Between 2018 and early 2020, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) planned for a sales tax proposition in the November 2020 election that would dramatically expand the agency’s budget and pay for much-needed transit improvements in San Diego and surrounding cities. Unfortunately, the measure was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn and not placed on the ballot for 2020.
TMD worked with MTS throughout the ElevateSD 2020 project to develop and refine a program of projects for the potential ballot measure and to analyze the associated operating and capital costs, infrastructure needs, ridership and greenhouse gas reductions, and budget impacts. Combined with MTS’s robust public outreach and transparent and equitable engagement process, TMD’s work laid the foundation for a dedicated new funding stream for major transit improvements that would benefit public mobility in San Diego for generations to come. TMD is optimistic the Elevate effort will resume in a future election cycle and San Diego voters will be given the opportunity to decide on this bold vision for the region.

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