Land Use and Economic Development

Land use and economic development are integral to transportation planning. As such, economic vitality is one of four goals that guides Alameda CTC as we implement the Countywide Transportation Plan:

Economic Vitality: Support the growth of Alameda County’s economy and vibrant local communities through a transportation system that is safe, reliable, efficient, cost-effective, high-capacity and integrated with sustainable transit-oriented development facilitating multimodal local, regional, and interregional travel.

To implement this, Alameda CTC oversees and develops a variety of initiatives and planning activities that strengthen connections between transportation, land use, and economic development. Prioritizing the development of housing and employment centers along transit corridors (often referred to as Transit Oriented Development – or TOD), is one example of how these elements can be integrated to support sustainable growth and increased access to economic opportunity.

Priority Development Areas

Priority Development Areas (PDAs) provide a regional growth framework for concentrating future housing and jobs around high-quality transit in an effort to decrease the need for driving and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cities and counties locally-nominate areas that meet at least one of the following criteria:
  1. Transit-Rich: have high quality transportation infrastructure in place that can support additional growth
  2. Connected Community: offer basic transit services and have adopted policies that support increased mobility options while reducing automobile travel
As of 2021, there are 48 locally-nominated PDAs in Alameda County. These have been adopted as part of Plan Bay Area 2050.

Map of Alameda County PDAs
Alameda County PDA 2050 map



















Priority Development Area and Investment and Growth Strategy

Alameda CTC is required to periodically develop a PDA Investment and Growth Strategy (IGS) that establishes the process for prioritizing projects that promote residential and commercial development in the region’s PDAs.

2021 PDA IGS Update
As part of the 2021 PDA IGS Update, MTC requested specific information be reported pertaining to housing and mobility trends, planned transportation projects, and the affordable housing pipeline in Alameda County’s 48 PDAs. Alameda CTC worked with member agencies to prepare the 2021 PDA IGS, which was adopted by the Commission in January 2022.

Previous Versions
Alameda CTC adopted the first Alameda County PDA IGS in March 2013. The Commission has since approved two updates to Alameda County’s PDA IGS (in 2014 and 2015), and adopted a new PDA IGS in May 2017 as required by MTC Resolution 4202. The 2021 PDA IGS reflects the most up-to-date PDA Strategy.
More information coming soon.
More information coming soon.