Sonoma/Marin Multimodal Transportation and Land Use Study

Sonoma and Marin Counties, California

Calthorpe Associates assembled a diverse team of consultants to work with North Bay communities to create a sound and achievable Transportation and Land Use Strategy for Sonoma and Marin Counties of the San Francisco Bay Area. The Sonoma/Marin Multi-Modal Transportation and Land Use Study is an essential step in an ongoing process that the Counties have undertaken to achieve a coordinated regional strategy for growth and the transportation system to serve it. With Sonoma/Marin, the Calthorpe Associates team is applying the knowledge they have gained through other regional land use/transportation plans to create an effective strategy.

Because of physical and economic constraints, Sonoma and Marin Counties cannot easily build their way out of their severe congestion problem along the Highway 101 corridor. Part of a solution must include land use policies and transit technologies that provide an alternative to the automobile. The Sonoma/Marin Multi-Modal Transportation and Land Use Study assessed the implications of this approach.

Specifically, the Sonoma/Marin Study considered the use of new rail technologies that reuses miles of existing railroad right-of-way for high-speed passenger service. "Opportunity areas" surrounding new stations would contain compact and pedestrian-friendly development to minimize reliance on the car. These areas would also contain a mix of complementary land uses to further minimize car use and to create a sustainable fabric of communities. Residents and employees could make most trips on foot or by transit, whether to work, shop, or play.