overview of new transportation mandates & plans
TRANSCRIPT
Overview of new Transportation Mandates &
Plans
CalACT
Spring Conference
2010
Presented by:
Jila Priebe
California Department of Transportation
Division of Mass Transportation
Office of Statewide Planning, Policy, Research, &
Capital,
Statewide Transit Planning Branch
Division of Mass Transportation
• Primary Functions:
– Administering State and Federal Grant Programs
– Providing technical assistance to agencies
responsible for public transit
– Supporting development of multi-modal
transportation system which increases mobility and
access choices
Division of Mass Transportation
• Objectives
– Encourage the development of mass transportation concepts to mitigate congestion
– Promote the transit component of integrated multi-modal transportation systems through training, partnership, outreach and studies
– Lead and support transit research to improve the productivity of transit to enhance options
Transit Planning
• Why Transit Planning is more essential than ever before:
– Traffic is not going away
– Gas is not getting cheaper
– Growing concerns regarding global warming issues
– Change of demographics
– Economy
• Public transit can play a significant role in creating sustainable transportation system…
– If transit investments are supported by compatible land use policies and integrated with other economic development tools.
AB 32, California's Global Warming Act
• California's Global Warming Act of 2006 (Nunez and
Pavley, Chapter 488).
• The overarching framework for meeting Global
Warming Solutions Act;
• Intended to reduce statewide greenhouse gas
emissions to 1990 levels;
• Makes the Air Resources Board (ARB) responsible
for monitoring and reducing GHG emissions;
SB 375•Signed on September 30, 2008 by the Governor.
• The bill only impacts and directs the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) in California.
• The bill does not impact counties located outside of an
MPO boundary.
• The bill addresses three primary areas:
Impacts of SB 375 on Transportation
• Requires the California Air Resources Board (ARB) to develop regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for cars and light trucks for each of the 18 MPOs
• Through their planning processes, each of the MPOs are required to develop plans to meet their regional GHG reduction target
• This would be accomplished through either the financially constrained sustainable communities strategy as part of their regional transportation plan (RTP) or an unconstrained alternative planning strategy
• Transportation projects that are part of the SCS will have priority on
State transportation money
Other State Mandates, Policies, &
Plans---CEQA
• Two types of projects are eligible for CEQA incentives if they
are consistent with the SCS:
– Transit Priority Projects are defined as having at least 50%
residential use, a density of at least 20 units per net acre
and located within a half mile of a regional transit corridor
– Residential or mixed use residential projects. Residential
or mixed use residential projects must have at least 75
percent of the total square footage for residential use
SB 391
• The bill would require the Department, by December 31, 2012, to submit to the California Transportation Commission (CTC) specified information regarding sustainable communities strategies and alternative planning strategies
• The bill would require the plan to address how the state will achieve maximum feasible emissions reductions in order to attain statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Need to take into consideration:
– The use of alternative fuel, new vehicle technology, tailpipe emission reductions
– And the expansion of public transit, commuter rail, intercity rail, bicycling, and walking
SB 391
• The bill would require the plan to identify the statewide integrated multimodal transportation system needed to achieve these results.
• The bill would require the department to consult with and coordinate its planning activities with specified entities and to provide an opportunity for public input:
– California Transportation Commission (CTC)
– Strategic Growth Council
– State Air Resources Board
– State Energy Resources conservation and Development Commission
– Air quality management districts
– Public transit operators
– And Regional transportation planning agencies
State Plans
California Interregional Blue Print & CTP
update
• Enhancing the scope of the next update – the California Transportation Plan (CTP) 2040
• Launching the first statewide effort to integrate proposed rail, goods movement, interregional road and other strategic transportation projects into a single document
• Improving decision making for better project delivery
• Integrating statewide modal plans, and
• • Building upon existing Regional Transportation Plans and Regional Blueprint Plans
Statewide Transit Strategic Plan
• The California Department of Transportation in Collaborationwith the California Transit Association (CTA) and Cal/Act is about to embark on an effort to develop a Statewide Transit Strategic Plan
• In process of contracting the University of California Transportation Center to assist in the plan development
• The STSP will be developed over an 18-month period from May 2010 to October 2011
Statewide Transit Strategic Plan
• This plan will be developed over three phases:
– (1) Baseline conditions, the compilation of background data and information on existing transit plans, identification of data sources for evaluating existing and future transit services
– (2) Stakeholder engagement, forging a vision, and key inputs to a Statewide Action Plan, formation of a steering and advisory committee, workshops across the state
– (3) Plan Preparation, including an Action Plan. This plan will fully highlight a sustainable transportation system that supports the three outcomes of the California Transportation Plan: Interregional Blueprint that defines quality of life—economy, equity, and environment.
Statewide Transit Strategic Plan
• Goals:
– Increase Cooperation with the Transit Community
– Identify and integrate transit elements into Caltrans transportation planning and technical documents (such as Blueprint…)
– Identify barriers to Transit services for public (funding, service connectivity, coordination, and etc…)
– To develop implementable initiatives that support transit community as a whole, and assist Caltrans to achieve its mission of ―improving mobility‖
– Organizational support and collaboration
Summary
• Promoting and integrating transit in to the transportation
planning could help us achieve the goal SB 375– reduction of
GHG emission
• Public transportation helps relieve traffic congestion
• Reduce hours of delay in major travel corridors
• Public transportation provides personal mobility and freedom
Contact Information
Phone: (916) 651-8243
Website:http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/MassTrans/index.html