Northern California Megaregion Taking Shape

Following the landmark report by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute on the Northern California Megaregion published in 2016, the metropolitan planning organizations of the Bay Area, Sacramento Region, and San Joaquin County have been meeting on and off for the better part of four years. In 2020, the megaregional working group has revived its work, and behind the leadership of the Bay Area Council and Keith Knopf, Raley’s CEO and Bay Area Council Executive Committee member, it has begun to formalize planning for the future of the megaregion.

Today (Aug. 28), the three metropolitan planning organizations agreed to jointly support a package of projects that will improve goods movement across the megaregion – a move that will make the projects more viable for state and federal funding. Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman addressed the meeting to lay out how the megaregion’s business sector plans to convene around a common vision and advocate for a legislative agenda that advances the megaregion. By tying together once-disparate stakeholders and government agencies behind a coordinated path, we can create an expansive economic powerhouse that provides both immediate economic recovery and relief, as well long-term prosperity and growth for everyone in the megaregion.