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The Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the tri-county Monterey Bay Region. It is the lead agency responsible for developing and administering the transportation plans and programs that receive federal funds in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties. As the MPO, AMBAG act as a forum for cooperative decision making in the development of transportation plans, programs and recommendations. AMBAG also provides opportunities for citizens to participate in the discussion of specific transportation issues and projects, and encourages the public to get involved throughout the Metropolitan Transportation Planning process.

AMBAG works with Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (San Benito County Council of Governments, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission and the Transportation Agency for Monterey County), Transit Providers (Monterey Salinas Transit and Santa Cruz METRO Transit District), the Monterey Bay Air Resources District (MBARD), state and federal governments, and organizations having interest in or responsibility for transportation planning and programming. AMBAG also coordinates transportation planning and programming activities with the three counties and eighteen local jurisdictions within the tri-county Monterey Bay Region.

Central Coast Highway 1 Climate Resiliency Study

The Central Coast Highway 1 Climate Resiliency Study is a collaborative project on the Highway 1 corridor near Elkhorn Slough presents significant challenges to the future of…

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Central Coast Intelligent Transportation System

ITS technologies are generally considered to be the incorporation of advanced technology into all parts of the transportation system to improve the movement of people, goods, services and…

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Electric Vehicle Planning

AMBAG holds a seat on the Steering Committee for the Monterey Bay Electric Vehicle Alliance (MBEVA). MBEVA is a grass-roots, public-private partnership comprised of diverse stakeholders in the tri…

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for the Monterey Bay Area (2013)
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Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for the Monterey Bay Area (2013)
The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for the Monterey Bay Area plan outlines the process of creating a vehicle activity intensity analysis to help identify potential charging areas in the Monterey Bay Area, and probable infrastructure requirements needed.

Electric Vehicle Planning

AMBAG has prepared a suitability study that identifies the best places for electric vehicle charging stations throughout the tri-county area based on level of activity. The Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for the Monterey Bay Area study, funded by a Monterey Bay Area Unified Air Pollution Control District AB 2766 grant, has been incorporated into other EV plans being developed in the region and is used to help site locations for new EV charging stations.

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2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan & the Sustainable Communities Strategy

AMBAG is the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) for the Monterey Bay Area. As the MPO, AMBAG is required to produce certain documents that maintain the region's eligibility for federal…

2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communiites Strategy
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2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communiites Strategy
The 2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy is built on a set of integrated policies, strategies, and investments to maintain and improve the transportation system to meet the diverse needs of the region through 2040.

2040 Metropolitan Transportation Plan & the Sustainable Communities Strategy

AMBAG developed a technical update to the 2035 MTP/SCS which was adopted in June 2014. The 2040 MTP/SCS was adopted in June 2018. Federal and state law requires that AMBAG prepare a long-range transportation plan every four years.

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Monterey Bay Area Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

AMBAG is required to develop a Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (Coordinated Plan) for the tri-county region. Under the Bipartisan…

Final Coordinated Plan

Monterey Bay Area Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan

AMBAG is required to develop a Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (Coordinated Plan) for the tri-county region. Under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) legislation, this plan must be completed and used in developing grant applications for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities (Section 5310) grant program. The plan identifies local transit needs for the elderly, disabled, and low-income, and facilitates applications for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 grant program.

The 5310 program provides formula funding to assist private non-profit groups and transit operators in meeting the transportation needs of the elderly and persons with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs. The funds are apportioned based on each State’s share of population for these groups of people and awarded to projects through a statewide competitive selection process. Funds may be used for capital or operating expenses. The Coordinated Plan, as required by the 2015 FAST Act, must include the following elements:

  • An assessment of available services and current transportation providers (public, private, and non-profit);
  • An assessment of transportation needs for seniors and persons with disabilities. This assessment can be based on the experiences and perceptions of the planning partners or on more sophisticated data collection efforts, and gaps in service;
  • Strategies, activities, and/or projects to address the identified gaps between current services and needs, as well as opportunities to achieve efficiencies in service delivery; and
  • Priorities for implementation based on resources (from multiple program sources), time, and feasibility for implementing specific strategies and/or activities

On September 14, 2022, the AMBAG Board of Directors released the Draft Coordinated Plan for a 30-day public comment period from September 14, 2022 to October 17, 2022. Comments on the Draft Plan should be sent to Miranda Taylor, AMBAG, 24580 Silver Cloud Court, Monterey, CA 93940 or via email at mtaylor@ambag.org. The Final Coordinated Plan is scheduled for adoption by the AMBAG Board of Directors at its November 9, 2022 meeting.

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Monterey Bay Area Sensitive Resources Mapping Project Final Report

This planning effort identifies sensitive resources in the Monterey Bay Area region to give transportation project managers a better understanding of the potential mitigation projects may require…

Monterey Bay Area Sensitive Resources Mapping Project
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Monterey Bay Area Sensitive Resources Mapping Project
The Monterey Bay Area Sensitive Resources Mapping Project is to identify sensitive resources in the Monterey Bay Area region to give transportation project managers a better understanding of the potential mitigations projects may require, allwoing for long-term resource planning and early mitigation.

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Public Participation Plan

AMBAG incorporates public participation into all of its planning processes. The Public Participation Plan provides guidance in the structuring of regional transportation planning processes to…

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Regional Clearinghouse

The Clearinghouse newsletter allows for the notification, review and evaluation of federal, state and local development and planning activities that have a potentially significant impact on the…

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Regional Freight Planning

Over the next several decades, the Central Coast region can expect to see significant increases in freight movement due to both population increases and a…

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Regional Growth Forecast

The regional growth forecast projects the region's population, housing and employment. The growth forecast is used to support regional planning efforts such as the…

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Regional Housing Planning

Regional Housing Needs Allocation 

AMBAG prepares the Regional Housing Need Allocation (RHNA)…

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Title VI Program

Title VI is a federal statute and provides that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the…

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Planning Directors Forum

The Planning Directors Forum (PDF) consists of planning directors and staff from the 18 cities, three counties, three regional transportation planning agencies, transit agencies, universities and…

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Air Quality Planning

As the designated metropolitan planning organization for the region, AMBAG is responsible for ensuring that transportation projects and plans do not impede the region’s clean air goals. AMBAG is…

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2045 Metropolitan Transportation Plan & the Sustainable Communities Strategy

AMBAG is the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) for the Monterey Bay Area. As the MPO, AMBAG is required to produce certain documents that maintain the region's eligibility for federal…

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Sustainable Communities Strategy Implementation Project

Sustainable Communities Strategy Implementation Toolkits

Through a series of collaborative meetings in 2016, the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments (AMBAG) staff, consultants,…

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Central Coast Housing Working Group

Through the adopted FY 2019-20 California Budget (AB 74) and associated housing trailer bill (AB 101), HCD established the Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Grant program. The Central Coast…

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Regional Housing Needs Allocation Element Cycles

Regional Housing Needs Allocation 6th Housing Element Cycle: 2023 - 2031: 

AMBAG conducted the…

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Regional Early Action Planning Grants Program

Regional Early Action Planning Grants Programs

The adopted FY 2019-20 California Budget (AB 74, June 2019) and the associated housing trailer bill (AB…

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Housing Senate Bills

Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) Housing Planning Grants

In 2017, the Building Homes and Jobs Act (SB 2)…

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2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan & the Sustainable Communities Strategy

AMBAG is the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) for the Monterey Bay Area. As the MPO, AMBAG is required to produce certain documents that maintain the region's eligibility for federal…

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Complete Streets

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Monterey Bay Natural and Working Lands Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Study

Monterey Bay Natural and Working Lands Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Study

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