Connect Bay Area Act

What It Could Mean for Contra Costa

The Connect Bay Area Transit Initiative has qualified for placement on the November 3, 2026 ballot in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

If approved by voters, the measure would create a 14-year sales tax. The rate would be 0.5% in Contra Costa and the other participating counties, except San Francisco, where it would be 1%.

The measure is estimated to raise approximately $980 million a year across the five-county region. Actual revenue would depend on future taxable sales and could be higher or lower than current estimates.

Download CCTA's Fact Sheet

How funding raised in Contra Costa would be used

Revenue generated in Contra Costa would be divided among CCTA, BART, local bus operators and other regional transit programs. CCTA would receive 19.2% of the revenue generated in Contra Costa County to be used for our county’s public transit operators, and repaving local roads used by regularly scheduled bus service.

The local investment plan

CCTA’s proposed local investment plan applies only to the 19.2% share, and divides CCTA’s funding into two categories with a 60/40 split, with 60% going toward fast, reliable, frequent and connected service; the other 40% would support safer, easier and more convenient travel.

Fast, Reliable, Frequent, and Connected Service – 60%

This funding would support:

  • Improve transit service reliability
  • Improve transit reliability on major corridors
    • Transit Priority Corridors, including paving
    • Pavement conditions on roads served by fixed-route transit
    • Transit Signal Priority
  • Make connections to transit
    • Planning and implementation of Mobility Hubs
    • Bike racks/facilities to improve connections to transit
  • Microtransit (on-demand shuttles)

Safer, Easier, and More Convenient Travel – 40%

This funding would support:

  • Wayfinding, real-time information, trip planning, and digital tools
  • Safety, cleanliness, and accessibility enhancements at transit facilities, including bus stops, BART stations and ferry terminals
  • Reduced fare and transit pass programs
  • Accessibility improvements
  • Data and technology modernization

These are broad funding categories, not a final list of projects. If voters approve the measure, CCTA would develop detailed guidelines before distributing the funding. Specific investments would be considered later at public CCTA Board meetings.

The state of Contra Costa transit

At its September 16, 2026 meeting, the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Board received presentations from BART, AC Transit, County Connection, WestCAT and Tri Delta Transit.

The agencies shared updates on current operations, ridership trends, regional coordination, key programs and financial outlooks:

Separate funding for local bus operators

The measure would also provide 11.41% of Contra Costa’s revenue to County Connection, Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT. This funding could only be used to operate transit service.

At its July 15, 2026 meeting, the CCTA Board approved a formula for dividing the funding among the three operators based on ridership and the amount of service each provides.

The Board-approved formula divides the funding approximately as follows:

AgencyPercentage
County Connection40.6%
Tri Delta Transit31.4%
WestCAT28%

Other funding from Contra Costa

After CCTA’s local investment share and the separate allocation for the county’s primary bus operations, the remaining 69.39% of Contra Costa’s revenue would support other transit agencies, regional programs and administration. This includes: 

  • BART operations
  • AC Transit, Muni and San Francisco Bay Ferry
  • Reduced fares and free or discounted transfers 
  • Transportation accessibility programs
  • Regional signs, maps and trip-planning information
  • Administration of the measure

Financial Efficiency Review

The act requires a financial efficiency review, including:

  • A two-phase review of BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit
  • Directed by an oversight committee
  • Phase 2 evaluates cost structures and financial-sustainability strategies
  • Independent Oversight Committee confirms that distributions follow the expenditure plan

Maintenance of Effort

The act also requires transit operators to maintain operations:

  • Transit agencies must maintain existing funding levels for operations
  • New revenue is intended to increase, rather than replace, current transit funding

Need more information?

Frequently Asked Questions

Connect Bay Area is a regional transit funding initiative proposed for the November 3, 2026 ballot. It covers Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

The initiative has secured enough valid voter signatures to qualify for placement on the ballot.

Senate Bill 63, also called the Connect Bay Area Act, became state law in 2025. It created the regional Public Transit Revenue Measure District and established rules for a possible regional transit tax.

The sales tax would be:

  • 0.5% in Contra Costa, Alameda, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties
  • 1% in San Francisco


The tax would remain in place for 14 years.

No.

Revenue raised in Contra Costa would be divided among several transit agencies and regional programs. CCTA would receive 19.2% for its local investment plan.

CCTA’s Board determined how the separate share for County Connection, Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT is divided.

Read CCTA’s local fact sheet for more information.

State law allows CCTA’s share to be used for public transit and for repaving roads used by regularly scheduled bus service.

CCTA’s proposed plan includes transit service, improvements that help buses move more reliably, connections to transit, on-demand transportation, reduced fares, accessibility improvements and better rider information.

No.

The proposed plan identifies broad ways the funding could be used. It is not a final project list.

If the measure passes, CCTA will develop detailed guidelines before distributing the money. Specific investments and funding amounts would require future public CCTA Board actions.

State law gives CCTA responsibility for determining how the funding is divided among County Connection, Tri Delta Transit and WestCAT.

CCTA staff proposed a method based on passenger miles and the amount of service each operator provides, using three-year averages. The CCTA Board adopted the proposal on July 15, 2026.

The final allocation process would apply only if voters approve the measure and revenue becomes available.

The Public Transit Revenue Measure District would administer the measure. The District is a separate public agency governed by the same board members who govern the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.

The District and MTC would distribute funding according to the measure and state law.

Senate Bill 63 requires an independent oversight committee to confirm that revenue is distributed as required.

The law also requires financial reviews of BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit. Transit operators receiving certain operating funds would have to meet requirements intended to prevent the new revenue from simply replacing existing transit funding.

CCTA’s local funding decisions would also take place through public Board actions.

The regional sales tax would take effect for 14 years. Revenue would be distributed according to the measure’s spending plan.

CCTA would develop guidelines for its local share before making specific funding decisions.

This information is provided for public awareness. CCTA is not advocating for or against the measure.