Improving, operating, and maintaining the San Diego region’s transportation system takes money. In addition to investing in transportation to move people and goods, SANDAG also advances programs that improve economic and social opportunities to improve quality of life for people in the San Diego region. SANDAG also distributes millions of dollars to Caltrans, transit agencies, community organizations, and the local cities and county every year.
Funding Sources
We manage and distribute funds from more than 100 different revenue sources representing a mix of state, federal, and local funding. Funds often come with restrictions specifying which projects or modes they can be used for.
SANDAG receives both formula and competitive funding from state and federal governments. Formula funding is determined by population, transit service areas, or other pre-determined formulas. Competitive funding, including grants, is application-based and determined by how well a project scores compared to other applicants. Collectively, state and federal funding typically make up between 70 to 75% of the annual budget.
Federal sources of revenue include Federal Transit Administration discretionary funds, Federal Highway Administration funds, and others. State revenues include Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account funds, State Highway Operations and Protection Program funds, and others.
Local funds comprise between 25 to 30% of the annual budget, and more than half of our local funds come from the TransNet Program. Other local funding sources include local grants and revenues from express lanes and toll roads. Additionally, the 19 jurisdictions are assessed a fee each year according to population.
