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populations depending on them continue to increase. o Local road maintenance programs have been cut, and road conditions have deteriorated for all types of users. o Bicycle and pedestrian system improvements and maintenance of pathways have continued to deteriorate, making it more difficult to walk and bike as an alternative to driving. Since the recession began, bus services in Alameda County have been cut significantly, and the gap between road maintenance needs and available funding is at an all-time high. This new expenditure plan will allow local funding to fill in the gaps created by declining state and federal revenue and will keep needed services in place and restore service cuts for many providers. HOW THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED This expenditure plan was developed in conjunction with the Alameda Countywide Transportation Plan (CWTP), the long range policy document that guides transportation investments, programs, policies and advocacy for Alameda County through 2040. A Steering Committee and two working groups (technical and community) were established to guide development of both the CWTP and the TEP over the past two years. Public engagement and transparency were the foundations of the development of these plans. A wide variety of stakeholders, including businesses, technical experts, environmental and social justice organizations, seniors and people with disabilities, helped shape the plan to ensure that it serves the county's diverse transportation needs. Thousands of Alameda County residents participated through public workshops and facilitated small group dialogues; a website allowed for online questionnaires, access to all project information, and submittal of comments; and advisory committees that represent diverse constituencies were integrally involved in the plan development process from the beginning. The TEP also benefited from a performance-based project evaluation process undertaken for the CWTP. This allowed policies and goals to be expressed in quantifiable terms and competing transportation investments to be compared to one another objectively. This led to a more systematic and analytical selection process for investment priorities. City councils for all 14 cities in the county and the County Board of Supervisors each held public meetings and voted to approve this expenditure plan and recommended submission of the sales tax measure to the voters. VISION AND GOALS The development of the Countywide Transportation Plan and the Transportation Expenditure Plan began with establishing a new vision and goals for the county's transportation system: Alameda County will be served by a premier transportation system that supports a vibrant and livable Alameda County through a connected and integrated multimodal transportation system promoting sustainability, access, transit operations, public health and economic opportunities. The vision recognizes the need to maintain and operate the County's existing transportation infrastructure and services while developing new investments that are targeted, effective, financially sound and supported by appropriate land uses. Mobility in Alameda County will be guided by transparent decision-making and measureable performance indicators, and will be supported by these goals: Our transportation system will be: • Multimodal (bus, train, ferry, bicycle, walking and driving) • Accessible, affordable and equitable for people of all ages, incomes, abilities and geographies • Integrated with land use patterns and local decision-making • Connected across the county, within and across the network of streets, highways, transit, bicycle and pedestrian routes • Reliable and efficient • Cost effective • Well maintained • Safe • Supportive of a healthy and clean environment