December 18, 2025

The SANDAG Board of Directors voted to adopt the final 2025 Regional Plan for the agency on December 12. The Plan serves as a blueprint and broad guiding document for transit development in the region through 2050. It will cost $125 billion to implement, and funding will come from a mix of local TransNet sales tax revenue and state and federal sources.

The adopted 2025 Regional Plan will largely rely on expanded bus routes and managed lanes to enhance transit in the region. This contrasts with the 2021 Regional Plan, which included plans for more light rail and even heavy rail. The scrapping of planned rail investments is largely due to a lack of funding, specifically federal funding that is unlikely to be available to SANDAG in the near future. Additionally, plans for a Purple Line light rail connection have been scaled back significantly. Past planning for the Purple Line proposed a rail line from the South Bay to Sorrento Valley, with stops in Chula Vista, City Heights, and Mission Valley. However, the new Purple Line route plans to end in Mission Valley. This is due to ballooning project costs and SANDAG’s overall financial situation.

The Chamber submitted input on the draft Regional Plan, emphasizing the need for a robust transit network that connects to our region’s main job centers and allows employees to efficiently utilize transit. We also encouraged SANDAG to thoughtfully plan and prepare for housing near transit in order to maximize the Plan’s usefulness and encourage transit-oriented development. The Chamber looks forward to working with SANDAG on Regional Plan implementation and advocating for the expansion of our regional transit network.