Connect SoCal 2050
The Connect SoCal 2050 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy is currently in development via a multi-year planning process that will involve rigorous technical analysis, stakeholder engagement, and policy discussions with local elected leaders. Connect SoCal 2050 will outline a vision for the region’s future, with investment, policies, and strategies to achieve shared goals through 2050.
SCAG plans to release the draft Connect SoCal 2050 in the fall of 2027. Stay up to date on key developments by subscribing to our mailing list.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is SCAG?
Founded in 1965, SCAG is an association of local governments and agencies that voluntarily convene to create holistic plans that achieve unified goals and elevate the region. Under federal law, SCAG is designated as a metropolitan planning organization and under state law as a regional transportation planning agency and a council of governments.
The SCAG region encompasses six counties (Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura) and 191 cities in an area covering more than 38,000 square miles.
The agency develops long-range regional transportation plans that include sustainable communities strategies and growth forecasts, regional transportation improvement programs, regional housing needs allocations, and a portion of the air quality management plans in the South Coast air quality management district.
- What is Connect SoCal 2050?
The Connect SoCal 2050 will represent the vision for Southern California’s future, including policies, strategies, and projects to advance the region’s mobility, economy, and sustainability through 2050. The plan will detail how the region will address its transportation and land use challenges and opportunities to meet its regional emissions standards and greenhouse gas reduction targets. Connect SoCal 2050 will build on the policy direction established in Connect SoCal 2024.
An updated regional transportation plan is required by federal and state legislation for project sponsors to qualify for federal funding. SCAG is required to update this long-range planning document every four years.
- What will be included in Connect SoCal 2050?
Connect SoCal 2050 will contain the following core components:
- Vision, policies, strategies, and performance measures: An overarching vision, regional planning policies, list of regional transportation goals and Implementation Strategies, and measures for evaluating the region’s performance in achieving those goals.
- Forecasts: Projection of future distribution of population, households, employment, land use, and housing needs.
- Financial plan: Identification of reasonable expected revenues over the plan horizon.
- List of projects: Inclusion of projects anticipated for initiation or completion by 2050.
- Analysis of the following focus areas: Inclusion of technical reports on active transportation, aviation, congestion management, equity and environmental justice, goods movement, highways and arterials, housing land use (including farm and natural lands conservation), and transportation conformity.
- How will projects be selected for inclusion in Connect SoCal 2050?
Early in the planning process, SCAG will ask that each of the six-county transportation commissions submit updated project lists for inclusion. The county transportation commissions are responsible for adding, removing, or updating projects from Connect SoCal 2024 based on jurisdictional needs. These projects will then be considered for inclusion in Connect SoCal 2050.
- What is SCAG's role in developing Connect SoCal 2050?
SCAG is the lead agency in facilitating the development of the region's long-range transportation planning. SCAG values input and consensus and will use a collaborative, multi-year process to create Connect SoCal 2050. This includes working with local jurisdictions through a process known as the Local Data Exchange, as well as working directly with county transportation commissions. SCAG staff will develop Connect SoCal 2050 with guidance from policy committees and with input from and consultation with county transportation commissions, subregions, local governments, several state and federal agencies (including Caltrans), environmental and business communities, Tribal governments, non-profit and community-based organizations, and the public. The process will produce a collaborative, comprehensive document that reflects public input and addresses the region's needs.
- How will Connect SoCal 2050 affect me?
Given the geographic diversity and size of the SCAG region, a coordinated transportation system that integrates with land uses and operates efficiently is imperative to the mobility and quality of life of Southern California residents. By employing a regional focus on transportation and land use planning, SCAG seeks to improve the region's mobility, economy, and sustainability.
And although it will not commit funds to specific projects, Connect SoCal 2050 will set the framework for how transportation tax dollars will be spent in the SCAG region over the coming years and decades. The future of the SCAG region will be shaped by the goals and policies set forth in Connect SoCal 2050.
- Why do we need Connect SoCal?
Connect SoCal 2050 will lay out a vision for maintaining quality of life and protecting the environment.
- Who will approve Connect SoCal?
Various elements of Connect SoCal 2050 will be brought before SCAG’s policy committees for review, and then before SCAG’s 86-member Regional Council for approval. The Regional Council is made up of elected representatives from the region’s cities and counties as well as one representative for the Southern California Native American Tribal governments.
- How is the public involved?
Public hearings for the draft Connect SoCal 2050 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy are expected to begin in early 2027.
To develop Connect SoCal 2050, SCAG will host several interactive community workshops, pop-ups and engagements, and will regularly present to various working groups and technical advisory committees.
SCAG intends to release the draft Connect SoCal 2050 for public review and comment in the fall of 2027. During this period, SCAG will host elected official briefings and public hearings. SCAG is required to respond to or address all comments and responses received during the public review and comment period. The final plan will include a Public Participation and Consultation Technical Report to catalog and archive comments received.
Stay informed on opportunities to engage in Connect SoCal public hearings by subscribing to the Connect SoCal 2050 Plan Development updates.
- Where can I learn more about the Local Data Exchange (LDX)?
To learn more about the LDX, please visit the LDX frequently asked questions website.