. Wiener’s Senate Bill 925 will be in mid-February.

“Bay Area residents, businesses and visitors demand a world-class transportation system with safe, frequent, reliable and seamless transit service, smooth streets without dangerous potholes and safe access for those walking and biking,” said Sen. Wiener. “I’m proud to author legislation to give Bay Area residents a chance to vote for this better future.”

MTC expects any new transportation measure it pursues to generate at least $1 billion annually. While the MTC has not yet identified a revenue source for the proposed measure, MTC Chair and Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza noted he and his colleagues are considering a wide range of options.

“Voters traditionally have supported transportation through bridge tolls or sales taxes," Pedroza said. "Bridge tolls are not an option in this case and we think it’s smart to look at more than a regional sales tax. We’re proposing a few options so we have enough flexibility and enough time to get it right. “We recognize that we’ll be asking voters to take on a heavy lift. The big lesson from COVID-19 is the need to transform both our transit network and the way we pay to operate it but we also need to transform our local streets and roads to fix potholes and make the roads safer for walking and biking. We need to improve connectivity and do it in a way that doesn’t encourage people to drive more and we need to make our transportation infrastructure more resilient to rising sea levels, flooding, wildfires and extreme heat.”

More information about the measure proposed for the 2026 ballot can be found on MTC's website.