SAN FRANCISCO, CA – STV today announced the San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA) selected the firm to provide policy and program management services for the 22-mile U.S.101 Express Lanes corridor in San Mateo County. U.S. 101 is among the Bay Area’s most congested highways, carrying more than half a million daily trips. 

Operating since 2022, the San Mateo 101 Express Lanes deliver more reliable travel times, prioritizing carpools and transit and reinvesting toll revenue into mobility and equity programs. The San Mateo County Express Lanes Joint Powers Authority (SMCEL-JPA) is now entering a critical next phase to guide future operations, reinvestment and climate resilience for one of the region’s most vital corridors. Over the next five years, the SMCEL-JPA will evaluate opportunities to expand its equity initiatives, direct toll revenues to community-focused projects and strengthen coordination with Caltrans, MTC and SamTrans. To support this effort, STV will oversee policy development, provide operations support and lead long-term strategy. The firm will work alongside the SMCEL-JPA to align day-to-day operations with a long-range vision for resilience, equity and multimodal access that delivers clear mobility benefits for the community. 

“The Express Lanes are a reinvestment tool that expands travel choices, reduces congestion, supports reliable bus service and better connects San Mateo residents,” said Heather Wills, national tolling director at STV. “STV is proud to deliver practical, transparent and results-driven strategies that keep the 101 corridor moving efficiently and accessible for everyone.”   

STV’s national program management expertise, paired with decades of Bay Area tolling and mobility experience, informs the firm’s approach to delivering strategies that align today’s operational realities with tomorrow’s transportation needs. 

For more than 30 years, STV has delivered major transportation projects across California and the West region, with deep expertise in tolling, express lanes and bus rapid transit. The firm has advanced policy, planning and design services for some of the nation’s most complex managed lane and transit programs, including LA Metro’s Vermont Transit Corridor and Richmond’s Pulse BRT. Beyond tolling, STV has served as a trusted provider of comprehensive engineering, planning and design services for commuter rail, light rail, bus, zero-emission vehicles and maintenance facilities. Recent transportation projects include the LA Metro Purple Line Extension Section 2 and Section 3, the LAX/Metro Transit Center, the Anaheim Regional Intermodal Center and the OCTA Orange County Streetcar Maintenance/Storage Facility.