Midcoast Comprehensive

Transportation Management Plan

Lafayette

Downtown Congestion Reduction Plan

Project Summary
Nicknamed "Connect the Coastside", this planning effort was a directive from the San Mateo County Local Coastal Program (LCP), which was previously updated as part of an amendment to the countywide General Plan. The purpose of Connect the Coastside was to formulate policies and programs to address current and future regional mobility in relation to forecasted development growth in the unincorporated coastal area between the cities of Pacifica (to the north) and Half Moon Bay (to the south). As part of the scope of work, the project team was tasked with significant public outreach to gather community feedback for regional mobility and growth management solutions, as well as coordinate multi-agency jurisdictional oversight in order to arrive at compatible policy and programmatic outcomes.

As the lead transportation planner for the County, I led this planning effort by serving as primary point of contact and project manager. To help develop this plan the County also retained primary consultant, DKS Associates, a renowned transportation planning, design, and engineering firm.

Project Summary
Nicknamed "Connect the Coastside", this planning effort was a directive from the San Mateo County Local Coastal Program (LCP), which was previously updated as part of an amendment to the countywide General Plan. The purpose of Connect the Coastside was to formulate policies and programs to address current and future regional mobility in relation to forecasted development growth in the unincorporated coastal area between the cities of Pacifica (to the north) and Half Moon Bay (to the south). As part of the scope of work, the project team was tasked with significant public outreach to gather community feedback for regional mobility and growth management solutions, as well as coordinate multi-agency jurisdictional oversight in order to arrive at compatible policy and programmatic outcomes.

As the lead transportation planner for the County, I led this planning effort by serving as primary point of contact and project manager. To help develop this plan the County also retained primary consultant, DKS Associates, a renowned transportation planning, design, and engineering firm.

Role
Lead transportation planner & project manager

Role
Lead transportation planner & project manager

Timeline
2014 - 2015 (project management)
2022 (final County approval)

Timeline
2014 - 2015 (project management)
2022 (final County approval)

Stakeholders
700,000+ County residents, businesses, & visitors
Midcoast Community Council
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors

Stakeholders
700,000+ County residents, businesses, & visitors
Midcoast Community Council
California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
County of San Mateo Board of Supervisors

Project Value
$450,000 planning contract (initial value)

Project Value
$450,000 planning contract (initial value)

Unsplash by Cedric Letsch

Unsplash by Cedric Letsch

Unsplash by Cedric Letsch

Key Outcomes & Insights

Advanced draft documents, including initial plan area traffic analyses, through County Planning Commission

Advanced draft documents, including initial plan area traffic analyses, through County Planning Commission

Advanced draft documents, including initial plan area traffic analyses, through County Planning Commission

Aside from thorough scopes of work, the first drafts of major planning documents are foundational to the success of the overall project. They "set the tone" as the first tangible findings that inform future potential policy, programs, and implementation of actionable results. In this case, I presented the baseline, short-, medium-, and long-term traffic forecasts, alongside analysis indicating potential ramifications of each scenario for future area buildout, plus conceptual solutions for consideration by the Commission.

Build scheduling contingencies for major deliverables

Different stakeholders often require different timeframes for receiving and reviewing the same deliverable (draft presentation materials, reports, policy proposals, etc.). Understanding this and adapting it to the overall project plan drastically reduces potential for miscommunication and conflict - especially in public settings.

Where jurisdictional authority overlaps, interagency cooperation requires extensive engagement - early and often

Where jurisdictional authority overlaps, interagency cooperation requires extensive engagement - early and often

Where jurisdictional authority overlaps, interagency cooperation requires extensive engagement - early and often

The California Coastal Zone is environmentally-sensitive with numerous regulatory opportunities and constraints to manage throughout a planning project. Moreover, multiple regional, state, and even federal agencies maintain jurisdiction within and adjacent to this space, which required thoughtful scoping and engagement strategy, including identifying not only appopriate agency departments with which to coordinate - but primary and secondary points of contact, to reduce project risk with appropriate redundancy.

© 2025 James Hinkamp

© 2025 James Hinkamp

© 2025 James Hinkamp